Nova Scotia Energy Research and Development Forum to Discuss Ocean Energy May 26th & 27th

Hosted by the Nova Scotia Department of Energy, the Offshor Energy Technical Research (OETR) Association, and the Offshore Energy Environmental Research (OEER)Association, the 2010 Nova Scotia Energy Research & Development Forum will focus on the results of ground-breaking research in offshore geoscience (including the Play Fairway Analysis and Geoscience Data Program), renewable energy, tidal energy in the Bay of Fundy, impacts of energy extraction on the marine environment, seismic data reprocessing, marginal field development. Through dedicated support for these research and development programs, there has been significant progress in Nova Scotia to address challenges in energy resources.

This event will take place May 26th and 27th at the World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

It is important to note that the first tidal turbine in Canada was deployed in the Bay of Fundy in November of 2009.  The one-megawatt turbine is producing energy in the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) deployment site in the Minas Passage.  According to the Chronicle Herald, the turbine is a test-case for tidal energy, and should determine how it can become part of Nova Scotia’s renewable energy future. Chris Campbell, executive director of the Ocean Renewable Energy Group, says FORCE will also look into how this initial deployment can grow into the first small power plants. Two more turbines will be lowered to the bottom of the Bay of Fundy this spring.

“In 2010 and 2011, we will see these first three machines go live to the Nova Scotia grid,” says Campbell. By 2050, Canada needs to have 15,000 megawatts of ocean energy to meet carbon action targets.

“If you break down that 15,000 megawatts, it’s going to have to be contributed to by all our coastal areas that have the resources,” says Campbell. “The target I set for the Maritimes was 1,500 megawatts by 2050, which probably means 100 megawatts by 2020. We are talking in terms of the region contributing significantly to Canada’s clean electricity challenge, and a lot of things need to happen in the next 10 years to make that a reality. The foundation has to be built.”

Campbell says ocean energy is a new sector, in the same position that the wind industry was in 25 years ago. There is no single company or country in a position to be the dominant supplier of ocean energy. It’s a wide open playing field.

“We see this as an opportunity where development of ocean energy in Atlantic Canada can have a dramatic impact on the local economy. Ocean renewable energy and other renewables present economic opportunities for those beginning to carve out a share.”

The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world. Watch this video to see the dramatic difference between low and high tides. Simply amazing!  What an opportunity for tidal energy development.

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Posted by admin on May 5 2010. Filed under Latest Ocean News, Ocean Power Technologies & Projects. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.