Sustainable Marine’s tidal energy operation in Grand Passage, Nova Scotia, is ready to commence commercial operation, making it the first to deliver in-stream tidal power to the grid in Canada.
During an event held on Brier Island in the Bay of Fundy, attended by provincial politicians, dignitaries and members of the local community to celebrate the achievement, Nova Scotia Minister of Environment and Climate Change Tim Halman 'powered-up' the in-stream tidal energy platform, to demonstrate how the technology works to those in attendance. The Minister and guests were then provided with a tour of the platform where they were able to see the turbines in operation first-hand.
“This marks an incredible milestone in our journey to help communities achieve energy independence and fight climate change by harvesting clean energy from the waters around them,” said Jason Hayman, CEO of Sustainable Marine. “We have the potential to revolutionize the Atlantic power grid entirely by tapping into the resource available to us at the Bay of Fundy and we are committed to working collaboratively with our provincial and federal government partners to ensure alignment and remove barriers so we can accelerate the deployment of these technologies and help to transform the electricity system for the Maritimes and deliver the region’s net-zero vision. We are very grateful for the generous support provided to this project by NRCan and the Government of Canada to demonstrate that tidal energy can help Canada rapidly reduce GHG emissions.”
Sustainable Marine’s initiative is being supported by the Government of Canada with $28.5 million in funding – representing one of Canada’s largest-ever investments in tidal energy. The firm is working to deliver the world’s first floating tidal array at FORCE (Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy). This project will be delivered in phases, drawing upon the knowledge gained and lessons learned in Grand Passage.
In the coming months the company will continue to operate the platform at its demonstration site at Grand Passage, gradually building up power production, to further prove the technology and environmental monitoring systems, before commencing deployments in the Minas Passage – renowned as the ‘Everest of tidal energy’.
“The Government of Nova Scotia is committed to addressing climate change and transitioning our province to a clean economy. Clean, renewable energy is our future, and our tides are a key resource as we transition to a net-zero future,” commented Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman. “I want to commend Sustainable Marine for their work which will bring clean, renewable energy to homes in the province. Through this project, they are helping to lead Nova Scotia forward to a sustainable and prosperous future that will benefit all Nova Scotians and help the health of our environment and our planet.”
