Nova Scotia takes further steps to ensure industrial development of tidal energy
Only a few weeks into the new year and the marine renewable energy industry is already seeing major progress towards advancing the industry in Nova Scotia. This week the provincial government made two very important and exciting announcements – the opportunity for two new developers under the province’s RFP process for the 4th berth at the Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) and the establishment of new regulations that provide rules for accessing the recently established feed-in tariff for large-scale development.
Over the course of 2013 international interest in FORCE was very strong resulting in three bid submissions in December 2013 for the 4th berth opportunity. The recent opening of a second berth presents a significant opportunity for the province of Nova Scotia to select two new teams of project developers that are looking beyond technology testing to the long-term potential of project development in the Bay of Fundy. The focus on project versus technology development will ensure that the skills, supplies, and services required over the lifecycle of the projects build Canadian capabilities and competitive advantages for the emerging industry.
Now supported by the recently established regulations, the projects at FORCE will sooner become a reality once the successful bidders are announced. The developers will have a clear path to securing FITs and with that, they will be able to secure additional investment and implement their project development plans. While there are many other challenges to overcome, Nova Scotia has set a commendable basis to drive projects and the Canadian industry forward in 2014.