Westport, Nova Scotia-May 03, 2013 – Fundy Tidal Inc. (Fundy Tidal), Acadia University, and Dalhousie University’s Department of Oceanography will continue R&D activities to identify the best locations for small-scale tidal power projects in Digby County bolstered by a three-year, $3.3 million research project.
Funding of $1.6 million will come from Natural Resources Canada through its 2012 ecoEnergy Innovation Initiative competition. Further cash and in-kind contributions will come from project partners Acadia, Dalhousie University and the University of New Brunswick along with industry partners Dynamic Systems Analysis, Fundy Tidal, and Clean Current Power Systems Inc.
“Through the ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative, our Government is investing in innovative clean energy technologies that create jobs, generate new economic opportunities and protect the environment,” said the Honourable Joe Oliver, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources. “This program demonstrates our tangible support for energy projects that drive energy innovation.”
The Project “Reducing the cost of in-stream tidal energy generation through comprehensive hydrodynamic site assessment” will result in a comprehensive and innovative site assessment with a goal of determining the configuration and design of an optimal turbine array that also minimizes the cost of the electricity produced. In addition to identifying sites with the greatest energy potential, comprehensive site assessment includes determining technologies and locations that minimize interference with other water users, as well as considering the engineering, construction, and operational costs associated with different berth sites and tidal turbine technologies.
