The potential impact for hydroelectric growth

Nova Scotia Power’s award to Open Hydro to install a utility scale demonstration of an underwater turbine highlights a potential turning point for the hydroelectric industry that may mark the beginning efforts to reinvigorate this segment of the renewable energy industry.

1. The effort is significant because the Bay of Fundy, where the demonstration will be conducted, represents the potential of over a 1000 MW of non-green house gas emitting generation.

2. The installation involves no dams or other enclosures eliminating many of the environmental concerns.

3. Demonstration of the technologies could open the way for development of greater tidal and in-stream resources in both Canada and the U. S.

The Bay of Fundy represents one of North America’s largest tidal resources for energy production. With an estimated potential of over 1000 MW, the Bay represents a significant non-carbon emitting generation source to respond to growing demand for renewable energy in Canada. Transmission interconnects between Canada and the Northeast could create the opportunity to also provide renewable power for New England meeting growing power needs and providing Renewable Energy Credits (REC). Participating in the New England market gives the power produced from the Bay three potential income components:

1. Energy

2. Time of day capacity ( due to the predictability of tidal action)

3. Renewable energy credits

As noted in the article, environmental impacts are expected to be relatively benign. Deployment of the technologies is still in a very early phase but they appear to address many of the environmental issues that have contributed to the lack of growth in the traditional hydroelectric area. Because these free flowing turbines depend on the velocity of the tides as opposed to a drop in elevation associated with traditional hydroelectric generation, no diversions or dams are required. This combined with the much slower velocity of the turbines greatly reduces the potential impact to fish passage. It also eliminates the concern of trapped sediments behind the dam. Tidal flow direction that reverses four times each day also greatly reduces concerns about sediment deposition.

The primary reason these developments are significant is the vast potential they could open in both Canada and the U.S., when applied to rivers in addition to tidal application. The Department of Energy has estimated that there is potentially as much as 95,000 MW of additional domestic hydro capacity in the U.S. Full utilization of these resources would more than double domestic hydroelectric production which currently produces 7% of U.S. electricity and 75 % of its renewable generation. Environmental concerns associated with dam building have been a major factor halting the development of these resources. Successful demonstration of the kind of in-stream technologies proposed for the Bay of Fundy would respond to many of the environmental concerns and reopen these resources for development. Development would help meet needs for reliable domestic renewable energy that responds to growing green house gas concerns.