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  Hydrokinetic News

Maine agrees tidal and offshore wind partnership with Nova Scotia

Maine and Nova Scotia have some of the best tidal resources in the world, according to their governments

The state of Maine is to work closely with the Canadian province of Nova Scotia to develop tidal power and offshore wind projects.

Maine’s Governor, John E Baldacci signed a Memorandum of Understanding with his Nova Scotia counterpart, Premier Darrel Dexter, to pursue ocean energy opportunities.

The two administrations pledged to bring together academics, researchers, policy makers and private sector developers.

Governor Baldacci said “home-grown” energy would mean jobs for the area as well as the protection of state natural resources.

He said: “Premier Dexter shares my commitment to work regionally to address these critical issues, and I’m pleased that we are forging this partnership to explore the opportunities before us.”

Premier Dexter said: “Nova Scotia has always enjoyed a strong economic, social and cultural partnership with Maine, and this MOU is another example of how our governments will work to grow the economy, create jobs and protect the environment.”

Symposium

Among the objectives within the MOU, Maine and Nova Scotia will hold a Tidal Energy Symposium next summer.

The agreement describes the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of Maine as “two of the most promising tidal energy resources on the planet”.

It pledged to investigate the opportunities and areas within which to focus development efforts and share information in order to ensure the “maximum contribution” to respective state and province renewable energy targets.

“Tidal technology is an emerging field, with many challenges and opportunities,” said Doug Keefe, executive director of Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy. “Our research work will depend on the strength of many partnerships and this MOU is a welcome development. Maine was the first region in North America to consider generating electricity from tidal energy, and may have an important role to play in its future.”

Maine is already one of 10 East Coast states that has agreed to work together to pursue offshore wind opportunities, and last month was awarded a $20 million federal grant to help develop and test offshore wind turbine components (see this BrighterEnergy.org story).