Orbital could deploy 2.4-MW tidal stream device in Canada

Orbital Marine Power, the Scottish developer of floating tidal stream turbine technology, is set to deploy one 2.4-MW O2X machine at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) in the Bay of Fundy in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.

The company said on Tuesday it has been named as the technology partner of Canadian tidal power developer Euclaire Tidal at the FORCE site.

According to the announcement, Orbital’s technology has been confirmed as the device that can be deployed following a licence transfer and technology change by Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (NRR), signed earlier this year. The deployment is subject to the required regulatory approvals and its timing will be confirmed after completion of a Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) assessment process, which has recently been initiated.

This is Orbital’s first international project opportunity. “FORCE is a world class facility and, if a clear regulatory and long-term licencing process can be established, the tidal stream resource in the Bay of Fundy represents a significant opportunity to decarbonise the Nova Scotia energy system and provide clean, predictable power more widely,” said Orbital chief executive Andrew Scott.

Earlier in 2023, tidal energy company Sustainable Marine went insolvent in Canada due to permitting issues and the lack of regulatory path forward to deliver its project at FORCE.

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