The 'beast' is launched

U.K. firm set to erect a giant turbine to harness tides of the North Sea. Could the Bay of Fundy be next?
By BILL POWER Business Reporter
Thu, Sep 9 - 4:53 AM

A U.K. COMPANY that is about to commission one of the world’s biggest marine energy turbines off the coast of Scotland has targeted the Bay of Fundy for future projects.

"The Fundy tides are one of the best tidal resources in the world. The area will become a key market and we want to be a part of it," said Timothy Cornelius, chief executive officer of Atlantic Resources Corporation, in an interview Wednesday.

Cornelius said Atlantis Resources has reviewed the tidal energy potential of the Bay of Fundy and has reached the point where discussions with potential partners are in order.

"One of the things we’ve learned over the years (is) the need for strong, local partners is paramount for projects of this magnitude," said the CEO.

"We want to talk to potential partners for everything from fabrication, all the way up to installation," he said.

The latest, and possibly largest, marine power turbine debuted Wednesday on its way to the coast of Scotland’s Orkney Islands. Weighing 132 tonnes and measuring 22.5 metres tall, the AK1000 is built to withstand the harsh open waters of the North Sea. (Mike Brookes Roper)

Now that Atlantis has successfully installed one of its massive AK1000 turbines off the coast of Scotland’s Orkney Islands, the marine energy company is ramping up some European and Asian demonstration projects and remains keen about the Bay of Fundy.

"We’ll soon be connecting the AK1000 to the Orkney regional power grid. It will generate enough power for about 1,000 homes," said the CEO.

"This represents a major step forward in the commercialization of tidal power. I would say tidal power today is about where wind power was about 20 years ago," he said.

Cornelius said his company has to date conducted only some initial analysis of the Bay of Fundy, but is fully aware of the bay’s "enormous potential" as a natural energy generator.

He said the AK1000 it just the sort of "beast" that could withstand the brutal tides and troublesome siltation of the bay. It weighs in at about 132 tonnes, stands about 22.5 metres high and has two 18-metre-diameter rotors to take advantage of the ebb and flow of ocean tides.

The turbine was designed to be big and slow and dependable and was built to withstand the worst the North Sea can toss at it, said the CEO.

"The slow-turning blades are an extremely minimal threat to marine life and the turbine can function in depths of 30 metres."

He said his company is definitely interested in talking to potential partners in a demonstration project in response to the province’s recent call for proposals for more tidal demonstration projects in the bay.

Fundy Tidal Inc. of Westport is expected to place a test turbine on the seabed near Digby sometime this fall and hopes to begin commercial operation in three years.

Nova Scotia Power and partner OpenHydro placed an underwater test turbine in the Minas Passage in the Bay of Fundy last fall. The future of that project has been foggy after powerful currents broke two blades on the turbine.