Four offshore wind energy areas designated off Nova Scotia
The Nova Scotia government says Canada's first four offshore wind energy areas have been designated on the province's offshore.
The federal and provincial governments jointly designated the following four areas, which were announced on Tuesday:
French Bank
Middle Bank
Sable Island Bank
Sydney Bight
The province says the designation is a key step in developing the offshore wind industry.
'With some of the top wind speeds in the world, Nova Scotia has the potential to become a clean energy superpower,' said Premier Tim Houston in a news release.
'With the right infrastructure, we'll have the opportunity to send our wind west to power other parts of Canada. By becoming an energy exporter, we can secure long-term prosperity for Nova Scotians.'
A regional assessment initially identified eight areas with strong potential for offshore wind. After further review, the federal and provincial governments shortlisted five locations as possible offshore wind energy areas.
The government says public feedback on those five proposed areas helped it decide on which four locations to designate, and to make the French Bank and Sydney Bight areas slightly smaller.
Offshore wind energy areas in N.S.
Canada's first four offshore wind energy areas are seen in this image (Province of Nova Scotia)
The next step is identifying parcels within the designated areas, which will be included in the first call for bids later this year.
'The identification of wind energy areas off the coast of Nova Scotia is a significant step forward towards unlocking our renewable energy potential,' said federal Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson.
'We are moving quickly to deliver on our commitment to advance offshore wind, create clean jobs and support our long-term energy security.'
The province hopes to license five gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, which is says will 'set the stage for future offshore wind development and position Nova Scotia to become an exporter of clean energy.'
After the first round of licences are awarded, the government will revisit four other areas identified in the regional assessment of offshore wind development.
Those areas include the Western/Emerald Bank, which was the other area shortlisted in the spring.
Private companies that wish to build offshore wind projects in Nova Scotia are required to participate in a competitive licensing process managed by the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator.
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
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