The five-kW turbine was tested while tied to the back of a fishing vessel to conduct tests on the processes of working in strong tidal currents and coordinating the many people and resources required, said company president Dana Morin.
“Our focus has been on understanding how to protect the equipment and develop floatation, mooring and anchoring that will hold the equipment in the water,” he said.
More than 20 people were involved over the six months before and after the testing took place.
“We achieved many goals but we realize that this will take many years to fully develop in a sustainable and environmentally conscious manner,” he said. “Our goal is to conduct research this summer with partners from industry and the research community from which to refine our systems further.”
Morin said this year will see a focus on community and stakeholder engagement and moving through regulatory and environmental requirements and approvals to develop and test several different devices in Grand and or Petite Passage.
“Our technology development goal is to install a larger 25-kW device for a longer period of time and conduct further research and development to inform environmental monitoring plans, resource assessments and the siting of tidal turbines,” he said
Fundy Tidal’s goal is to have at least one operation turbine in 2012, under the small-scale tidal community feed-in tariff being established in Nova Scotia.
More than 100 people attended a company meeting in Westport last August to outline development plans.
