HALIFAX, Nov. 4, 2016 /CNW/ - Cape Sharp Tidal Ventures today announces additional commitments to supplement its approved Environmental Effects Monitoring Program (EEMP) based on feedback received during its voluntary deployment pause.

In June, Cape Sharp Tidal paused deployment plans to allow opportunities for more engagement and consultation with concerned groups. We committed to listen and as a result, we are making several additional commitments to enhance our monitoring program and improve the engagement process for the benefit of all Bay of Fundy users.

These commitments are in addition to those already detailed in our EEMP as accepted by Nova Scotia Environment in June following consultation with Fisheries and Oceans Canada: 

• Continued investment in new marine technologies and innovation: when the turbines are retrieved for regular maintenance, we will explore ways to build on our existing monitoring program through incorporating the latest available monitoring technology;
• Continued efforts to strengthen and maintain our company's long-standing relationship with a local fishery with funding support to enhance population data;
• Based on the ongoing dialogue with lobster harvesters and as a member of FORCE, we are committed to working with FORCE on potential future lobster monitoring studies at the demonstration site;
• Enhanced capability with a camera mounted toward the face of the turbine at the request of the fishing community;
• Participation in multi-day workshop focused on key fish populations in the Minas Passage. The workshop will guide future research advancements and modelling around specific fish population and turbine interactions;
• Improved consultation process: working with individual fishers and associations to develop a tailored terms of reference to guide post-deployment dialogue;
• Staggered turbine deployment to allow additional opportunity for data monitoring, collection and analysis; and
• A commitment to voluntarily remove our turbines from the FORCE site if they are found to cause population-level effects on marine species.

"Cape Sharp Tidal and the Province of Nova Scotia are global leaders in tidal energy," said Chris Huskilson, President and CEO of Emera Inc. "Emera's strategy is to transition to lower carbon sources. This research and demonstration project will help us better understand the technology and the marine environment in order to grow a tidal industry in Nova Scotia."

Final preparations are now underway to deploy and grid-connect Nova Scotia's first in-stream tidal turbine at the FORCE site near Parrsboro. Tidal conditions there afford a seven-day window of opportunity twice each month. Pending favourable weather conditions for deployment and cable connections, deployment work will begin this weekend. Safety is our first priority. Marine activities will continue as the weather safely allows until the turbine and its subsea cable are successfully connected to those subsea cables installed by FORCE in 2014, and by Cape Sharp Tidal in 2015.

"Safe delivery of the Cape Sharp Tidal grid-connected turbine is our number one priority. Success on this demonstration project will provide us with invaluable insights into the world's best tidal energy site," said Thierry Kalanquin, Chairman of OpenHydro and Senior Vice President, Energy and Marine Infrastructure at DCNS. "It will also push forward the boundaries of research and scientific knowledge into the marine ecosystem in the Bay of Fundy. With Cape Sharp Tidal, Canada will join other nations like the UK, France and Japan, in a global investment in the future of this potent source of clean technology."

Cape Sharp Tidal is a joint venture between Emera Inc., and OpenHydro, a DCNS company. The partnership plans to install two 2-megawatt in-stream tidal turbines at FORCE as North America's first grid-connected tidal array. The array will reduce GHG emissions and contribute to the Provincial target to achieve 40 per cent renewables by 2020. Cape Sharp Tidal has employed more than 300 people locally, has invested tens of millions of dollars to grow the local tidal supply chain and industry, and has met its commitment to spend 70 per cent of first-phase project costs in Nova Scotia.

About Cape Sharp Tidal Venture
Cape Sharp Tidal is a joint venture between Emera Inc. and OpenHydro, a DCNS company, with the objective to deploy a grid connected 4MW tidal array demonstration project in the Bay of Fundy at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy. This project has the potential to be one of the world's first multi-megawatt arrays of interconnected tidal turbines, providing clean, renewable, predictable energy to more than 1,000 Nova Scotians.

capesharptidal.com

About Emera Inc.
Emera Inc. is a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia with approximately $27.5 billion in assets and 2015 pro-forma revenues of $ 6.3 billion. The company invests in electricity generation, transmission and distribution, gas transmission and distribution, and utility energy services with a strategic focus on transformation from high carbon to low carbon energy sources. Emera has investments throughout North America, and in four Caribbean countries. Emera continues to target having 75-85% of its adjusted earnings come from rate-regulated businesses. Emera's common and preferred shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and trade respectively under the symbol EMA, EMA.PR.A, EMA.PR.B, EMA.PR.C, EMA.PR.E, and EMA.PR.F and instalment receipts are listed and trade under the symbol EMA.IR. Depositary receipts representing common shares of Emera are listed on the Barbados Stock Exchange under the symbol EMABDR.

emera.com 

About OpenHydro
OpenHydro is a DCNS company specialising in the design, manufacture and installation of marine turbines generating renewable energy from tidal streams. The company's vision is to deploy turbine arrays under the surface of the oceans to produce energy silently, invisibly and with no impact on the environment. OpenHydro has achieved a number of industry firsts including being the first to deploy a tidal turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), the first to connect to and generate electricity from tidal streams onto the UK National Grid and the first to successfully demonstrate a method of safely and economically deploying and recovering turbines directly on the seabed. The deployment and recovery method delivers a step change in the economics of tidal energy.

OpenHydro has a project portfolio spanning Canada, France, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Channel Islands with utility partners including Emera, EDF, Brookfield Renewable Energy Group, SSE Renewables and Alderney Renewable Energy. OpenHydro has won a number of awards for its innovations in the field of renewable energy technology.

openhydro.com

About DCNS
DCNS is the European leader in naval defence and a major player in marine renewable energy. The Group's success as an advanced technology company with global reach is built on meeting customer needs by deploying exceptional know-how, unique industrial resources and an ability to develop innovative strategic partnerships. DCNS designs and builds submarines and surface combatants, develops associated systems and infrastructure, and offers a full range of services to naval bases and shipyards. The Group has also expanded its focus into marine renewable energy. Aware of its corporate social responsibilities, DCNS is a member of the United Nations Global Compact. The DCNS Group generates annual revenues of €3.04 billion and employs 12,953 people (2015 data).

dcnsgroup.com

SOURCE Cape Sharp Tidal

Image with caption: "Cape Sharp Tidal is a tidal energy demonstration project at the FORCE site in Nova Scotia (CNW Group/Cape Sharp Tidal)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161104_C8604_PHOTO_EN_811962.jpg