Research Portal

Advancements in technologies and techniques for tidal energy development 

April 2017 – March 2020

This project was funded under the Natural Resources Canada Energy Innovation Program and supported research into innovative technologies and techniques to advance the tidal energy sector.  The research was comprised of five unique research initiatives with focus areas in environmental mo

Developing Enhanced Marine Operations (DEMO) in High Flow Tidal Environments

October 2017 – October 2019

Conventional subsea remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) perform poorly in currents exceeding 1.5 m/s. This is a key operating limitation in the success and cost of marine operations in the Bay of Fundy, where current speeds reach 5 m/s.

Acceleration/Particle Velocity (PA/PV) Measurement System Evaluation in a Tidal Environment

February 2017 – December 2018

The objective of this project was designing and running a field experiment to test the performance of the Particle Acceleration/Particle Velocity (PA/PV) vector sensor.

Assessing Corrosion, Wear, Fatigue and VIV on Moorings and Cabling to Reduce Risk in Marine Operations

October 2017 – August 2018

The cost of cabling and moorings over the entire life of a tidal energy project is a significant proportion of total project expenditures and the potential failure of these components remains a major risk for the emerging tidal energy sector.

FORCE Site Marine Operations – Lessons Learned

November 2017 – April 2018

In recent years, marine operators have completed dozens of operations in the Minas Passage, from research surveys to instrument deployment, to the installation of electrical infrastructure to turbine deployment.

Geoscience » Seismic & Marine Sound

Establishment of Baseline Biological Data on Snow Crab (Chionoecetes opilio) Offshore Cape Breton for Future Assessment of Potential Impacts of Seismic Noise on Snow Crab

April 2012 – February 2015

The study investigates the impact of sound energy generated by acoustic/seismic arrays on snow crabs.

A Framework for Environmental Risk Assessment and Decision-Making for Tidal Energy Development in Canada

March – May 2012

There is still a high degree of uncertainty regarding the environmental implications of in-stream tidal energy initiatives. This report outlines a science-based environmental risk assessment and decision-making framework for the emergent in-stream tidal energy industry.

Renewable Generation Supply Chain Opportunities in Atlantic Canada

January 2012

This report explores the following questions in relation to onshore wind, offshore wind, tidal energy, biomass energy and systems to power remote on- and off-grid communities: