Research Portal

The Vectron2 Project: Turbulence Measurements for the In-stream Tidal Energy Industry

March 2019 – November 2021

The Vectron is a new sensor used for measuring turbulence velocity within a tidal turbine’s swept area.  The Vectron has been successfully prototyped, where next steps are to take the technology to the ‘industry-ready’ stage of development and the focus of this project.

Participation in the Pathway Program through Development of the Platform and Cabling Solution

February 2020 – September 2021

The Pathway Program - Cable & Platform Development / Sensor Integration

The Pathway Program: Validating reliable environmental monitoring for ocean energy projects

April 2019 – October 2021

OERA created The Pathway Program to solve a critical problem impeding the in-stream tidal energy industry: a lack of reliable and validated technologies and methods to monitor and report fish-turbine interactions in high-flow, highly turbulent environments, leading to regulatory uncertainty and i

Automated post-processing, using machine-learning models; Automated analytical tools (that generate estimates of fish frequency, abundance, and distribution)

April 2020 – May 2021

The Pathway Program - Data Automation: Echosounders

Environmental Monitoring System Development

November 2019 – April 2021

The Pathway Program - Technology Validation: Echosouders & Passive Acoustic Monitoring Device

Assessing the Economic Impacts of Developing the Port of Sheet Harbour Into an Offshore Wind Hub

February – March 2021

Currently, multiple OSW projects off the Northeast US are under development. The OSW capacity in the US is forecast to grow significantly in the next decade with approximately 11 GW already contracted to be installed over the next years.

Stimulating Offshore Wind Development in Nova Scotia

January – March 2021

To attract Offshore Wind (OSW) investment to Nova Scotia, it is important to understand the development in other jurisdictions. For example, Europe has developed, and the USA are developing, an active OSW industry encompassing the entire OSW supply chain.

Geoscience » Seismic & Marine Sound

Test Snow Crab Response to Seismic Stress

February 2012 – September 2013

There is concern in Atlantic Canada that there is insufficient information on the potential effects of seismic noise on snow crab.

Turbulence and Drag in a High Reynolds Number Tidal Passage Targeted for In-Stream Tidal Power

August 2013

Results are presented from an investigation of turbulence and bottom drag carried out in Grand Passage, lower Bay of Fundy.

Passive Acoustic Monitoring of Cetacean Activity Patterns and Movements Pre- and Post-deployment of TISEC devices in Minas Passage

June 2011 – July 2013

This project aimed to conduct pre- and post- in-stream tidal energy device deployment assessments of marine mammal activity and to assess the potential risk for interaction with turbine infrastructure.