US takes the plunge with first tidal energy array
First grid-connected, commercial-scale tidal device set to come online in October off the coast of Maine
The US will dip its toe into the tidal energy sector over the coming months when the nation's first commercial-scale, grid connected project comes online off the coast of Maine.
Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC) will next month finish installing its TidGen turbine in Cobscook Bay, and predicts the device will begin delivering electricity to the grid at the beginning of October under 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs).
The device sits at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy, which the centre of Canadian efforts to commercialise the technology due to the 100 billion tons of water that flow in and out every day and tidal ranges of up to 50 feet (15.2 metres).
Initially, the Cobscook Bay installation should power between 75 and 100 homes, but after a year of monitoring ORPC expects to install two further devices at nearby Kendall Head and Western Passage over the ensuing three years, increasing the project's capacity to 3MW. The company says this should be sufficient to power 1,200 local homes and businesses.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) said the project, which it backed with a $10m investment, has injected $14m into the local economy and supported more than 100 local and jobs.
A nationwide tidal assessment released in January highlighted the huge potential for the technology in the US, identifying about 250 terawatt hours of electric generation potential – enough to provide 15 per cent of the country's energy by 2030 using tidal "hot spots" along the East coast, and in Alaska and Hawaii.
"Developing America's vast renewable energy resources is an important part of President Obama's all-of-the-above energy strategy to create jobs and strengthen US global competitiveness," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
"The Eastport tidal energy project represents a critical investment to ensure America leads in this fast-growing global industry, helping to create new manufacturing, construction, and operation jobs across the country while diversifying our energy portfolio and reducing pollution."
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