Acadia receives $2.6M in federal funding for tidal energy research
From Acadia University and the Springboard Content Lab
Springboard member Acadia University has received $2.6 million in federal funding for tidal energy research at the university.
The funding from Natural Resources Canada will be used for a three-year project to understand the probability of fish interactions with proposed tidal stream energy devices in the Minas Passage.
“Research enables the tidal energy regulators and the industry to make informed decisions and to move forward with confidence. This funding helps us build trust across the sector.”
– Dr. Jeff Hennessy, President and Vice-Chancellor of Acadia
The Honourable Kody Blois, on behalf of the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, made the funding announcement during a news conference on campus
Funding to support a three-year project on fish detection
Acadia’s project includes multi-year studies to detect fish in and near the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) tidal energy development area and develop fish movement models to inform assessments of fish-turbine collision risk.
“Our story is built on decades of commitment to understanding the Bay of Fundy’s unique environment and the potential interactions of tidal turbines with marine life. Given the extreme currents of the Minas Passage, the work has been challenging but also exciting. Advances in fish tracking technology are now helping us collect the high-quality data we need. The next three years of this project will advance our findings tremendously.
Dr. Anna Redden, biology professor and Environmental Interactions Director at Acadia University’s Tidal Energy Institute
This project will help to strengthen Canada’s workforce by providing opportunities for scientists and students to develop technical skills.
Bay of Fundy hold potential for clean energy
With the world’s most powerful tides, the Bay of Fundy holds immense potential as a source of clean, renewable tidal energy. It is also a vital marine ecosystem that must be protected. Through OSIP, FORCE will develop state-of-the-art environmental monitoring platforms that collect fish and ecosystem data. Data collected will inform regulators, investors and the public to advance tidal energy so that it can be used to power Canadian homes and businesses.
Acadia University’s project will conduct fish detection studies and develop fish movement models and monitoring approaches to inform assessments of interactions between fish and tidal energy devices. Additionally, it will help to strengthen Canada’s workforce by providing opportunities for scientists and trainees to develop new technical skills to meet the needs of the growing offshore renewable energy sector.
Partners will work with Acadia on project
Acadia is partnering on this project with the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE), Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Ocean Tracking Network, and international researchers from Scotland. An extended team of scientists, a local fisher, and numerous students will be involved in the project. This includes Mi’kmaq students engaged in the fish tagging program.
“Our institution has a very long and proud history of conducting research in the Bay of Fundy. We look forward to undertaking this important and timely project work with our partners, collaborators and students. Our collective efforts will provide critical data and insights that contribute to informed decision making for the evolving tidal energy sector,” Redden says.
For more information, read the federal news release, FORCE’s article on the news, and Atlantic Business Magazine’s article about the Acadia Tidal Energy Institute.
Learn more about the Acadia Tidal Energy Institute (ATEI)
Dr. Anna Redden, Co-Director of ATEI, is a marine ecologist and professor in Biology, at Acadia University. In her over 35 years of research experience, she has worked on a broad range of environmental issues and effects monitoring in coastal waters. This includes environmental studies at the former Tidal Power Generating Plant in Annapolis Royal, and research with tidal energy project developers in high flow, open passages in the Bay of Fundy. Anna’s activities with collaborators and students at Acadia have largely focused on understanding how marine fish and other animals utilize high flow, tidal environments.
Members of the ATEI team at Acadia include Dr. Michael Stokesbury (Biology), Dr. Richard Karsten (Mathematics & Statistics), Dr. Angus Creech (Senior Research Scientist, ATEI), and Nalani Perry (Coordinator, Fundy Energy Research Network).
To learn more about their work and partners, visit the Acadia Tidal Energy Institute, Fundy Energy Research Network, and Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy websites