Exploring opportunities and challenges for offshore wind in the Strait Area

The purpose of this study is to identify the opportunities and challenges for offshore wind development in the Strait Area. Onshore wind is an established industry in Nova Scotia. However, there is an increasing interest on the part of large global players in exploring the potential contribution of offshore wind development in the region. The study will look at whether onshore development options have been exhausted or if there remain opportunities for developing cost-effective, socially-acceptable onshore wind installations – specifically in the Strait Area. An industry analysis will identify current regulatory, legal, economic, sociopolitical, and environmental frameworks within which the onshore wind industry operates in NS. This analysis will provide a baseline assessment for what is a viable industry in the province. These same criteria will then be used to review the offshore wind industry in
established industries in global jurisdictions. If offshore wind is identified as a potentially cost-comparable option for renewable energy development, then the specific conditions to support development opportunities will be explored further, including installations that feed into the grid or supply directly to a specific energy partner. The support of key stakeholders early in the planning stages is critical to project success. Once key stakeholders are

Faculty Supervisor:

Michelle Adams;Vivek Saxena

Student:

Partner:

Cape Breton Partnership

Discipline:

Business

Sector:

Other services (except public administration); Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Dalhousie University

Program: