Renewable energy study sheds light on meeting local needs

Renewable energy technology and local need are topics that are generating their own supply of electricity, if a recent report issued in New Brunswick is any indication. Raising important issues about environmental impact studies and local priority and control, the report is something that Washington County residents may find of interest as Ocean Renewable Power Company LLC (ORPC) begins the first phase of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) pilot project license application.

On Wednesday, November 19, a public meeting was held at The Boat School as part of ORPC's process for filing their pilot license application with FERC. In a company video presented during the talk, Christopher Sauer, president and chief executive officer of ORPC, was shown celebrating the launch of the small prototype of ORPC's tidal turbine-generator unit that has since been tested at Cobscook Bay and Western Passage sites. "May you bring the power of the sea to Eastport," stated Sauer.

During the session, Mary McCann, manager of environmental services, Devine Tarbell & Associates, discussed the genesis of FERC's new pilot program. "There needed to be smaller studies for these new technologies; that is the reason for the pilot process." McCann explained that FERC was originally created to provide oversight for traditional hydropower projects, undertakings that are vastly different from the renewable energy technologies being developed. Pilot projects are small projects that are issued short-term licenses to test and evaluate new technologies while also allowing the developer, in this case ORPC, to generate power to the electrical grid. Eastport's electrical transmission system is owned by Bangor Hydro. If ORPC connects to Bangor Hydro in order to sell electricity to the New England power grid, an underwater cable would most likely be used from the turbine to land. The details of the land-portion of the transmission infrastructure and passage over private or municipal land remain to be worked out at a later date.

John Ferland, director of projects for ORPC Maine LLC, commented, "The ability to connect to the grid will be part of the pilot process in terms of working with Bangor Hydro to figure out how to work together, but it was not the primary reason to enter into the pilot process." Earlier in the session, Ferland explained that in 2009 the company will refine the turbine technology with a three-quarter scale, 52-foot model manufactured of composite materials. The first one-half scale prototype was made of wood and metal at Maine's Marine Technology Center in Eastport. ORPC is working on composite turbine technology and engineering with the University of Maine, Maine Maritime Academy, US Windblades and Harbor Technologies, among others.

If ORPC does connect to the grid during the pilot license period, Eastporters should not expect local access to this energy source, other than through the already existing channels available to Bangor Hydro customers. Currently the utility's customers are able to purchase renewable power through the Maine Public Utilities Commission's list of service area providers. Interfaith Power and Light would be one example. More information can be found at <www.bhe.com/residential/choice.cfm>.

The City of Eastport and ORPC have a Memorandum of Understanding created in November of 2006, stating in part, "Eastport will work with ORPC Maine on a collaborative basis in developing an economic development plan for renewable power for Eastport that maximizes the benefits to ORPC Maine and the local community." Green energy, such as that which would be generated by ORPC, sells for a premium on the New England power grid because of state mandates requiring that certain percentages of renewable energy be purchased by energy providers. The intent was to provide incentives to the renewable energy sector's continued development.

"Towns in Maine are recognizing that the cost of electricity is highly volatile and are trying to figure out what they can do to have stable, predictable pricing," states Sue Jones, founder of Community Energy Partners (CEG). Municipalities in Maine that are hosts to renewable energy projects "are very new to the state of Maine, but not elsewhere in the nation," Jones comments. CEG's website describes their approach to community energy issues. "Maine and much of the Northeast has long prided itself on its history of leadership, self-sufficiency and independence. With its vast renewable, natural resources, the Northeast is poised to be the next leader in home-grown, sustainable energy projects... Communities and businesses in Maine and the Northeast can help reduce their energy costs by implementing their own energy projects."

According to Jones, two bills that are up for review over the legislature's winter session would work to change the passive role of host communities. Jones explains that the first bill would allow a "co-ownership" relationship which would allow a municipality to become a partial owner of a project; the second bill would allow for on-site users to finance renewable energy projects through a "net-metering and off-set" arrangement. Currently, the bills are in draft form and are not available yet for review. In response to these possible legislative changes and a relationship with Eastport to provide affordable energy, Ferland stated, "Right now there is one buyer. It is premature for us to think about this."

ORPC's prototype development has provided employment opportunities for a number of full-time and part-time area residents. If ORPC and other tidal energy projects are successful and utilize Passamaquoddy Bay, Cobscook Bay and the Bay of Fundy, the range of spin-off industries could be significant if located in the area. Ferland believes that ocean-energy technologies, including tidal and wind, could be a new industrial sector in Maine based on manufacturing and trades development. Before such energy clusters can be developed, environmental impact studies will need to be conducted to measure the impact of the turbines on marine life. ORPC's project areas are: Western Passage, beginning at Clark's ledge and extending to Harris Point; Cobscook Bay, beginning at Shackford Head and extending to Birch Point. More information is available at <www.oceanrenewablepower.com>.

New Brunswick studies tidal development and community impact

Both sides of the border share concerns regarding marine impact, loss of traditional marine-based livelihoods, and the potential, or lack of, for direct and prioritized benefits to host communities. On November 19, The Strategic Environmental Assessment of In-Stream Tidal Energy Generation Development in New Brunswick's Bay of Fundy Coastal Waters was released to the public. The report was compiled for the New Brunswick Department of Energy by Dr. Barry Jones, Gryffn Coastal Management Inc. of Fredericton, on behalf of the Marine Energy Working Group Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP). The report contains 19 recommendations for the province to consider if it decides to develop in-stream tidal energy in the Bay of Fundy. The report found that, out of 10 potential sites, "based on higher power estimates, shorter distance from transmission lines, and minimal potential impacts, Cape Enrage and Head Harbour Passage are suggested as having commercial possibilities." The other areas considered were Clark's Ground, Cumberland Basin, Grand Manan Channel, Shepody Bay, Western Passage, Letete Passage, Lubec Narrows and Saint John River.

Integral to the report were the comments recorded during public sessions held in seven communities, including Grand Manan, Campobello, St. George and Deer Island. Stakeholders' 820 comments were sorted into 32 categories. The third most important concern states, "The degree of benefits of development should be greatest closest to the source and lesser further away, meaning firstly to local communities, then near but inland communities, then county, the Province, and Canada." Voicing this recurring theme, one public respondent stated, "When these things happen, they should be controlled locally. As the fisheries should be controlled by the community, so should the energy. It should be controlled by the people in that area, and they should get the maximum benefit, and the benefit then should cascade. So the people in Edmunston get a little less. Although, the people in Edmunston should be treated fairly, too, because they are part of this province. It's just good manners."