COAST Talks: Tidal Power 

This month we're taking a closer look at tidal energy micro-grids and the opportunities for remote communities to generate clean power. 

Tidal energy converters are often cited as a preferred renewable technology for British Columbia given the extent of the province’s coastline, the quantity and quality of the resource and the relatively mature state of these devices.  

However, the incorporation of tidal energy technology in Atlantic Canada has shown that a jump from 0MW of installed tidal power to multiple MW in a targeted burst of development is challenged with obstacles such as regulatory predictability and social acceptance. 

The BC Coast offers a solution in the form of numerous off-grid communities struggling with the costs and logistics of diesel fueled electricity generation.  Community based tidal energy projects at smaller scale offer a path to building a track record of tidal energy operations without requiring leaps of faith by regulatory bodies.  However, smaller scale projects present their own unique technical challenges.  

Moderated by Lisa Kalynchuk, Vice-President Research, University of Victoria, you'll hear from experts developing community tidal energy, working to integrate these devices into community micro-grids and developing the service technologies needed to deploy and maintain these innovative marine systems. The talk aims to illustrate the opportunities and roles for BC communities and companies in a future BC tidal energy sector. You'll hear from:

• Ben Whitby, Program Manager, PRIMED. Ben will speak about the integration of tidal power with microgrids and a demonstration project in the Blind Channel.
• Merrick Jackinsky, Director of Development for Alaska and Western Canada, ORPC. Merrick will speak about a remote tidal turbine project they are leading in Alaska. 
• Ryan Andersen, Director of Operations, CanPac Marine Services. Ryan will talk about the deployment challenges and considerations of tidal turbines in remote areas.