Development of Offshore Wind in Atlantic Canada: Regulations, Standards and Technical Challenges

The Canadian Atlantic provinces are looking to work with the federal government to promote the development of offshore wind power to minimize carbon emissions. The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has considerable hydroelectric capacity for domestic use and export and also produces offshore oil for export. The province is looking at developing onshore wind power for the production and export of hydrogen and/or ammonia, and could potentially extend this to the development of offshore wind. As over half of Nova Scotia's electricity is generated from coal, there is a strong impetus to develop renewable sources of electric power, including onshore and offshore wind power. This paper discusses the advantages and challenges of developing offshore wind power across the region and relevant regulations and standards. Emphasis is given to the unique features of the region including the presence of sea ice, significant winter winds and waves, and the potential for hurricanes in the late summer and fall. The paper focuses primarily on Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia.