Canadian News

"A tidal energy project in Nova Scotia is getting a financial boost from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.  The Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy will receive $852,000 to help with construction of an observation facility. The land-based facility will overlook the technology test site in the Minas Passage, about 10 kilometres west of Parrsboro, N.S.  The building will house an operations and visitor centre, with educational tours, interpretive exhibits and models.  It will also provide laboratory space for research work."

Source: Canadian Press

"Deployment of the PowerBuoy at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay on the island of Oahu was conducted efficiently and safely, and was accomplished in one day. The system, located approximately one mile offshore in 100 feet of water, is generating power in accordance with its specifications for local wave conditions and the test protocol being used."

"The Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is weeks away from submitting an application to the federal government for a first-of-its kind project to test wave energy devices off the Humboldt County coast."

"The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s fiscal year 2011 budget request totals $1.1 billion, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Civil Works) announced a budget of about $4.9 billion. The 2011 budget proposal also seeks more than $40 million in funding of ocean renewables development."

"Three Scottish companies have won a multi-million pound funding boost to help prove the commercial viability of their marine power devices."

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Nine options found for utilising tidal resource in Solway Firth

"The results of a feasibility study looking into generating renewable energy from the UK's third largest estuary on the border of England and Scotland have been published today (February 4) revealing nine possible options."

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Marine energy ready for mass deployment by 2020 - Carbon Trust

"Marine energy will be ready for mass scale deployment and an important new commercial UK industry by 2020 says the Carbon Trust, as it announces the six most promising technologies that will today receive new funding to speed up the deployment of full scale prototypes of their leading designs."

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"The Swedes place their hopes in wave power, which they estimate could account for up 10 percent of Vattenfall's power generation in 2030."

"Irish company Ocean Energy, which designs turbines capable of converting wave power into electricity, has signed a major development deal with a US multinational."

"A $5 million wave-energy plant off South Australia's Eyre Peninsula is a step closer, with public comment being invited on its environmental impact.  Wave Rider Energy hopes to install the plant 800 metres offshore from Elliston.

The company's managing director, Christian Gerlach, says it is hoped federal approval for the project can be secured in March.  He says the plant would be built in Adelaide and towed to Elliston early next year.

"The tests that we've done so far have been very successful," he said.  "Of course there's always uncertainty in [that] it's a challenging project, but we're quite confident that we can be successful with this technology."

Public comment on the project can be made until March 1.

Source: ABC News