Tidal power: OpenHydro breaks

When it was first unveiled last November, OpenHydro was the poster child of the tidal power industry, with its experimental underwater turbine proving the industry was a feasible renewable energy capable of joining solar and wind energy in the 'green energy big leagues'.

OpenHydro's reputation has been tarnished however as it was lifted from its home in the Bay of Fundy, near Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, after a rotor broke.

When the 400-tonne, six-story turbine was lowered onto the seabed last November, there was some concern whether the device would be up to the challenge of being placed in the stormy environment. In fact, the Bay of Fundy has one of the world's highest tides in the world with the sea levels rising 55 feet or more, generating a potential of 1,013 MW of power, 152 MW of which can be harnessed with little environmental impact.

However, now that two blades of the rotor have broken, there is concern whether the $10 million, 1 MW, first of its kind is up to the task of supplying 25 percent of Nova Scotia's electricity.

While repairs are undertaken, this has seen been as a big setback for the tidal power industry on top of concern that tidal power, for the cost involved, doesn't generate as much as solar and wind.

Tidal power setback

However a report from the Electric Power Research Institute states that the predictability of tides will make tidal power cheaper, and that electricity in the Bay of Fundy could be as low as 5.5 cents a kWh - roughly comparable with the wholesale price of electricity.

OpenHydro is expected to be reinstalled next year, once repairs of the the plastic and glass blades are repaired. In a statement, OpenHydro said the difficulties the project faces "will further our understanding of how the turbine has operated in this unique and challenging environment, bringing us closer to commercially developed tidal arrays in the Bay of Fundy."

It is another blow to the reputation of tidal power that saw bad press when the RITE Project in New York's East River saw several of its turbines break due to powerful currents.

Could this be the beginning of the tide turning on tidal power?

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