Nova Scotia | Offshore Wind and Hydrogen
Premier Tim Houston says it’s time for Canada to catch up with other countries on offshore wind development and he wants Nova Scotia to lead that effort.
“Think of the coastlines that we have in this country and we have zero offshore wind production right now,” Houston told reporters following an announcement in Dartmouth on Tuesday.
“I’m focused on changing that issue and I’m focused on Nova Scotia being a leader in changing that.”
Houston announced the province’s goal of offering leases for five gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030, with the aim of supporting the emerging green hydrogen sector.
For context, the generation capacity of the province’s entire electricity grid is 2.5 gigawatts right now.”It’s ambitious, for sure, but it’s completely possible,” said Houston.
“We want to make that happen.”
Projects intended to help green hydrogen sector
Although the province continues to pursue onshore wind projects to help meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets and increase the use of renewable energy sources, Tuesday’s announcement is aimed squarely at what the premier described as “a race against the world” to develop a green hydrogen industry.
Wind turbines create electricity which is lost if it cannot be added to an energy reservoir. That’s why proponents of green hydrogen support using offshore electricity to create hydrogen gas which can be stored, transported and then converted back into electricity using fuel cells or hydrogen-driven turbines.
