UK and Canada Strengthen Ties at Ocean Renewable Energy Conference

This week’s Ocean Renewables Energy Group 2012 Annual Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, showcased the partnerships and strong ties in marine energy between the UK and Canada.

“Similar to the UK, Canada’s ambitious government policies and strong research capabilities have made them ideal partners in advancing this nascent ocean power industry,” said Dave Pratt, director of Nautricity, a Glasgow-based company specializing in tidal power turbine technology.

Nautricity is one of several UK companies, and academic institutions currently working in Canada. The company is currently working with private partners, research institutions, and the public sector on several tidal energy prospects, on both coasts.

“Canada has the potential to provide about a quarter of the total electricity we use from marine resources, making our country a superpower in generating this unique type of renewable energy,” said Gordon Campbell, High Commissioner of Canada to the United Kingdom

Collaboration between Great Britain and Canada is taking place at a policy level as well, as both countries recognize the mutual benefits and overlaps in experience in ocean energy. A joint declaration issued in September 2011 by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, and Stephen Harper, called out ocean energy specifically, citing the two countries’ commitment to, “encourage the development of technology systems necessary for commercial-scale electricity production from marine energy.”

“The UK-Canada partnership in marine energy is an important piece of a larger effort by both countries to foster cross-sector growth in sustainability and low carbon technologies and services,” said Michael Rosenfeld, UK Trade & Investment, vice consul and senior director for Clean Technology, North America. “The success of these partnerships is largely due to both countries’ long-term commitment to building a green economy,” said Rosenfeld.

In addition to business and government partnerships, UK and Canadian research centres have also recognized the two countries’ shared interest in developing ocean energy. The European Marine Energy Centre, based in Scotland, and the Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy, based in Nova Scotia, collaborate on essential research for the development of ocean energy, including environmental assessments, and submarine cable deployment.

Photo source: inhabitat.com