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Tidal energy pioneers will take a critical first step toward harnessing the powerful tides of the Bay of Fundy next week in a do-or-die trial for the nascent industry.
Tidal engineers have yet to prove electricity can be harnessed reliably and cost-effectively from the ocean’s tides. However the potential is high. The concentrated and predictable nature of tides makes the energy they produce less expensive than solar or wind.
The Bay of Fundy's Minas Passage will be the site of a critical tidal energy test starting next week.
Testing in this most dramatic Bay of Fundy environment will be crucial. Tides in the bay run higher than anywhere in the world – typically 55 feet – and storms are frequent.
According to Roger Bedard, ocean energy leader at the Electric Power Research Institute, “if this project is not successful, it would be a major blow to the industry and the industry may not survive.” An EPRI study paved the path for the Bay of Fundy effort to begin.