EverWind green hydrogen project to develop 3 new wind farms
Proposed sites are in Hants and Colchester counties
One of two companies aiming to build green hydrogen production facilities in Point Tupper, N.S., has announced plans for three wind farms to help power the project.
EverWind Fuels wants to construct a 66-turbine wind farm called Windy Ridge in Colchester County. It is also partnering with Membertou to purchase wind power from two of the band's proposed farms, the 20-turbine Kmtnuk project and the 15-turbine Bear Lake project.
"This investment helps Nova Scotia move more quickly and cost-effectively towards its clean energy transition," said EverWind CEO Trent Vichie in a news release.
"The power generated at these three new developments will also ensure EverWind's green hydrogen and ammonia will meet the strictest international standards for green fuels.… It is a win for our project, a win for the province and, ultimately, a win for the planet."
EverWind wants to harness renewable energy and use that power to separate the hydrogen and oxygen molecules in water drawn from Landrie Lake. The hydrogen will then be captured and converted to ammonia so it can be shipped to customers who can use it to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Windy Ridge
If approved, the Windy Ridge wind farm would produce up to 340 megawatts from 66 turbines located in the area of East Folly Mountain in Colchester County. The power would be transmitted from the wind farm to Point Tupper through Nova Scotia Power's grid.
EverWind said it plans to submit its environmental assessment to the province later this year and build the $660-million wind farm by 2025.
Kmtnuk
The Kmtnuk wind power project would see 98 megawatts of power produced by 20 turbines located near McCallum Settlement in Colchester County.
Environmental studies and an assessment are expected to be completed before the end of this year, and construction on the $190-million project would take place between late 2024 and late 2025.
Bear Lake
The Bear Lake development is expected to generate up to 89 megawatts from 15 turbines located near Smiths Corner in Hants County.
The timeline for the $170-million project is similar to the other two, with the environmental assessment expected to be completed this year and construction to take place between late 2024 and late 2025.
Membertou First Nation owns 51 per cent of both the Kmtnuk and Bear Lake wind farms, with the remaining percentage owned by EverWind.
Chief Terry Paul said he's excited to see the first turbine go up.
"It takes us a further step toward getting off fossil fuels," he said. "We're really proud for Membertou to be part of the leading edge on our transition to green energy."
Wind farms expected to meet project's energy needs
In total, the three wind projects will generate approximately 530 megawatts, enough power to operate the EverWind hydrogen and ammonia project, plus possibly extra to feed into Nova Scotia Power's electricity grid, said Vichie.
The company is also still planning to erect about 300 turbines in Guysborough County during a later phase of the project, which will feed directly into the hydrogen facility.
Solar power will now comprise part of the energy source for the hydrogen project, too, Vichie said. The company plans to build a 300-megawatt solar farm next to the hydrogen production plant.
"The wind resource in Nova Scotia is windier in the wintertime and less so in the summer, and so solar actually is a very nice complement for a portion of the power. As we developed our plans ... that became more and more apparent to us," he said.
The company said the wind projects alone will create 650 construction jobs and 30 full-time positions.
EverWind claims uptick in interest
Vichie said the European Commission recently developed a regulatory framework for hydrogen produced from renewable energy, and that clarity has sparked a bump in interest in EverWind's project "from some of the largest players in the world."
The company is also working to develop customers for its products here at home.
Another company has pitched a separate green hydrogen project for the Point Tupper area. Bear Head Energy plans to use water from the same lake as EverWind to produce hydrogen and ammonia.
Both Bear Head's and EverWind's hydrogen projects have already received approval from the environment minister.
Land clearing has already begun for the hydrogen and ammonia facility, Vichie said.
