Addressing technical challenges to enable hydrokinetic clean power generation in river and coastal communities

Lead Proponent

University of Manitoba

Project Objectives

The main objective of this project was to allow hydrokinetic resources to be included in Community Energy Plans (CEPs) to add base-load distributed clean power generation to reduce or eliminate diesel use. 

The project addressed technical challenges for tidal power applications, including understanding interactions between turbines and marine animals, and evaluating effects of turbulence on energy production. 

Technical challenges for river applications were also addressed, including operation through winter months to increase capacity factors; optimization of turbine array layouts; and testing low velocity turbines focused on conditions at many remote communities.

Results

Canada has significant river and tidal resources that could be tapped to provide clean power to both densely populated and remote communities.

Once proven, hydrokinetic turbine technologies (HKT) can benefit remote communities across Canada by improving local economies through the generation of base-load clean energy using local resources, thus eliminating reoccurring purchases of fossil fuels that contribute to climate change, environmental issues, and health problems. 

This project supported over 6 unique activities to address technical challenges for river applications, as well as improve access and awareness to hydrokinetic and tidal resources as renewable options.

The project improved access to renewables through the development of best practices, resource assessments, flow metering tools, marine animal detection systems, and the demonstration of novel river hydrokinetic designs. In addition, the development of the river resource atlas serves as a first step to using hydrokinetic resources in rural and remote communities.

Specific results include:

Research and Development

• Best practices for remote community tidal power assessments – Demonstrated cost effective methods for measuring tidal flows in remote communities, including case studies in Nunatsiavut and Haida Gwaii working with Indigenous organizations. Assessments used a combination of technical, traditional and local knowledge, including aerial drone images of ice flows and advanced data analysis methods.
• Included the development of LunaTide, the first publicly available tidal current forecasting software for the Bay of Fundy.
• River resource mapping – The river resource atlas used satellite data to identify where in Canada rivers do not freeze and flows are over 1 m/s during winter months. In partnership with CanmetENERGY Ottawa, researchers used data to identify ice-openings and study the rivers surrounding 30 First Nations. The methodology used was validated with images and measurements taken by the CHTTC at multiple sites.
• Low-cost velocity measurement system for evaluating river capacity factors – Demonstrated the use of a device for measuring river flow velocities, including four sensors (measuring for river flow, wire tension, vortex vibrations and sound). The sensors were calibrated to 99.5% accuracy in a lab for a small range of flowrates (0.5-1 m/s). The system is now ready for full-scale testing in a river setting.