Ontario backs Verdant Power tidal project

The Ontario government announced today that it would put up some cash for a tidal power project in the province from New York-based Verdant Power.

The province is investing $2.2 million in the 15 megawatt project through its Innovation Demonstration Fund, which supports bio-based, environmental and alternative energy technologies.

"With this project we are demonstrating a clean, viable alternative source of energy — one that not only works in Ontario, but one we can export around the world," said John Wilkinson, Ontario's minister of research and
innovation.

The turbines will be installed on the floor of the St. Lawrence River, turning the river's strong current into enough electricity to power 11,000 homes, according to the province.

"Water is a proven resource for generating power. But we are going to demonstrate a game-changing power source — simply by using underwater currents without dams," said Trey Taylor, president and co-founder of Verdant.

Verdant is already working on a tidal power project in New York City that's expected to generate up to 10 MW at full capacity (see Verdant deploys tidal power array in New York).

But Verdant had to pull its initial turbines out of the water last year after they took some damage from the rougher-than-expected East River tides.

The company estimates that there's enough potential power in the water currents of all of Canada's tides, rivers and man-made channels to generate 15,000 MW of renewable electricity using its technology.

Verdant said that would be enough electricity to power over 11 million homes.