While the UK is currently in the lead for in water and grid testing for tidal energy, the U.S. is making traction. We look at the latest tidal project developments in North America and consider whether the inherent community gung-ho spirit of its inhabitants, politicians and regulators could put tidal on the fast track.

When you mention renewable energy in the US, most thoughts turn to the massive solar projects being built in the southwest portion of the country, and to the growing momentum that wind power is gaining in some regions.

But tidal power is quickly making a name for itself as well. Verdant’s Roosevelt Island Tidal Project in New York City was recently awarded a license from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) with Maine also set to receive final licensing this year.

Politicians are getting excited about the job creation prospects and local news programmes are reporting on the next best thing in clean energy. Case in point was when Congresswoman Chellie Pingree spoke on the Congressional floor last month about the huge job and industry potential of tidal energy projects off the East Coast and specifically in her jurisdiction of Maine. Ocean Renewable Power got a very promising plug for its upcoming project.

A project in Cobscook Bay, Maine, in the city of Eastport, is the closest to going live. Officials at Ocean Renewable Power Company expect to receive final approval from FERC in February, and complete equipment installation by early May.  Ocean Renewable Power’s TidGen system will connect with Bangor Hydro's electric grid in North Lubec, Maine, delivering power to the grid by June.

Big Steps
“This project represents a huge step forward for the US tidal industry,” said Chris Sauer, the CEO of Ocean Renewable Power. “This is truly a milestone. This project will help people to realize that tidal energy is not just a concept anymore. As people understand that these systems are in the water creating energy, you’ll start to see more focus on finding additional sites.”

While the initial deployment will consist of just one TidGen unit, plans call for four more to be installed at Cobscook Bay during the summer of 2013, for a combined rated capacity of 900 kw. However, because the average water speed in Cobscook Bay is 5.5 knots, the systems won’t reach full capacity but will still generate enough energy to power 500 homes.

Ocean Renewable Power expects to operate at closer to capacity at its other project sites where tides are clocked at six knots, such as at the Western Passage (at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy in the U.S.), at Digby, Nova Scotia, and Cook Inlet in Alaska.

While New York City has been a leader when it comes to adopting renewable energy sources like solar, it sometimes comes as a surprise to learn that a major tidal project is occurring in the city in the East River, near Roosevelt Island.

During its pilot stage in 2009, the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) project actually produced enough energy to power a supermarket and a parking garage on Roosevelt Island.

Ron Smith, the CEO of Verdant Power, the company behind the RITE project, said he expects to receive a final approval from FERC in January that would allow the company to produce commercial electricity from up to 30 of its Free Flow Kinetic Hydropower underwater turbines, with the potential to produce 1.1 KW of energy, or enough energy to power 900 homes in the city, when all units are working.

Immediate Goals
For now, the immediate goal is to have two of its new Gen 5 turbines in the water for several weeks next summer for one final test of the newly enhanced system design. Then, Verdant will permanently install two turbines in the first quarter of 2013, and will start to build-out of the remaining 30 turbines after the first two pass reliability tests.

Smith said that the RITE Project is a prime example of how Verdant’s Free Flow System can be scaled for placement directly within a population center. The project’s turbines use 5-meter rotors because the depth of the East River is about 10 meters. Verdant Power plans to scale these systems up to 10- or 11-meter rotors for other sites, which will produce much more energy per system.

Verdant Power is also close to commercializing the Cornwall Ontario River Energy (CORE) project, which will generate clean renewable energy from the currents of the St. Lawrence River in Ontario, Canada. Eventually, the project could generate up to 15 MW of power locally.

License to Power
Although tidal power is still considered in its infancy in the US, energy experts say it is gaining ground on the UK, where several systems are up and running after operators there received a significant head start from lucrative government funding.

“Both of these projects would be a significant step forward for the U.S. in terms of the commercialization of the technology,” says Paul Jacobson, the ocean energy expert for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).

“Tidal power is in its infancy, but is taking small but significant steps forward. It is still essentially in a pre-commercial phase, but in the next several years I believe they’ll be selling electricity from these projects in the East River and in Maine.”

In order for a more rapid scaling to occur, the U.S. will need to address the elongated permitting process currently in place. Verdant Power estimates it will take 13 months to finally obtain permitting to move forward with the East River project – seven months longer than originally anticipated.

“They key is the FERC license, and it will be at least a 13-month process for us,” says Smith. “They are trying to streamline, but it takes time.”