June 21, 2023
Dear Editor,
It is my belief that a renewable source of green energy exists here in the Strait of Canso that could be developed with a lower cost than any of the alternatives being considered.
When the Canso Causeway was being completed, one of its greatest engineering challenges was closing the final gap. Huge boulders were carried away by the strong flowing tides and it is my belief that these currents could be harnessed to provide a great amount of power generation. If today one were to contemplate building a huge dam for a mile across tidal waters environmental concerns would quickly lead to the plan’s demise, but here we have such a dam already in existence and publicly owned as well.
Tidal currents used to flow strongly in both directions and periods of eventide were of short duration. Even so, a great limitation of tidal power is storage of kinetic energy for generation during eventide and/or making use of peak production when demand may be low, but here there is a solution. Cape Porcupine sits adjacent to the causeway with an elevation of about 150 metres. Near its summit a massive rock quarry provides potential for creating reservoirs that could store huge volumes of water. My plan would have the power of the flowing tide pump seawater to these reservoirs. From there, the water could be dropped through borehole penstocks (similar to Wreck Cove) in a controlled fashion to generate electricity during periods of eventide and to provide peak demand supply to the grid as well.
Tidal power generated by seafloor units has huge drawbacks in service accessibility; but here, with the exception of horizontal penstocks through the causeway, this equipment could be housed close at hand above sea level. This plan would use existing and proven technology and it could be implemented in phases. Some of the system could generate electricity directly and some of it could run turbine pumps directed to the reservoir, providing great flexibility.
Of course this plan requires engineering evaluation; but, I believe that it is doable. It would be costly, but less so than other options because so much of the infrastructure already exists! On top of all of that, it is totally green and once in operation it eliminates all fuel costs.
It is also my hope to see this energy used to stabilize consumer costs at home and to attract industry to our province, rather than to be exported elsewhere for the greater benefit of others!
Respectively submitted by,
Alexander McLean
Port Hawkesbury
.
