Healey administration looks to Nova Scotia for offshore wind energy

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Frustrated by resistance in Washington to offshore wind projects in the US, the Healey administration is stepping up its efforts to work with Canada instead, with a focus on the…

Frustrated by resistance in Washington to offshore wind projects in the US, the Healey administration is stepping up its efforts to work with Canada instead, with a focus on the relatively shallow waters and powerful sea breezes off Nova Scotia’s coast.

On Thursday, Governor Maura Healey and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston announced a formal effort to gather information about the potential for wind generation resources in the ocean off the Maritime provinces and for the delivery of that power to New England’s grid.

The Healey administration, with energy secretary Rebecca Tepper as the point person, is taking the lead on behalf of New England. Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Maine are also participating in the issuance of what is known as a “request for information.”

The announcement was made by Tepper and Houston at the New England-Canada Business Council’s annual energy conference at the Seaport Hotel on Thursday.

“In the face of deeply misguided federal opposition to offshore wind, Massachusetts has held strong,” Tepper said at the conference. “We know that the offshore wind industry will bounce back. The opportunity is too big. The need for affordable clean electricity is too great. And that’s why our partnership with Nova Scotia is so important.”

The news follows Canada energy minister Tim Hodgson’s commitment last month to spending $100 million (in Canadian dollars) to advance offshore wind development in Nova Scotia. In particular, the money is aimed at landing private-sector investments to help bring the province’s ambitious “Wind West” initiative to build multiple wind farms. For example, $5 million will go toward deploying buoys to collect data on wind speeds and ocean conditions, to help prepare for Canada’s first round of offshore wind power bids.

It also follows the completion in recent weeks of New England’s first two commercial-scale offshore wind farms, in the federal waters south of Martha’s Vineyard: Revolution Wind (to serve Rhode Island and…

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