en.Wedoany.com Reported - Nova Scotia's environmental department has given the green light to the province's largest wind power project to date—an onshore wind farm approved for construction, whose electricity will supply green hydrogen and ammonia production facilities in the Cape Breton region.
Nova Scotia Minister of Environment and Climate Change Timothy Halman confirmed in a letter to the developer on July 2 that, provided all terms and conditions attached to the project are met, its adverse impacts can be adequately mitigated. The wind farm, named Ocean Lake, is located in Guysborough County and is a collaboration between EverWind Fuels and Membertou Development Corp, the development arm of the Membertou First Nation.
The project plans to install up to 158 wind turbines, with a total installed capacity of approximately 1,264 megawatts. Construction is expected to begin in 2029, taking about five years, followed by an operational period of roughly 35 years.
The developer must comply with 61 specific requirements listed by the provincial government, including controlling shadow flicker and noise levels, while minimizing impacts on water resources, flora and fauna, and archaeological sites, and maintaining communication with the public and the Mi'kmaq of Nova Scotia.
According to a government announcement, the wind farm's electricity output could meet the needs of approximately 404,000 households, reducing the province's greenhouse gas emissions by about 1.94 million tons annually. The project summary notes that by providing energy for new industrial activities without increasing the province's overall emissions, the wind farm will help Nova Scotia achieve its emission reduction targets.
A spokesperson for EverWind told The Energy Mix that the electricity generated by the project will be transmitted to EverWind's Point Tupper Energy Centre for green hydrogen and ammonia production, as well as future industrial and commercial opportunities in the region.
The Point Tupper facility plans to advance green hydrogen production in two phases. The first phase is scheduled to launch in 2028, with an estimated investment of about $2 billion, producing approximately 200,000 tons of ammonia annually. The second phase will add an additional 800,000 tons of ammonia production capacity per year, with electricity primarily sourced from the Ocean Lake project and other planned wind farms.
An EverWind spokesperson stated that Membertou Development Corp holds a 51% ownership stake in the proposed wind projects supporting the first phase's electricity needs. The equity structure for the second phase projects is expected to be similar, though specific proportions have not yet been finalized.
The ammonia produced at the facility is planned for export to multiple countries, primarily targeting European Union nations, which can further process it into green hydrogen. Germany signed a non-binding agreement with Canada in 2022 to import green ammonia to reduce its reliance on Russian energy. However, as of now, the facility has not yet produced any green hydrogen.
In February, EverWind Chief Financial Officer Matthew Tinari noted that securing EU buyers is key to obtaining project financing. The company has initiated some preliminary work in the wind farm area but will not begin construction at the Point Tupper facility until a clear buyer is identified.
