Canada Designates First Four Offshore Wind Areas in Nova Scotia Waters

Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia have designated the country’s first four offshore wind energy areas, marking a major step towards its goal of 5 GW of licensed capacity by 2030. 

The areas of French Bank, Middle Bank, Sable Island Bank off mainland Nova Scotia, and Sydney Bight off Cape Breton were confirmed on Tuesday, 29th July.

The federal and provincial governments invited public feedback on five proposed sites earlier this year. Following consultation, four areas were selected and the boundaries of the French Bank and Sydney Bight zones were slightly reduced.

“With some of the top wind speeds in the world, Nova Scotia has the potential to become a clean energy superpower,” said Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston.

“With the right infrastructure, we’ll have the opportunity to send our wind west to power other parts of Canada. By becoming an energy exporter, we can secure long-term prosperity for Nova Scotians”.

The next phase involves detailed site assessments to identify specific parcels within the designated zones, which will form the basis of the first call for bids, expected before the end of the year. 

Awarded licences will grant developers exclusive rights to advance surveys, secure financing and begin preliminary engineering work.

Following the initial round, officials plan to revisit four additional areas identified in January 2025’s regional offshore wind assessment, including Western/Emerald Bank, which had been shortlisted during the spring consultation. Depending on market interest and environmental studies, these areas could be included in subsequent bid rounds.

Offshore wind is viewed as a key component of Canada’s strategy to decarbonise electricity generation. The designated zones lie within waters with favourable wind profiles and are proximate to transmission infrastructure that could carry power to Nova Scotia’s mainland grid. 

The federal government has pledged regulatory certainty and coordinated environmental reviews to expedite project timelines, with a view to achieving meaningful capacity online before the end of the decade.

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