Specifically, we assess 1) the status of the major MRE technologies: offshore wind, tidal, and wave; 2) the total potential MRE capacity across the country; 3) the current economic landscape for MRE; 4) the ecological and other environmental risks of MRE technologies; 5) the public perception of MRE, and 6) some potential roles for and advantages of MRE over other renewable sources. [...] 2.4 Technological Barriers The construction of wind, wave and tidal arrays in the ocean requires specialized equipment and professional divers, and becomes challenging in bad weather, making the installation and maintenance of devices in the sea more expensive and time-consuming than on land16 (Interviewees 2,4). [...] In general, MRE projects are costly, large investments are required for materials, the construction and installation of arrays in the ocean, the maintenance and monitoring of the technology, and if necessary, the withdrawal of devices33,34. [...] Despite the rapid decline in the cost of offshore wind and the increase in the potential of energy generation43, private investors and the government in Canada (federal and provincial) are still reluctant to invest in offshore wind energy. [...] Moreover, the installation and maintenance of the devices in the sea is intrinsically more challenging and expensive, contributing to higher costs for tidal and wave and suggesting that these technologies are unlikely to match the price of onshore wind and solar energy production anytime soon (Interviewee 1).
- Pages
- 33
- Published in
- Canada
