News release

More Community Renewable Energy Projects Move Forward

Energy (June 2002 - July 2018)

Nova Scotians are breathing cleaner air, and are well on their way to meeting the province's aggressive renewable electricity targets, said Energy Minister Charlie Parker.

Mr. Parker announced the latest round of Community-Feed-in Tariff approvals today, Feb. 27, for renewable electricity projects proposed for Spiddle Hill, Wedgeport, Bayswater, Cheticamp and North Preston. These projects are now able to proceed to the next stage of development.

"It is important for us to celebrate our successes along the way during this energy transformation," said Mr. Parker at the Tatamagouche announcement. "That's why I'm pleased to announce that Nova Scotia Power has met, and slightly exceeded, our legislated renewable electricity target for 2011. We are also meeting our green-house gas reduction targets."

Details of the projects moving forward are:

  • A 1.99-megawatt large wind project in Wedgeport, near Yarmouth, owned by Scotian Wind, Scotian Windfields and WEB Wind Energy North America.
  • A two-megawatt large wind project in Bayswater, near Chester, owned by Watts Wind Energy Inc., Brookfield Asset Management and Katalyst Wind.
  • A 0.9-megawatt large wind project in Cheticamp, Inverness Co., owned by Celtic Current and Zutphen Wind.
  • A 4.6-megawatt large wind project on Lake Major Road in North Preston, owned by the Halifax Regional Water Commission.
  • A 50 kW small-wind project at the Spiddle Hill Wind Farm, owned by the Colchester-Cumberland Wind Field Community Economic Development Corporation.

The 2010 Renewable Electricity Plan introduced the COMFIT concept to help provide a secure supply of clean energy at stable prices, build community support for renewable energy projects and create jobs.

"More and more we are hearing good news about the government's highly successful renewable energy policy," said David Stevenson, president of Colchester-Cumberland Wind Field. "It promotes electricity from wind power, which reduces the burning of imported coal. Our company is a partner in the progressive harnessing of a sustainable and clean resource."

More than 20 community groups have submitted over 90 locally based renewable energy development proposals under the COMFIT program. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the COMFIT administrator at comfit@gov.ns.ca to discuss projects.

"The enthusiasm of communities coming together to develop local renewable electricity projects demonstrates the importance of the COMFIT program," said Mr. Parker. "Communities are empowered to be creative and use local resources to create jobs, meet their energy needs and reduce our environmental footprint."

COMFIT provides eligible groups an established price per kilowatt hour for projects producing electricity from renewable resources such as wind, biomass, in-stream tidal and run-of-the-river tidal developments. The feed-in tariff rates were established by the Utilities and Review Board in September.

Eligible groups include municipalities, First Nations, co-operatives, universities, community economic development funds and not-for-profit groups.

The COMFIT program will help the province reach its targets of 25 per cent renewable electricity by 2015 and 40 per cent by 2020. The province expects 100 megawatts to be produced through the COMFIT.

For more information on the program and to apply, visit www.nsrenewables.ca .