Canada’s first offshore wind farms move closer to reality as regulator clears bidders - BERITAJA

Development of Canada’s first offshore upwind farms took a important measurement guardant precocious Friday erstwhile Nova Scotia’s offshore power regulator released the names of companies qualified to bid connected seabed licences.

The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator identified 5 companies and 2 groups of companies that won support aft taking portion successful a reappraisal process betwixt October 2025 and January of this year.

The eligible companies were required to meet definite financial, technical, ineligible and societal criteria to beryllium they are could of completing offshore upwind projects.

The regulator, however, said the companies that met eligibility requirements had the action of keeping their position confidential, which intends the names of immoderate participants whitethorn stay a concealed astatine this stage.

Meanwhile, the federal-provincial agency confirmed a general telephone for bids will beryllium issued immoderate clip later this year. And those bids will beryllium taxable to ministerial reviews astatine the national and provincial levels.

So far, the approved companies are based successful Canada, Belgium, China, Ireland, Luxembourg, Singapore, Switzerland, South Korea and France.

In January, a spokesperson for 1 of the companies, Q Energy France, said its estimated timeline for commissioning offshore turbines would beryllium sometime successful 2035.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston issued a connection Friday saying the state had taken different measurement toward becoming an power leader connected the world stage.

“By attracting companies pinch the acquisition and know-how to present ample power projects, we are mounting the shape for a successful offshore upwind manufacture present astatine home,” Houston said.

“This benignant of maturation will move america from a person not to a person state and create galore caller opportunities for our young people, mini businesses and communities.”

In June 2025, Houston said the province’s scheme to licence capable offshore upwind farms to nutrient 5 gigawatts of energy would beryllium accrued eightfold to 40 gigawatts, good beyond the 2.4 gigawatts Nova Scotia needs.

He called connected Ottawa to thief screen the costs of the Wind West project, saying the excess energy could beryllium utilized to proviso 27 per cent of Canada’s full demand. Quebec and Massachusetts person already shown liking successful buying energy from this projected cleanable power megaproject.

The provincial authorities says the first shape of Wind West is estimated to costs about $60 cardinal and would nutrient about 5 gigawatts of powerfulness arsenic early arsenic 2033. About $40 cardinal would beryllium for turbine infrastructure, pinch different $20 cardinal for caller transmission lines.

The scheme to nutrient up to 40 gigawatts of energy says commissioning could hap by 2050.

The water areas nether information for the first shape see Sydney Bight, northeast of Cape Breton successful the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Three much parcels could beryllium recovered disconnected the eastbound statement of mainland Nova Scotia.

The pursuing qualified companies and business alliances consented to to having their names released:

— DEME Concessions Wind N.V., based successful Belgium.

— Ming nan Smart Energy Group Ltd., based successful China.

— Northland Power Inc., based successful Toronto.

— Simply Blue Energy (OSW) Ltd., based successful Ireland.

— Jan De Nul N.V., based successful Luxembourg.

— A group that includes Halifax-based DP Energy Canada Ltd., Enterprize Energy Atlantic Pte. Ltd. successful Singapore, Nova East Wind Inc. successful Halifax, and SBM Renewables Holding SA, based successful Switzerland.

— A group that includes Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd., based successful South Korea, and Q ENERGY France SAS.

This study by BERITAJA was first published June 27, 2026.

This is simply a corrected story. A erstwhile type incorrectly stated that six companies and 2 groups of companies had been approved to taxable bids. In fact, the 5 companies and 2 groups person won approval.