Company Testing Tidal Energy Prototype On Haida Gwaii
11 Jul, 2017 • Corey Callaghan
A company on Haida Gwaii is now testing the viability of using tides to produce electricity.
Yourbrook Energy Systerms Limited says it's been testing a prototype in the Juskatla Narrows for a little under a month.
COO Clyde Greenough says testing the prototype will allow them to get a better idea of how much energy it could produce and how it handles items like debris.
Greenough says it could make a lot of coastal communities more sustainable.
"Bella Bella and Bella Coola grids which include 10 communities, use diesel powered grids. There's Hartley Bay, a bunch of First Nations up and down the coast that are all diesel driver electric powers. Just in our own backyard, there's a huge advantage."
Greenough believes this kind of sustainable energy will replace diesel eventually.
"What I believe is that it's probably going to be a combination of wind, some solar and tidal. We can use all of the things we have here. It just the matter of all of the parties involved to work together. I think that will happen."
He says they've also been talk with other town like Prince Rupert to see how viable a similar project would be to help bring power to the area.
Greenough says their testing is expected to talk place for some time to ensure the information is as accurate as possible.
So far, the company has spent about $800,000 the project, with most of the money put out by themselves. About $300,000 is from funding.