Walton marina to assist BigMoon Power's tidal energy project in Minas Basin

Many have tried and many have failed, but now BigMoon Power is getting close to launching its attempt to harness the power of the world's highest tides and a new marina development in Hants County will be playing a key role.

BigMoon will soon be filling its anchors — modified rail cars — with cement in Walton, N.S. They will then be transported across the Minas Basin to the tidal power site near Parrsboro.

"We are starting to move closer toward the implementation of a tidal device in the Minas Passage," said Jamie MacNeil, BigMoon's executive vice-president. "The first phase that we will be embarking on are the gravity bases that will hold our device in place."

Unlike other failed tidal power projects that put turbines on the ocean floor, BigMoon's power generator floats on the surface of the water and a kinetic wheel spins with the current.

Unsuccessful projects launched in Nova Scotia since 1985 have ended in fish kills or equipment failures, among other problems.

BigMoon's main equipment is called the Falcon and is currently sitting in Saint John. It will be transported over the next few weeks and attached to the anchor base. 

The bases could be moved from Walton between March 21 and 24 when the tides are at their highest this month. But permits are still needed to do the required work below the high tide mark in Walton.

BigMoon Power has done extensive testing of their product in Scots Bay, located in Kings County on the other side of the Minas Passage from Parrsboro. 

The company has had a lengthy relationship with marine conservationist Darren Porter, who lives in Hants County. Porter purchased an unused parcel of land next to the harbour in Walton last month. It didn't take long for him and BigMoon to agree to use the site to their advantage.

"The first thing was purchasing it and then secondly was putting money into it for infrastructure to get access down to the water so we put in a roadway," said Porter.

While BigMoon will have an active stake in Porter's new location, Porter has many other potential ideas for development. 

Two weeks ago Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced weir fishing can resume in the area and Porter plans to set up his fishing weir next to the property.

A working waterfront

"The possibilities here are endless and we want to rebuild the wharf, of course," said Porter.

The old wharf in Walton was destroyed by fire in 2012 and two Hants County men were charged with arson.

Walton was a busy port decades ago with a nearby barite mine loading ships from Porter's new property during its operations from 1941 to 1978.

Two 60-metre-high silos still stand side by side at the site and continue to hold barite. A structure sits on top of the silos that has a commanding view of the Minas Basin and Cape Blomidon, one of the most notable landmarks in Nova Scotia.

"At first my plan was to take them down but I'm finding out most of the locals here are quite attached to them," said Porter.

Porter still has lots of discussions he needs to have with the Nova Scotia government and the Municipality of East Hants to get permits and deal with zoning issues.

Porter says local fire departments can use the new service road already in place to launch rescue boats. He is hoping to see his property become a spot for people to enjoy striped bass fishing, a popular pastime in the area. 

Porter says nothing is off the table and he is open to listening to anyone who may have a plan for the working waterfront he envisions.

Salvage operation

A requirement of BigMoon's marine renewable-electricity licence is that it must lift one of the earlier turbines that failed so miserably. A 1,300-tonne machine has been stranded in the Minas Passage since 2018 when a parent company of Cape Sharp Tidal Venture, OpenHydro Group Ltd., filed for liquidation.

BigMoon has to have it moved by the end of 2024 but they plan to move it this spring or summer to Walton, where it would be dismantled.

The race to become the first company to successfully build a machine that can harness the Bay of Fundy's powerful tides, an endless natural resource, has been very competitive. 

While BigMoon Power is ready to take the next plunge, no one is claiming any victories just yet. They still have lots of hurdles to overcome and extensive testing before they can reliably provide power to Nova Scotia's electrical grid but they hope it will be months, not years, for that to happen.