HALIFAX: A company proposing a large scale project was recently granted a lease to use Crown land for a wind farm, and around the same time, the provincial government announced new regulations to encourage green energy development.
EverWind Fuels Company announced on Dec. 22 that they entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Province of Nova Scotia to exclusively apply for and obtain a lease for Crown land, which is predominantly located within the Municipality of the District of Guysborough.
“A Request for Applications process was used to position Nova Scotia well to become a world leader in green hydrogen production and to address multiple developers asking for the same parcels of Crown lands to develop wind farms to support their operations,” provincial spokesperson Erin Lynch wrote in an email to The Reporter. “This was a starting point for the developers.”
EverWind wants to develop and operate a certified green energy hydrogen and ammonia production facility in Point Tupper.
“We are really excited, we are working hard, we’re investing money in what is a really concerted effort and I think people are getting a sense of that,” EverWind CEO Trent Vichie told The Reporter. “This takes a tremendous amount of work; the engineering, planning and there’s more to come.”
The company said the wind project will provide approximately two gigawatts of onshore wind generation capacity for its green hydrogen hub project. They said the wind farm will enable them to achieve 1 million tonnes of annual green ammonia production capacity by 2026.
“The MOU for the lease of Crown land for onshore wind farm development is a crucial step forward for EverWind to develop gigawatt-scale green hydrogen and ammonia production,” Vichie said in a press release.
Calling it a “generational opportunity,” Vichie said the company is “humbled by the trust” that the provincial government has placed in them.
“We thank them for spearheading an expedited process for obtaining Crown land leases,” he noted. “We appreciate the province’s commitment to a fair, equitable process, while recognizing the importance for speed and decisive action as we look to create a new global market for green energy.”
Lynch wrote that the Crown land also includes a “small amount” in Richmond County.
In the email, Lynch explained that the province remains the legal owner under a lease, and the developer would have to use the land for a specified time period, subject to terms and conditions which would be negotiated at a future date as part of the overall approval process.
“The MOU does not authorize the developer to use/access Crown lands for green hydrogen projects or anything else. They must submit new applications for any proposed use/access for Crown lands including asking for a lease, easement or licence,” she wrote. “Once new lease applications are received, they will go through the research, reviews and assessments required to issue approvals to use Crown lands. This includes Crown lands research, (Integrated Resource Management) reviews, survey work, appraisals, consultation with the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia, satisfying any required insurance conditions, and ministerial and/or cabinet approval. This is in addition to any other required approvals, such as environmental assessments.”
EverWind said it is in the process of revising its proposed wind farm development plan and will publicly share those proposed plans “in the coming months.”
The company said the permitting and development of the wind farm will follow all Nova Scotia Environmental Assessment Regulations, including comprehensive effects studies and analysis, as well as meaningful public, stakeholder and rights holder engagement, followed by the submission of an environmental assessment.
“EverWind is committed to openness and transparency,” said Vichie. “We look forward to working closely with the Municipality of the District of Guysborough to develop a sustainable project that supports their strategic development goals while respecting the interests of residents of the region.”
Guysborough Warden Vernon Pitts welcomed the announcement.
“EverWind initiated conversations with the municipality almost a year ago and have consistently shared information about their objectives,” he said. “The MODG looks forward to gaining a full understanding of EverWind’s plans and their contribution to environmental and economic sustainability of the Province of Nova Scotia and our communities.”
EverWind said it committed to working with First Nations through consultation, engagement, and delivering a comprehensive partnership on all aspects of the project. The company said it is proud to share this success with the First Nations of Paqtnkek, Membertou, and Potlotek.
Rose Paul, CEO of Bayside Development in Paqtnkek, said the project can be significant in advancing economic reconciliation.
“For generations, Mi’kmaw were prevented from participating in and benefitting from the economic development of our natural resources. This project provides an opportunity to make the dreams of our grandparents a reality,” she said. “Economic reconciliation through meaningful partnerships in the development of our natural resources will advance our work toward becoming a sovereign nation and ensure prosperity for future generations. We are exercising our treaty rights to this land with a goal of creating energy sovereignty for our First Nation.”
Potlotek Chief Wilbert Marshall said the community is proud to be involved in the project.
“In Potlotek, we are proud to be partners in a project that will revitalize the economy in our region, while also ensuring direct benefits for our own community,” he noted.
EverWind said the project is expected to create “thousands of jobs” and attract industrial and technological know-how to the region.
Cape Breton-Canso MP Mike Kelloway said he is excited to see the region taking a lead role in the net-zero transition.
“This project is aligned with our federal government’s commitments to take action to fight climate change,” he said. “The Quad Counties have the land, infrastructure, educational institutions, and most importantly skilled people to work with EverWind to be provincial, national, and global leaders in the transition to clean industries and clean technologies.”
On Dec. 19, the province announced changes to two sets of regulations specific to the green hydrogen sector to ensure the sector has information about the environmental regulations.
According to the province, the changes to the Environmental Assessment Regulations and Activities Designation Regulations make it clear that: large-scale projects that produce and/or store hydrogen or ammonia require a Class I environmental assessment; such facilities require operational approvals; and that several operational approvals can be bundled under one facility-level approval for hydrogen facilities.
The department said it also created two new business relationship manager positions to help companies navigate and understand environmental regulations and processes, including inspection, compliance, and enforcement.
On Dec. 9, EverWind was the first business to register a green hydrogen project for environmental assessment in Nova Scotia, the province said, noting that pending all environmental approvals, the company is planning on starting construction in the spring.
Vichie added the environmental assessment process takes a lot of time and effort, and they are currently doing more planning and preparation.
“We’re working along, in terms of trying to make sure that we position the wind farms in the right places,” he said. “The most important thing for us is we do this the right way; the community, the environment, for our First Nation partners, the economy and for what the Government of Nova Scotia and the federal government are trying to do. The most important thing is to engage with people first, and try to figure things out before you say, ‘hey, here it is.’ That’s when you tend to have mistakes and issues when you don’t pay people the respect or do the work first. We do the work; that’s how we approach those things.”