Abstract
On behalf of the Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative of New England (MRECo), Barrett Energy Resources Group, LLC (BERG) is pleased to submit this Draft Pilot License Application (DPLA) to interconnect and operate a marine hydrokinetic test facility (the Bourne Tidal Test Site or BTTS) in the Cape Cod Canal in Bourne Massachusetts. The purpose of the facility is to test tidal turbine technology and collect associated marine and coastal science and engineering information. Developers require a grid connection to verify that their technology is grid-compatible. As part of the application, MRECo requests that the term of the pilot license be for eight years to allow for a full evaluation of the facility performance and potential environmental impacts.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued to MRECo a Preliminary Permit on September 22, 2016 to study the feasibility of a marine hydrokinetic facility in the Cape Cod Canal. The Preliminary Permit “maintain[s] priority of application for a license during the term of the permit while the Permittee conducts investigations and secures data necessary to determine the feasibility of the proposed project and, if said project is found to be feasible, prepares an acceptable application for license” (see FERC Form P-1, Terms and Conditions of Preliminary Permit).
At this time, the MRECo has permitted and installed the tidal test platform in the Cape Cod Canal to the west of the Railroad Bridge. It has also collected a sufficient amount of information on the environment of the project area, developed the design components of the marine hydrokinetic facility and its interconnection, and communicated the fundamental project elements and objectives to stakeholder groups to support a DPLA. The permits issued by federal, state, and local authorities for the platform included conditions for construction and operation of the facility as proposed. The BTTS platform was installed in November and December of 2017. It is expected that the conditions of those permits associated with the operation of the facility along with updated environmental monitoring and safeguard plans would be incorporated into a FERC license.
Draft Pilot License Application
The DPLA is organized as follows:
- Executive Summary
- Notice of Intent
- Request for Waivers
- Pilot License Criteria
- Process Plan and Schedule
- Request for Designation as Non-Federal Representative
- Initial Statement
- Exhibit A – Project Description and Proposed Mode of Operation
- Exhibit E – Draft Environmental Report
- Exhibit G – Project Boundary Maps
- Appendix A – Consultation Record
- Appendix B – Permits and Approvals Received
- Appendix C – Operations and Maintenance Plan
- Appendix D – Safeguarding Plans
- Appendix E – Environmental Monitoring Plan
- Appendix F – BTTS Business Plan