Exploits Valley Renewable Energy, Newfoundland

Click to learn more. Approved bid area for the Exploits Valley Renewable Energy Corporation project, a 3.5 GW wind farm powering the production of hydrogen and ammonia. Source: Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Industry, Energy and Technology.

Abraxas Power is leading development of a new renewable hydrogen and ammonia project in Newfoundland on Canada’s eastern coast. To be located in the centre of the island, a 3.5 GW, 530 turbine wind farm will be paired with a 150 MW solar PV facility to power the production of electrolytic hydrogen feedstock, followed by ammonia. At full capacity, the developers anticipate the project will produce around 1 million tons of renewable ammonia per year. EPC provider McDermott has been awarded a FEED contract, which will include an assessment for hydrogen production, ammonia processing, and ammonia storage requirements. Located on an ex-forestry site:

EVREC will develop, construct, and operate a wind to green ammonia project on the brownfield site of the former Abitibi logging lands near Botwood, in Central Newfoundland. We are structuring its design to use 100% renewable wind energy. The Project is planning to utilize a grid connection to draw power (if available) for critical loads or to provide power to support the local and provincial grid in times of need.

This project requires water for electrolysis and cooling. It is currently believed that the project will require similar levels of water consumption to those used historically on the project site and will be drawn from Peters Pond.  Studies will remain ongoing through the development phase of the project and will be reported as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment.

The port will be restored to its historical working condition to allow for inbound and outbound shipments. During the construction phase, a section of the port previously used by Abitibi will be upgraded to receive wind turbines and other materials required for the initial build. Botwood will have a fully operating international deep-water port as a result of the Project.

EVREC project FAQ, accessed 25 June 2024

Progress of wind energy in Newfoundland

The Exploits Valley Renewable Energy Corporation project (EVREC) is one of four large-scale projects currently under development on the island. The Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Industry, Energy and Technology opened a call for project bids in December 2022, after identifying 1.66 million hectares of land suitable for wind energy development. From twenty-four initial bids, nine were invited to the next phase, and in August 2023 four bids received wind application recommendation letters, and were granted the exclusive development rights (including an Environmental Assessment referral). Ammonia Energy readers will be very familiar with two of the four – EverWind Fuels and World Energy GH2 (who appeared in a recent Project Features webinar). The list is rounded out by EVREC and Toqlukuti’k Wind and Hydrogen, which is being developed by ABO Wind.