DRAFT REPORT OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY WORKING GROUP NOT A PUBLIC RECORD: INTRA-AGENCY POLICY DELIBERATION Summary This document is the draft report by a renewable energy working group composed of staff from EEA, DOER, and CZM, industry representatives and scientists. A list of the working group members is attached. The charge of the working group is to provide technical information to the ocean management planning team regarding appropriate sites in Massachusetts waters for the development of renewable energy, including tidal, wave and wind energy facilities. Note that this group has not been asked to ���select��� appropriate sites or to balance the public policy of promoting renewable energy against other interests, such as commercial fisheries or protection of marine habitat. Rather, the charge of this group is to tell ocean planners where the excellent, good, fair and poor sites are for renewable facilities, to enable the planners to balance the relevant interests and policies. Section 1: Tidal Energy The working group conducted a preliminary assessment of the potential for tidal energy in the Ocean Management planning area. We reviewed studies conducted to date, consulted with experts on tidal energy, and gathered information about several pending tidal projects. Particularly helpful was a report entitled ���Massachusetts Tidal In-Stream Energy Conversion (TISEC): Survey and Characterization of Potential Project Sites,��� October 2006 [EPRI Report] and follow up conversations with the authors of that report. The EPRI report identified the criteria needed to make a tidal facility successful ��� peak tidal velocities of at least 3 knots, water depths of between 18-40 meters, depending upon the device, and proximity to transmission interconnections. The EPRI report identified various locations where some or all of these criteria were met, determined whether any of these locations had one or more ���fatal flaws��� rendering them unsuitable and located the most promising areas for tidal energy based on those criteria. The conclusions in the EPRI report were generally corroborated by TRC in its report entitled ���Existing and Potential Ocean-Based Energy Facilities and Associated Infrastructure in Massachusetts��� June 26, 2006, by Navigant Consulting, ���Massachusetts Renewable Energy Potential���, August 6, 2008, and by others familiar with tidal technology. The current consensus is that Massachusetts has marginal resources for tidal energy, using currently available technology. In general, a peak tidal velocity of 4 knots appears to be the bare minimum for an economically viable, utility scale project. According to the EPRI report, there are no known locations in Massachusetts where these velocities are present. In fact, there are only a few known locations where the tidal velocities even approach 3 knots. These areas are Muskeget Channel between Nantucket and Martha���s Vineyard, Vineyard Sound between Naushon Island and Norton Point, within the Cape Cod Canal and to the southeast of Nantucket Island. Unfortunately, tidal energy in the Cape Cod Canal appears to be infeasible, because the channel is relatively shallow, and the Army Corps of Engineers has indicated that a tidal device would interfere with navigation. Notwithstanding the generally unfavorable prognosis for tidal energy, there are currently three potential projects pending. The Town of Edgartown and a private company, Natural Currents Energy Services LLC, are both pursuing separate projects in Muskeget Channel, while the Oceana Energy Company has proposed a project in Vineyard Sound. Renata Goncalves 9/2/11 3:04 PM Formatted: Portuguese

2 Edgartown���s preliminary permit is for feasibility and impact studies, design and testing in the Muskeget Channel, but not for construction of any tidal generating facilities. Scientists from U- Mass Dartmouth have received a $250k grant to find locations in Muskeget Channel where currents peak at five knots or more. The Natural Currents project, according to the Nantucket Independent, would generate three gigawatts of power from a yet undetermined number of unidirectional tidal generators, turbines enclosed in short tubes or double-ended funnels, or open rotors anchored to the bottom. The project is in the preliminary permitting phase of the project and under ideal review and permitting conditions, seeks to have the tidal generators online by 2011. The Oceana project, according to Cape Cod Online, would include between 50 and 150 in-stream energy conversion devices, each with propeller blades about 35 feet in diameter submerged in water up to 75 feet deep. As ocean currents pass through the propellers, each device would generate between 500 kilowatts and 2 megawatts of electricity, about enough capacity to power 750 homes apiece, according to the FERC application. The proposed Vineyard Sound site would begin at the southwest end of Naushon Island and extend northeast on either side of Lucas Shoal and Middle Ground. The project would tie into a transmission cable linking Falmouth and Martha's Vineyard. Based on the foregoing, the working group recommends designating the areas shown at left, Muskaget Channel, the Vineyard Sound area and the area southeast of Nantucket, where tidal potential has also been identified, as tidal demonstration zones, in which tidal facilities would be encouraged. (This recommendation assumes that there are no conflicting uses in such areas, but this assumption will be verified by the reports of other working groups). These demonstration projects are likely to provide useful information about the potential for tidal energy and the locations where tidal is most likely to be successful. Please note that these locations are shown on the map above for general, illustrative purposes, and are not intended to delineate firm boundary markers for tidal demonstration zones. It should also be noted that there is a potential area for tidal that was not fully explored in the EPRI report. The EPRI authors indicated that they did not have sufficient data to conclusively ascertain the potential for tidal energy in Buzzard���s Bay, and there may be locations in Buzzard���s Bay with sufficient tidal velocities. The working group recommends launching an effort to investigate that potential. Areas for further exploration of tidal power potential