Blue Energy Technology Assessments

Third-Party technological evaluations of the Davis Hydro Turbine being commercialized by Blue Energy Canada

(Note: Blue Energy Canada was named Nova Energy Ltd. until 1997. As of 2004 the Davis Turbine has been refined and is now the Blue Energy Ocean Turbine.)

Harold Halvorson
Halvorson Engineers, Victoria B.C.

“The technology appears to be best suited for tidal applications. Many sites in B.C. and worldwide have the required conditions, deep, fast currents, to utilize the Davis turbine to produced commercial quantities of electricity.”

“In suitable sites, and many seem to exist, significant quantities of electricity might be generated on scales comparable to conventional power plants (hydro, thermal, and nuclear).”

“The technology is also suited to power generation in free running rivers.”

“The tidal application appears to have sufficient potential both in terms of power generation and turbine manufacturing to justify further study by project investors.”

“B.C. might benefit not only from using the technology to generate tidal electricity in the province but also from manufacturing units for domestic and export markets.”

- from “Evaluation of Nova Energy Ltd.’s Hydro Turbine*,
by Harold Halvorson (Halvorson Marine Engineers [Victoria]);
62-page report completed for BC Ministry of Employment and Investment, 1994

View the Halvorson Report (PDF)

Gouri Bhuyan, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Powertech Labs

Powertech Labs is very supportive of your effort and will be glad to assist your pilot
project team, particularly for monitoring electrical, mechanical and power quality performance as well as net metering, interconnection related issues for the first 500kW pilot project.

– email correspondence from Gouri Bhuyan, Ph.D., P.Eng. Director, Civil Infrastructure & Alternative Energy Technologies Business Unit Powertech Labs Inc., August, 2004

“The proposal (by Nova Energy for a Davis turbine installation on the Cape Cod Canal) was reviewed by this office and found to be technically sound.”

– letter from Joseph L. Ignezio, Director of Planning, Dept. of the Army, New England Division, Corps of Engineering; to Nova Energy Ltd., 1994; cited in Halvorson, 1994

Bruce D. Pratte
Director of Coastal Engineering Program, Canadian National Research Council

"In summary, the Davis Hydro Turbine is based on the Darrieus cross-flow turbine, a concept proven through laboratory and field trials. It is suitable for extracting energy from fast flowing waters in tidal, river, canal and dam spillway applications, providing the conditions of velocity and depth are sufficient. ... The prototype efficiencies or power coefficients were very close to those predicted from the laboratory model tests. Generally, small scale tests are a good measure of the performance to be expected for the full size units. In fact, full size turbines generally perform slightly better than model tests, with efficiencies 1-5% greater. … the next step in its evolution should be market driven, requiring investment by the private sector, utilities, or other governments."

– from ‘General Comments on Nova Energy Ltd’s Davis Hydro Turbine’; letter, 1994

Tony Tung
CANMET
(Canadian Centre for Minerals and Energy Technology, federal government)

“The technology is sound. The real question is how to commercialize it. … Work on prototypes proved the technology of the Davis Turbine. Now a demonstration project should be done to prove up the economics.”

- interview with Tony Tung, CANMET; cited in Halvorson, 1994

Jim Fulton
Executive Director
David Suzuki Foundation

"It certainly appears that Nova Energy has an all Canadian device that could meet the highest environmental standards while producing large volumes of electricity. The potential for B.C. electrical sourcing and for water turbine production for export appear to be considerable."

- Jim Fulton, Executive Director, David Suzuki Foundation
(1994 letter to B.C. Premier Mike Harcourt)