This is an extract from a recent report “Actual Deployment Potential of Atlantic Canada Offshore Wind” published by Net Zero Atlantic.
Atlantic Canada possesses one of the strongest and most extensive offshore wind resources in North America. High mean wind speeds, favorable bathymetry, and potential access to major load centers and export markets together make the region uniquely positioned for future offshore wind development. Across the combined waters of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, the study has identified hundreds of gigawatts of technical potential. After applying locational constraints and depth thresholds, tens of gigawatts of feasible capacity remain, distributed across both fixed-bottom and floating foundation technologies. Average wind speeds at 120 m hub height consistently exceed 9-11 m/s in many offshore areas, with modeled net capacity factors ranging from 50% to over 59% depending on location and technology type. This translates into an abundant, high-quality generation resource, reflected by consistently strong energy yields and high annual utilization of installed capacity ─ well above typical offshore wind benchmarks globally.
Bathymetric conditions vary considerably across the region, with shallow continental shelf areas suitable for fixed-bottom development concentrated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and along the Nova Scotia shelf, while deeper waters to the east and northeast require floating technologies. The region also benefits from existing grid infrastructure, including interconnections between provinces and transmission links to New England. These create opportunities for both domestic decarbonization and export-oriented development, particularly in scenarios with significant hydrogen demand growth. However, the extent to which the technical and locational potential can be deployed remains governed by economic competitiveness, infrastructure readiness, social license, and demand growth.
To provide a fair and consistent basis for comparing offshore wind potential across the Atlantic provinces, the analysis was built around a standardized conceptual layout and turbine assumption set. Each reference site was modeled as a wind farm with an approximate installed capacity of 1 GW represented by 72-15 MW offshore wind turbines with a rotor diameter of 236 m, operating with typical cut-in, rated, and cut-out wind speeds of 3, 13, and 30 m/s, respectively. Turbines were arranged using a spacing of 10 rotor diameters (10D × 10D, or ~2.36 km), resulting in an effective power density of ~3.5 MW/km2 . This approach balances the need to capture wake effects and mechanical loading while preparing for future turbine designs that will continue to increase in size and rotor swept area. By applying the same layout across the study region, the results enable a direct comparison of provincial buildable areas, capacity factors, and energy yields.
While this methodology provides a consistent benchmark, actual project designs will optimize layouts based on site-specific conditions, environmental constraints, and technology availability at the time of deployment. The use of 10D x 10D turbine spacing balances wake losses, structural loading, and futureproofing for larger turbine technologies and surrounding projects. Wider spacing reduces wake-induced energy losses and mechanical fatigue on turbines, ensuring longer design lifetimes and lower maintenance costs. While this assumption results in a lower modeled power density compared to tighter layouts used in some other assessments of the area, it provides a robust, albeit conservative, baseline. It is important to note that turbine technology continues to evolve toward larger rotor diameters (>290 m) and higher nameplate capacities (>20 MW). Actual power density in commercial projects could be higher than modeled here. Final decisions on spacing and power density will be determined during project-specific micro-siting and optimization reflecting site conditions, environmental considerations, and technology readiness.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador have the single largest provincial potential, with an estimated ~473 GW of buildable capacity and the highest mean wind speeds of the region at 11.2 m/s. This resource is overwhelmingly suited to floating foundations (~471 GW), while ~2 GW of fixed-bottom potential exists in select shallower zones along the continental shelf. Average proximity to POIs is ~210 km, slightly greater than in Nova Scotia, but still within distances considered viable for offshore wind power transmission to shore and potential export markets. These ranges are consistent with transmission distances observed in other offshore wind projects globally and remain technically and economically feasible for export-oriented development. The scale and quality of Newfoundland and Labrador’s resource positions it as a long-term candidate for large-scale export-oriented development, particularly under hydrogen or intertie expansion scenarios.
New Brunswick
New Brunswick’s offshore wind potential is more moderate in scale compared to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, but still significant at ~37 GW of buildable capacity. Mean wind speeds average 10.3 m/s, and the resource is predominantly floating (~36 GW), with ~1 GW of fixed-bottom opportunities. Average distance to POIs is ~183 km. While smaller in scale, New Brunswick’s potential could support targeted projects aligned with domestic decarbonization goals or cross-border transmission opportunities.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island (PEI) offers a smaller but high-quality offshore wind resource, with ~9.5 GW of buildable capacity. Mean wind speeds are strong at ~11 m/s, the second highest in the region, supporting attractive capacity factors. The potential includes ~1.4 GW of fixed-bottom and ~8.1 GW of floating capacity. Average distance to POIs is ~112 km, the shortest among the provinces. While limited in scale, PEI’s resource could enable niche developments that complement the province’s onshore wind portfolio and strengthen local energy independence.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia shows one of the strongest offshore wind profiles in Atlantic Canada, with an average modeled wind speed of 10.8 m/s and a total buildable capacity of ~434 GW. Most of this potential lies in floating foundation zones (~416 GW), although a meaningful fixed-bottom resource of ~17 GW is also identified, concentrated on the shallower banks and shelf areas. Average distance to POIs is ~176 km, providing relatively favourable grid access compared to other provinces.
Access the report here