Environmental group disappointed after wind-energy project gets go-ahead from N.L. government

World Energy GH2 passed its environmental assessment and was granted the go-ahead by the government of Newfoundland and Labrador on Tuesday. (David Donnelly/CBC)

As World Energy GH2 clears another hurdle in its plan to build Canada's first wind-to-hydrogen project on Newfoundland's west coast, a non-profit environmental group says they still have serious doubts about the proposal.

Nick Mercer, co-chair of Enviro Watch N.L., said his group was "gravely concerned" about the news on Tuesday, which saw the provincial government greenlight the project with some conditions.

"We're quite disappointed with the decision that was made yesterday. I mean, we don't have to look far back in Newfoundland and Labrador's history with how large-scale quote-unquote renewable energy projects can go deeply off the rails," Mercer said Wednesday.

Mercer said his group is concerned about the lasting impact of this and similar projects on areas like the Port au Port Peninsula, which he said is ecologically and socially rich while simultaneously vulnerable.

He also takes issue with the efficiency of the project. World Energy GH2 plans to harness wind power from over 300 turbines and turn it into hydrogen, which will then be transferred into ammonia and shipped across the ocean in container ships.

While the resulting energy is considered green by the company and governing bodies, Enviro Watch N.L. questions its sustainability.

"It's our position that these gargantuan wind-to-hydrogen projects that are being imposed on these communities do not meet that bar for true sustainability," he said.

The group is also calling for a change to the environmental assessment process, which Mercer said only maintains the status quo and doesn't push proponents to develop projects that are environmentally and socially responsible.

The provincial government placed approximately 60 conditions on WEGH2 in its environmental assessment release, many of which stay attached to the project through its lifetime.

"These processes are meant to put Band-Aids on these impacts," Mercer said. "They're not meant to get rid of them. So what we would like to see is a shift away from this environmental assessment — this very low bar of a regulatory process — to a really progressive, proactive bar which privileges small-scale renewable energy development and above all else the consent, and support and social cohesion of affected communities."

Balancing act

But others remain optimistic about the project.

Benoit First Nation Chief Jasen Benwah says a project of this magnitude means stability for the region and promises of jobs means young adults can work at home instead of moving away, and people from the province living elsewhere can come back to work.

Benwah said he wasn't surprised by the outcome of the environmental assessment and insists the benefits must outweigh the impact of the project.

"I understand the concerns that people have, that some people have. It's all about getting this done, getting it running, having the smallest footprint, having community engagement and having benefits for the communities, creating jobs in the area," he said.

"I guess it's all a balancing act that we're looking for."

One of WEGH2's conditions is a requirement for a community liaison committee for public and government oversight.

Benwah said that's an important piece.

"Whether you support the project or don't support the project, all of those things are important to all of us," he said. "We need to have that connection and that voice that continually engages the project owners so that issues are mitigated, there's no concerns."

Next steps

Concerns aside, World Energy GH2 is pushing forward with its vision.

"We've done a great deal of work and made significant investment in the environmental studies and that's exactly what we need to do to launch this green energy industry in Canada," company CEO Sean Leet told reporters at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

But there's still work to do before wind turbines begin to crop up around the Port au Port Peninsula.

Leet didn't give a timeline for when construction will start. He said the company is still digesting Tuesday's news and is working to meet the provincial government's conditions of release.

"The world is watching our province and watching our country. We're in a unique position on a global scale," he said.

"A lot of the conditions are specific to us complying with what's included in our environmental impact statement. So we don't see any challenges with respect to the comprehensive document we submitted, including the amendment."