Renewable Energy Resources

Newfoundland and Labrador’s undeveloped renewable energy resources present opportunities to expand the market for our renewable energy resources within the province, and to export surplus energy to our Atlantic neighbors, eastern seaboard, Europe and beyond. Together, this will support the transition to a more sustainable low-carbon economy, create employment opportunities for the people of our province, and further position Newfoundland and Labrador as a Clean Energy Centre of Excellence. - Renewable Energy Plan

Newfoundland and Labrador is reducing its fossil fuel use and delivering affordable and reliable renewable energy to the people of the province and beyond. Our competitive advantages in renewable energy production provide opportunities to export energy via new pathways (including hydrogen, ammonia, and renewable diesel) to assist other jurisdictions in meeting their emissions reduction targets.

Newfoundland and Labrador's competitive advantages include:

• Strategic location
  • Most easterly jurisdiction in North America
  • Positioned along international shipping lanes
  • 29,000 kilometers of marine coastline
  • Numerous deep-sea ice-free ports
• Wealth of natural resources
  • World-class wind resources
  • 350,000 square kilometers of Crown land, mostly unpopulated
  • Second-highest water runoff in Canada
• Abundant surplus renewable energy
  • 85% renewable electricity grid, with a planned increase to 98% upon completion of our latest hydroelectric project
  • Exporting 1.3 terawatt hours/year from the grid, with a plan to increase to 3.2 terawatt hours/year
  • Numerous undeveloped hydro projects available
• Skilled workforce
  • Experience in large-scale construction, energy projects, and harsh and offshore environments
  • Leading public post-secondary institutions
• Strategic priority
  • Provincial Government released five-year  Renewable Energy Plan  in December 2021
  • Mandate letter from Premier outlines commitment to clean energy
  • Hydrogen Development Action Plan to be released in coming months

Newfoundland and Labrador has some of the best wind resources for electricity generation in North America. While wind is typically intermittent and of variable speed, Newfoundland and Labrador’s strong wind resources consistently blow within speeds optimal for electricity generation. This offers various opportunities, including to provide grid energy, power offshore oil and gas, and power the production of green hydrogen/ammonia for export.

On August 30, 2023, the Honourable Andrew Parsons, KC, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology, announced the completion of the call for bids for wind-hydrogen development in the province. As a result of this process, four companies received Wind Application Recommendation Letters.

The issuance of recommendation letters to four bidders is the next step in the development of a wind-hydrogen industry in the province. These four companies now have the right to pursue the development of their project and can proceed through the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Crown lands application and approval process.

The construction, operations and decommissioning phases of these four projects (ranging from 35 to 40 years) are anticipated to have an overall economic impact (GDP) of $206.2 billion, and revenue to the province of $11.7 billion. Based on the plans for the four projects, peak employment is estimated at 11,694 full-time equivalents during construction. Total capital spend is estimated at $66.3 billion.

The province currently has three utility-scale wind projects located on the south coast of the island. This includes one in St. Lawarence and in Fermeuse, both of which are privately-owned 27 megawatt wind farms, on the province's Interconnected Electricity System, and a third project in the isolated diesel-generated electricity system in Ramea.

Wind Resources Assessments (WRA) and related analysis for five communities in coastal Labrador are available at the following  link .

On April 5 ^th , 2022, the Provincial Government announced the expansion of the mandate of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Energy Board to include the regulation of offshore renewable energy development, including offshore wind. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is currently engaged with the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to support a  Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development  to inform future decision-making.

Currently, over 80 per cent of the province’s electricity is generated from renewable energy resources, which will increase to 98 per cent with the in-service of the Muskrat Falls component of the Lower Churchill hydroelectric project, and decommissioning of the oil-fired Holyrood Thermal Generating Station. This project will also result in approximately 3.2 terawatt hours of energy per year (two terawatt hours firm) that is surplus to Newfoundland and Labrador’s current electricity needs. This energy will be primarily available during summer months, due to the province having a greater electricity demand during winter months in order to meet heating demands. The majority of Newfoundland and Labrador’s electricity is produced by large and small-scale hydro projects, which are outlined below.

Island Hydroelectric Generating Stations:

• Bay d'Espoir (613 MW)
• Cat Arm (137 MW)
• Granite Canal (40 MW)
• Hinds Lake (75 MW)
• Nalcor Energy Exploits (95 MW)
• Paradise River (8 MW)
• Rattle Brook (4 MW)
• Star Lake (18 MW)
• Upper Salmon (84 MW)

Labrador Hydroelectric Generating Stations:

• Churchill Falls (5,428 MW)
• Muskrat Falls (824 MW)
• Upper Salmon Hydroelectric Generating Station (84 MW)

Newfoundland and Labrador currently exports approximately 1.3 terawatt hours of electricity from the province through two transmission connections with Québec and Nova Scotia. With the upcoming in-service of the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project, and the province’s abundance of undeveloped renewable resources, it can assist Eastern Canadian provinces and New England states in meeting their renewable energy needs and greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

Due to Newfoundland and Labrador's abundance of hydro resouces, the province also has the potential to build new, or expand upon, numerous hydro developments. A sample of these options are outlined in the following table.

For more information:

•  Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro - System Information 
•  Newfoundland and Labrador Power - About Us 

The Annual Allowable Cut, commonly referred to as the AAC, is the amount of wood permitted to be harvested in the province within a one-year period to ensure the sustainability and productivity of Newfoundland and Labrador's forests. The  Forestry Act  requires the province to establish an AAC for each Forest Management District in the province. AACs are set as part of the wood supply analysis completed every five years by the province. The AACs are calculated for a five-year period on a tenure basis but are administered on an annual basis at the district level.

The following map contains Annual Allowable Cut Data, sourced from the Department of   Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture .

For more information on how the Province work to sustainably manage our biomass resources, please refer to the Department of Fisheries,  Forestry, and Agriculture. How we Manage Out Forest - Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods .

Click  here  to download the  2020 Hardwood Annual Allowable Cut Table 

Click  here  to download the  2020 Softwood Annual Allowable Cut Table  

In addition to Newfoundland and Labrador’s wind, hydro and biomass resources, there is also opportunity related to solar, wave, tidal and geothermal.  For example, solar, or photovoltaic energy is one of the fastest growing sources of electricity in Canada today. Currently, there are 23 small-scale solar energy projects under the province's net metering program. The provinces’ vast coastline of over 29,000 kilometres also presents opportunities related to tidal and wave energy. Further, geothermal energy, which can be harnessed to generate renewable energy, may also have potential in the province.