Toqlukuti’k Wind and Hydrogen Project

ABO Wind eager to commence Toqlukuti’k Wind and Hydrogen Project in NL (pdf)

ABO Wind awarded the exclusive right to pursue development of its Toqlukuti’k Wind and Hydrogen Project in Newfoundland and Labrador

Toqlukuti’k Wind and Hydrogen Ltd. is a multi-phased, integrated Project that harnesses wind to provide green hydrogen to meet the needs of the Come By Chance Refinery. This project contains a possible Pilot Phase for which the feasibility is still being explored. This would be a small grid-tied electrolyzer facility producing hydrogen for the refinery.

In March 2023, ABO Wind received an exclusive letter of support from Braya Renewable Fuels for the joint development of green hydrogen production at the refinery. The Project will also produce green ammonia for export to the global market.

In 2021, Braya purchased the Come By Chance refinery to convert the facility to produce renewable diesel. This requires hydrogen. Existing hydrogen demand at the refinery is produced via an onsite Steam Methane Reformer (SMR) that converts imported butane to grey hydrogen. Since acquisition, Braya has publicly identified that green hydrogen is the preferred future to lower the carbon intensity of their fuels.

There are several factors that contribute to the size of this Project, but unlike a typical grid-tied wind farm the purpose of this project is to power an electrolyzer facility for the production of green hydrogen. The quantity of hydrogen needed drives the required size of the electrolyzer, which in turn drives the size of the wind farm required to power it.

Further, the war in Ukraine has highlighted the need for European countries to have clean, secure, and ethical energy sources. In recognition of this, Canada and Germany signed the Canada-Germany Hydrogen Alliance in Stephenville. As the subsidiary of a German parent company, ABO Wind Canada is uniquely positioned to fulfill the ambition of that Agreement.

There is a variety of key components that the Project infrastructure could include, broken down into the Wind and Hydrogen facilities. Infrastructure associated with the Hydrogen Facility would be located on-site or within close proximity to the existing Come By Chance refinery. Infrastructure associated with the Wind Farm would be located on Crown Lands in the Isthmus region.

Hydrogen Facilities

• Hydrogen Production Facilities including Electrolyzers
• Hydrogen storage facilities
• (Future Expansions) Ammonia Production facilities
• Ammonia storage facilities
• Ammonia export facilities

Wind Facilities

• Wind turbines
• Measurement Equipment
• Access roads
• Electrical transmission lines
• Collector lines
• Substations
• Operations and Maintenance Facilities

The Project will harness wind to provide green hydrogen to meet the needs of the Come By Chance Refinery. In March 2023, ABO Wind received an exclusive letter of support from Braya Renewable Fuels for the joint development of green hydrogen production at the refinery. The Project will also ensure job security for the approximately 300 permanent refinery workers.

ABO Wind bid on areas of Crown land designated through the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador's Crown Land Call for Bids for wind energy development. Newfoundland and Labrador itself is competing in a global marketplace to secure a share of the green hydrogen market and has several strategic advantages to lead the way including, but not limited to:

• world class wind resources,
• deep water ports,
• skilled labour, 
• strategic location to Europe on the eastern seaboard of North America and
• existing infrastructure, knowledge, and experience at the Braya Come By Chance refinery.

Potential turbine sites are selected based on a variety of criteria including wind speed and pattern; access to transmission infrastructure; access and constructability for turbine components; setbacks from environmentally sensitive areas, homes, and other features such as local trails.

The lifecycle of a wind turbine is typically 20-30 years with the possibility of an extension through repowering. The expected life of a hydrogen electrolyzer’s stack components is 6-10 years before requiring replacement. These stacks would be replaced consistently throughout the life of the rest of the project.

At this time transmission routes have yet to be determined. As we gain more information about the area from technical studies and local consultation, our technical team adjusts the proposed Project layout and route of transmission lines. ABO Wind is committed to keeping the local communities up to date on developments with respect to the Project layout and location of transmission lines.

Pending regulatory approval, the current schedule has construction slated to begin in late 2025 for the Phase 1 portion of the Project. The first commercial operation date (COD) of Phase 1 is early 2027. The current schedule considers project specific permitting requirements and construction conditions, equipment lead times and represents a realistic development and construction timeline. As with any major development, the schedule may be modified to accommodate unexpected circumstances. 

If you are a vendor interested in providing your goods and/or services to ABO Wind Canada Ltd. we ask that you submit your company information via our ‘Supplier Registration Form’ located here (portal link is also accessible by scrolling to the bottom of this webpage). Additional questions related to supplier opportunities with Project Toqlukuti’k can be directed to info_toqlukutik@abo-wind.com.

Inquiries related to employment opportunities on Project Toqlukuti’k or resumes can be directed to info_toqlukutik@abo-wind.com. Specific employment opportunities with ABO Wind, including those related to the Project will be posted on Career Beacon as opportunities arise. 

ABO Wind Canada believes that communities in proximity to our Project should receive preferential attention and access to business and employment opportunities. We have already begun work with local service providers.

We are guided by our Local Economic Development Policy to provide full and fair opportunity to the local labour force and vendors and suppliers. It is our intent to maximize economic benefits for communities and their residents and promote long-term commercial growth through access to goods and service contracts, capacity training, and employment.

Local experience and knowledge are also a key component of our supplier selection criteria, and this criteria will be employed in all future Requests for Proposals related to this Project. 

Earlier this year, ABO Wind decided to open an office in St. John’s to act as a home base for the ABO Wind team’s operations in the province and to support the development activity. ABO Wind has had several conversations with local communities in the Isthmus region about having a second office, closer to the Come By Chance refinery and fully accessible to local community. ABO Wind has also spoken to prospective candidates in the province and has plans to build a local team to further develop the Project. 

Based on the initial calculations we anticipate the Project to create approximately 5500 jobs including construction (large percentage of work and for approximately 8-10 years) and Operations & Maintenance (long term). The Project will also help to ensure job security for the approximately 300 permanent refinery workers. Overall, the Project will bolster the local employment in the growing renewables energy sector.

To date ABO Wind team members have visited NL on multiple occasions to connect with and develop relationships with Miawpukek First Nation and various stakeholders including local municipal councils, organizations such as local chambers of commerce, industry organizations such as econext and Energy NL, local tourism operators, and local not-for-profits.

ABO Wind is continuing to build relationships, listen to feedback and remain transparent through further meetings, information sessions, and through a Community Liaison Committee. ABO Wind is committed to ongoing engagement and sharing up-to-date information with stakeholders and local communities through the life of the Project. If successful in this bid, ABO will conduct information sessions in local areas by Q4 2023 and Q1 2024. 

ABO Wind is committed to transparent, meaningful, and ongoing Indigenous engagement and has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Miawpukek First Nation.

ABO Wind welcomes all feedback on the Project. These communications should be directed to info_toqlukutik@abo-wind.com.

ABO Wind is guided by our Local Economic Development Policy to provide full and fair opportunity to the local labour force and vendors and suppliers. It is ABO Wind’s intent to maximize economic benefits for communities and their residents and promote long-term commercial growth through access to goods and service contracts, capacity training, and employment.

ABO Wind has already engaged with and provided a donation to a local not-for-profit and looks forward to further community investment opportunities in the region. 

Like any infrastructure project in Newfoundland and Labrador, Project Toqlukuti’k will be subject to an environmental assessment registration. ABO Wind has retained a local environmental consultant and completed desktop studies of environmental features in the areas of interest prior to beginning field work. We are also working closely with the Department of Environment and Climate Change to mitigate the project’s impact on the environment.

Desktop studies were already conducted for all areas of interest, but field studies began within the Phase 1 areas of interest in June 2023. These studies will mainly focus on wildlife populations, with the remaining prescribed studies including wetlands and botany being carried out throughout the rest of the year and 2024. Together with ABO Wind’s Project partner, Miawpukek First Nation, a Traditional Land Use Study is also being conducted.

Currently, environmental field studies are in progress within the Phase 1 areas of interest and consultation within the local communities is ongoing. This is in anticipation of the Environmental Assessment Registration for the first phase being submitted in Q3 of 2024.

ABO Wind has worked through a diligent environmental constraints analysis during the site selection process to mitigate risk of any impacts to local wildlife. Robust environmental studies will be completed during the Environmental Assessment process to develop an understanding of habitat conditions as well as the birds and wildlife utilizing the site. Results of the studies will be used to develop innovative and effective mitigation strategies specific for the local area and wildlife. We will work closely with our environmental consultants and regulators throughout the Environmental Assessment process to reduce impact on the local environment.

The primary regulatory requirements are dependent on the Project's jurisdiction including federal, provincial, and municipal permits and approvals. Each permit or approval will have their own regulatory requirements that may range from public consultation, environmental field studies, noise and shadow assessments to help demonstrate the Project is planned in a manner with the least potential impacts and can be built and operated in a sustainable manner. The most significant permit for this Project is the provincial Environmental Assessment Registration. ABO Wind is working with a local environmental consultant to complete the registration documents and associated fieldwork for this project. We have also regularly consulted with the Province’s Department of Environment and Climate Change on field work plans and document drafts, which will continue throughout the permitting process.

ABO Wind will decide on a wind turbine model later in the development stages. However, the average hub height of the machines being assessed is 120m with a blade length of 80m, resulting in a tip height of approximately 200m.

During the site selection phase, setbacks are applied to ensure compliance with industry best practice and appropriate regulations for noise and visual flicker. According to Energy NL, a typical setback of 500m for receptors including residences would result in approximately the same level of noise as a well-running refrigerator.

Several studies have confirmed that wind turbines will offset the CO2 emitted during their manufacture and installation, typically during the first 7 to 9 months of operation. Taking into account the energy required for manufacture, installation, and eventual decommissioning, wind turbines produce significantly less CO2 per megawatt of electricity than fossil fuel-based generation.

Although offshore wind turbines are being developed in many parts of the world, ABO Wind's expertise is in the development of onshore wind. There is currently a Regional Assessment for Offshore Wind Development ongoing within the Atlantic Canadian region, but at this time development of offshore wind in the Atlantic provinces is not regulated. ABO Wind does not plan to build offshore turbines for this Project. 

An approximately 5-meter-wide access road is maintained for the life of the project. An approximately 12-meter-wide access road would be used for the construction phase and restored to a 5-meter-wide access road for the life of the Project.

Approximately 100 square meters of land will be required for each turbine and associated infrastructure.

A Norwegian study has shown that painting one turbine blade black can reduce collisions with birds, however we must abide by colouring and lighting specifications from Transport Canada.

We respect that some individuals may have concerns regarding health. The Project will be designed to meet or exceed all provincial regulations and guidelines currently in place to protect human health.

Health Canada with Statistics Canada and other external experts conducted a Community Noise and Health Study. The results released in 2014 indicated that wind turbine noise was not linked to self-reported medical illnesses and health conditions. 

When it comes to the end of life for a wind project there are two options: decommissioning and repowering. 

Repowering: The ability to repower a site hinges on a few key considerations, such as the health of the foundations and other components on the site, the economics of the power being generated at the site, and the new technology available. Repowering a site prolongs the life of the project and helps to postpone the need for new project development (Canadian Renewable Energy Association, 2023).

Decommissioning: Due to economics, regular wear and tear or other factors, it may be necessary to remove the project and return the land to its equivalent original state. Decommissioning consists of dismantling the site by extracting the recyclable materials like steel, concrete and glass, and properly disposing of any other components in compliance with local requirements (Canadian Renewable Energy Association, 2023).

Wind Turbines: The main components of a wind turbine that can be recycled, repurposed, or salvaged include: Steel tower sections, steel reinforcement, electrical equipment and cables, precious metals, and concrete. Other materials or pieces of equipment that cannot be recycled, repurposed or salvaged will be disposed of according to local/provincial regulations. 

Different colours of hydrogen are defined depending on how the hydrogen is produced, though the colour of the actual hydrogen molecule does not change. There are several common production methods and corresponding colour designations of hydrogen. The colour designations are based on the different effects on the environment that result from the various processes.

Green hydrogen is hydrogen that is produced by splitting water using an electrolyzer. The electricity for the electrolyzer must be generated from renewable sources, such as wind, PV power, or hydropower, if the resulting hydrogen is to be labeled green. This ensures that no CO2, or other environmentally harmful by-products, are released during hydrogen production.

Green hydrogen is one of the key elements for Europe to reach its climate target and to ensure energy security. Green hydrogen can be a solution to Europe’s energy problems for several reasons, including its carbon-free nature, ability to be stored for a longer time and distributed, and its versatility in uses. After being transformed into its derivatives such as ammonia, it can be easily exported all over the world for use in industrial processes, heating, electricity, and automotive or other transportation use.

It is possible to transport hydrogen as a compressed gas or liquid. However, compared to hydrogen, ammonia has several decisive advantages in terms of long-distance transport. Characteristics including high energy density and ease of liquefaction allow it to be used in existing plants, transportation, and terminal facilities. Furthermore, if needed, ammonia can be converted to pure hydrogen on demand on the import side, without carbon emissions. Moreover, it has already been produced on a large-scale industrial application; therefore, handling and transport of ammonia is well known.

Together, ABO Wind AG and ABO Wind Canada have extensive experience and dedication to hydrogen and renewable energy projects.

• 26+ years’ experience
• 5 GW developed and sold
• 5 billion € investment volume
• 4 million MWh power generation
• 20 GW Wind/Solar/Battery pipeline + 15 GW hydrogen projects
• +1000 employees globally
• A growing team of professionals in Canada supported by ABO Wind's global team of technical and financial experts in Germany
• Active Project Development in Atlantic Canada since 2021

ABO Wind Canada has offices in Calgary, Halifax, and St. John’s. An office location closer to the Project site is being planned.

A device that uses electricity to split water molecules into seperate hydrogen and oxygen molecules through a process called electrolysis. 

Hydrogen that is produced through the use of carbon-based energy sources such as natural gas through a process called steam methane reforming, without carbon capture and storage. 

Hydrogen that is produced through the use of carbon-based energy sources such as natural gas through a process called steam methane reforming, with carbon capture and storage. 

The identified Crown Land Areas of Interest that would include the first wind developments of the Project in the Come By Chance and Chance Cove regions.