Nova ScotiaA group that wants to build an industrial plant on the Eastern Shore to produce fuels out of hydrogen and biomass has filed for environmental assessment with the province, kicking off a 40-day period when the public can have their say.The European-backed proponent has filed for environmental assessmentTaryn Grant · CBC News · Posted: Oct 29, 2025 12:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesAn aerial photo of the site in Goldboro, N.S., where a European firm wants to build a renewable energy park. (Pieridae Energy)A group that wants to build an industrial plant on the Eastern Shore to produce fuels out of hydrogen and biomass has filed for environmental assessment with the province, kicking off a 40-day period when the public can have their say.The application details Phase 1 of the project, which includes the construction and operation of a production facility near the mouth of Isaacs Harbour, N.S.It says production would require 60 truckloads of biomass per day and 586 cubic metres of fresh water per hour. Biomass is organic matter — for example, wood — that is used to generate energy.According to the application, the biomass would be sourced locally following the European Union’s sustainability requirements, and the fresh water would come from two nearby lakes, Meadow Lake and Ocean Lake, through pipelines.If the province grants environmental approval, construction could begin in 2028 and operations in 2031, the application says. The proponent expects the project to have a minimum 50-year lifespan, followed by decommissioning.The process for producing sustainable aviation fuel. (Simply Blue Group)The site is on the coast in the community of Goldboro, N.S., on land that was previously owned by Pieridae Energy. That firm had proposed building a liquefied natural gas terminal, but after abandoning that plan it sold the land and all its permits and approvals to the new proponents.The project was first imagined by Irish firm Simply Blue Group but was bought earlier this year by European energy giant Octopus Energy Generation. Octopus created a local entity, Nova Sustainable Fuels, to manage the project.In its application to the province, Nova Sustainable Fuels says it wants to use water, biomass and electricity from wind turbines to generate hydrogen gas. The gas would then be converted into methanol and sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, a lower-emission alternative to conventional jet fuel.The liquid fuels would then be shipped by boat to distributors and airlines.Phase 2 of the project would include a wind farm and transmission line to feed electricity directly to the plant, but that is not included in the current environmental assessment.The application for Phase 1 says the project will require an initial capital investment of $4 billion to $6 billion. Construction is expected to create 1,000 jobs and operations are expected to require 60 to 80 staff.Public comments are open online or by mail until Dec. 8.MORE TOP STORIES ABOUT THE AUTHORTaryn Grant covers daily news for CBC Nova Scotia, with a particular interest in housing and homelessness, education, and health care. You can email her with tips and feedback at taryn.grant@cbc.ca
Public comment opens for renewable energy megaproject on Eastern Shore
