Nova Scotia: NGI maps seabed risks for Canadian offshore wind
A scientific paper from NGI on subsurface conditions off the coast of Nova Scotia was hand-picked from hundreds of submissions and recently published in an international peer-reviewed journal.
Nova Scotia, on Canada's Atlantic coast, is the site of the country's first offshore wind licensing round. Wind farms will be developed on a seabed that was heavily influenced by the last Ice Age.
The paper and the desktop study that it draws from provide the first comprehensive analysis of the seabed conditions that future offshore wind projects will encounter. They are already being used as a technical reference in Canada’s offshore wind drive.
At the Marine Renewables Canada conference that took place in Halifax in the autumn of 2025, enthusiasm for Nova Scotia’s offshore wind potential was intensely high. Of the hundreds of presentations made, nine were selected for publication in a special issue of the Journal of Ocean Technology. One of those papers was written by NGI geoscience experts Trevor King, Luke Griffiths, and Maarten Vanneste.
The work combines publicly available data with NGI’s experience from several projects across Europe and the US. It aims to give developers, regulators, and other stakeholders an early picture of the ground conditions expected at future project sites. It also maps where different foundation concepts are best suited and provides recommendations for further site characterization work.
“This is the first time that the available information on subsurface conditions offshore Nova Scotia has been integrated and presented in a way that is directly useful to offshore wind developers,” says Trevor King.
King is a British geoscientist with a PhD and over 25 years of experience in the energy industry, including two years in Norway with ExxonMobil and Vår Energi and two years in Canada with Imperial Oil. He now works as Principal Geoscientist at NGI’s Houston office on several offshore energy projects.
Trevor King has over 25 years of experience as a geoscientist in the energy industry and now works as Principal Geoscientist at NGI’s Houston office. ( Photo: NGI)
Ice Age creates geologic complexity
Around 20,000 years ago, the seabed off Nova Scotia lay beneath the vast Laurentide Ice Sheet. As the ice retreated, it left behind a complex three-dimensional mosaic of different sediment types and glacial features. This will directly influence the placement and design of turbine foundations, anchoring systems, and power cables.
“We expected a high degree of complexity in this area, and we weren’t wrong. The ground conditions here are as demanding as anything we see in the North Sea,“ says King.
The paper draws on case studies from two comparable projects in previously glaciated areas: Empire Wind off the coast of New York and IJmuiden Ver in the Netherlands. Both illustrate the challenges associated with complex ground conditions, and how cycles of site characterization can reduce risk and optimize development plans.
“A good deal of work remains in terms of site investigation and ground modelling before construction can begin in Nova Scotia, and our study is a solid starting point to plan that work. It also provides a basis for potential bidders in Canada’s first offshore wind licensing round,” says King.
Canada’s first offshore wind licensing round
Nova Scotia has some ambitious targets. The province plans to have offshore wind licenses for five gigawatts in place by 2030, with a longer-term goal of 15 GW by 2040 and over 60 GW further out. Initial development will focus on three wind energy areas – French Bank, Middle Bank, and Sydney Bight – covering a combined 6,700 square kilometers, and the first licensing round is expected to close later this year.
“No other country except China has built offshore wind at the pace Nova Scotia is targeting. Everything needs to work seamlessly to meet their goals. This requires a high level of alignment across regulators, local communities and developers, as well as experts in geoscience and engineering”, says King.
The paper includes results from a desktop study conducted by King and colleagues at NGI, in collaboration with the energy data and services company TGS. A desktop study is a synthesis of public data across development areas and often represents the first site characterization step.
“The idea is to provide an early filter that identifies the most promising areas and the data required to reduce risk,” King explains. “Developers will have a good understanding of feasible development concepts and what the first couple of years will look like,” he says.
The timing of Nova Scotia’s offshore wind push coincides with delays in the United States caused by some recent political changes. This has led investors and companies to look elsewhere for opportunities.
“Canada can take advantage of the vacuum that has been created, enthusiasm and capital that was heading for US markets is moving north,” says King.
The front page of the NGI-article published in Journal of Ocean Technology, Special Issue, in 2026.
Collaboration across NGI offices
The paper was written with Luke Griffiths and Maarten Vanneste at NGI’s Oslo office, both of whom have extensive experience in major offshore wind developments across Europe.
“I spent time at NGI’s headquarters in Oslo a couple of years ago, where I really got to know Maarten and Luke. We probably could not have written this paper without that experience. It highlights the importance of building strong global teams,” says King.
The paper is being used as a reference in Canada’s offshore wind initiative. With the first Nova Scotia licensing round coming soon, NGI’s work may help projects manage ground-related risk, reduce development time and cost, optimize layout and design, and maximize commercial return.
“We hope our work helps Nova Scotia succeed in its offshore wind ambitions, and that NGI can continue to play a role in Canada’s success,” concludes Trevor King.
Maarten Vanneste
Head of Section Geohazards and Dynamics Geohazards and Dynamics maarten.vanneste@ngi.no+47 472 70 861
