Tropical Tidal Testing Centre

Tenax Energy Pty Ltd

Tenax Energy Pty Ltd proposes to establish a tidal energy testing facility in Clarence Strait, north of Darwin, NT. The facility would test the performance of tidal energy technologies in tropical Australian conditions, the efficacy of different tidal energy designs and the effects of tidal turbines on the marine environment. The proposal provides capacity to site 15 tidal energy generators in the South Channel linked via submarine cable to an onshore control room and the electricity grid.

The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) has decided that the Tropical Tidal Testing Centre requires assessment under the Environmental Assessment Act at the level of Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

The Project is a 'controlled action' and is being assessed as a Public Environment Report (PER) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The relevant controlling provisions under the EPBC Act are:

• Listed threatened species and communities (Sections 18 and 18A) and
• Listed migratory species (Sections 20 and 20A).

The NT EPA's assessment process has not been accredited by the Australian Government's Department of the Environment for this Project. The NT EPA and Australian Government have agreed to work collaboratively to streamline the assessment process.