The province’s energy minister says a lot more work needs to be done related to power needs, as four major hydrogen and wind energy projects move forward into the construction and production phases.

Applications made by four companies proposing to develop hydrogen production facilities powered by wind energy were accepted by government and are now moving forward to the next phase in the lengthy regulatory process.

Minister Andrew Parsons says the question of interconnectivity, that is drawing needed power from the grid, or selling excess wind power back to the grid, is one that needs to be examined.

He says right now only World Energy GH2’s project requires about 10 MW of power for different periods of time, which he says is “doable” under the existing grid. The other three projects do not have a power requirement.

When it comes to selling back to the grid, Parsons says that’s something that is still being explored.

He says that’s something Hydro is now working on, based on what each of the proponents are proposing.