| ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Wind energy surpassing expectations Telling electrons exactly where to go by 2008 Wind energy surpassing expectations By Malcolm McColl Wind energy is on a major upswing in Canada. "Three years ago Canada installed 81 MW of new wind energy, the next year it was 122 MW, the next was 240 MW, and this year it is already 365 MW, shooting for 500MW." Robert Hornung is the President of the Canadian Wind Energy Association, the national association for the wind industry. He said wind turbines are now operating in all provinces except B.C., New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, but even these three provinces have plans to bring wind power on-line in the next couple of years. CanWEA members include project developers, manufacturers, and service providers that do things like assess the viablilty and financing of large energy projects, or do the engineering and technical work to projects on the ground. Hornung has been there three years, "It's changed a lot, and the pace is continuing to change faster," after a third consecutive year of record installations in Canada, and a fourth on the way. CanWEA is 21 years old, "with 250 corporate members, including project developers, turbine manufacturers, utility companies, and whole range of service providers to the wind energy industry." Wind energy comes from Alberta, "still the leader in installed capacity with 280 MW of wind energy," which is going to be surpassed by 2010 in Ontario, "and by 2013 Quebec will pass Ontario," said Hornung. "Quebec has stated the intention to obtain 4,000 MW of wind energy by 2015." In the U.S. last year the second largest build of energy projects was windfarms; between 2005 and 2007 they will bring on an additional 10,000 MW of energy from wind. Hornung said it is possible for wind to meet 20% of Canada’s electricity needs in the long-term ( something like 50,000 MW). "It will be an evolutionary process. Wind on the grid was hardly mentioned five years ago. It's a big deal now, making a significant contribution because of environmental concerns related to energy, plus favourable economics, and quick installation." There are many drivers to the growth of windfarms in Canada, including the increased costs in fossil fuels, and a shift in the world toward use of sustainable and renewable resources. "There are market and public forces, and different scales of wind energy." Wind power is being delivered through windfarms or a single 2 MW turbine. Remote communities, many of which are First Nation town-sites, have seen diesel fuel cost go through the roof. In these cases smaller wind energy systems can make an important constribution to future energy needs. Hornung said the wind energy industry has to make education a priority. "With any new technology people have to be experienced to get comfortable with it. We have to get them familiar with the concerns and concepts. We have to communicate with local governments, utilities, and the general public." Hornung said, "The variability of supply can be resolved by dispersal of wind farms , because wind varies but it keeps blowing somewhere. Weather forecasts make it possible for operators of wind energy grods to make adjustments," basically chase the wind. He said, "The myth behind wind energy used to be that 100 MW wind farms need 100 MW of backup energy from other sources. Now we know that the amount of backup energy required is actually 10 MW." The other fact about wind energy is that governments are setting initial targets for new projects, and expected to exceed them. "When we look at renewable energy sources they are at different stages of development in Canada, which has four hydro dominant provinces moving at different speeds to introduce alternatives. Hydro Quebec has declared they will not build any fossil fuel plants. The future will all be hydro and wind. Manitoba is a keen wind champion, and frankly it's economically sound because wind energy peaks in winter, the time when hydro energy is least available." Telling electrons exactly where to go by 2008 By Malcolm McColl When it starts rustling electrical energy for Bear Mountain Wind LP in three years or less, the wind in Peace Country will be wafting quietly through gearless workings found in highly advanced turbines. Juergen Puetter is the President of Aeolis Wind Energy Corporation that spearheaded the project during the past two years and led to the partnership of Peace Energy Cooperative (based Dawson Creek, BC), Aeolis (Sidney, BC), and AltaGas (Calgary) to form Bear Mountain Wind LP. He explained that the project in the Peace Country uses German technology from a company called Enercon (www.enercon.de) Puetter said, "The project uses the Enercon model E-82 turbine," to create 120MW from 60 turbines. "They have no gear box, create energy with high efficiency and low maintenance, and less noise." Internationally, wind power has integrated into regional systems to provide green energy that compliments more traditional energy sources. Peutter said, "Several things are driving wind energy projects in B.C.: Excellent wind resources in BC; improvements in wind power technology has enhanced its competitiveness, and BC Hydro is seeking new generation to meet growing provincial needs." TJ Schur, Aeolis’ Director of External Relations agrees. "The relatively small footprint of wind energy as well as being able to construct a project within 1-2 years after permits are received also makes this green energy appealing both provincially and regionally," she says. Compared to traditional non-green energy where the ecological impact is becoming less and less acceptable, wind energy provide BC and its communities to compliment existing hydro energy resources while ensuring low environmental impact. The Bear Mountain Wind Park near Dawson Creek will seek EcoLogo Certification verifying its green energy production. In Canada and around the world. "It is the number one energy source under construction world-wide," she said. In B.C. wind power is new and relatively unknown. For this reason, the Bear Mountain Wind Project is working to satisfy concerns of local area interests, and especially First Nations (BC Treaty 8) and Metis groups along with others in the area. Treaty 8 nations and aboriginal groups, as well as regulators and local community and government are really interested in wind energy in the area and we work hard to give them as much information as possible to make this the best green development possible," says Schur. Other land uses, such as forestry or recreational use, can still exist within the footprint of the project area. Typically, wind power sites requires a minimum of one year’s worth of day-to-day wind data. The regulatory process can take anywhere from 2-3 years, including an extensive provincial Environmental Assessment, with ongoing wind monitoring during that period," say Schur. "Once a contract is awarded, as Bear Mountain was by BC Hydro in July, then additional transmission a site specific engineering proceed. Construction is 2-3 years once all permitting is in place." It typically takes windspeeds of 7-8 meters per second to make a viable site for large scale wind energy production whereas in the case of isolated communities that are dependent upon diesel generated electrical power, wind power can be obtained cost efficiently from a couple of turbines and 6m of wind per second. "Our focus has been the Peace Region," Schur said, "although we have done some data collection on North Vancouver Island, in particular near Alert Bay, and down Johnstone Strait." Schur, who is also VP Project Development for Bear Mountain Wind Power LP, said this is one of the largest wind power projects under development in Canada. "It will deliver 120MW of power after a $240 million capital cost." Schur said it will probably start delivering power to BC Hydro by late 2008, with the last turbines coming on-stream in 2009, adding approximate total of over 300,000 MWh of new energy to the BC power grid.""We can’t tell electrons where to go," said Schur, but it provides the equivalent of power for 38,000 homes a year. This means that the project, through the BC Hydro grid, will offset local needs first when the wind is blowing. "So for those who live in the Dawson Creek area, if they see the turbines turning, then they know they’re using wind energy." The project be very visible within the local Dawson Creek, Farmington and Arras communities. We strive as a developer, along with the Peace Energy Cooperative, to build long-term community relations that seek to enhance the opportunities of the community and the development. What is fabulous about it is the First Nations have worked hard with us to build the future in power generation. They are willing to develop entrepreneurial and economic angles that lead to interactions not just economically but socially, and to speak to the future of the communities in these developments." |
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