Wind Power Projects in Canada

Executive summary

The report provides an analysis of the nonmarket issues of the wind power market and provides information relating to wind power projects in Canada. The report aims to help communities balance local concerns with wider environmental needs, thereby allowing the benefits of renewable energy to be realized through careful design and consultation. Additionally, it also provides a profile of a major wind power company in Canada.

Problem

Electricity generation produces more pollution than virtually any other single industry in Canada. Pollution, air quality, acid rain, nuclear waste and global warming are the unwanted side effects of traditional power production that endanger the environment. Every day, many fossil fuel consuming contraptions spew out gases that pollute the environment. However, when the fuel supplies for these devices run out, they will grind to a halt. To prevent this, Canada needs to find an alternative to unstable and polluting energy sources.

Purpose

The purpose of this report is to examine wind energy as alternative energy source and effectiveness at reducing emissions by replacing power generated from fossil fuels.

Scope

The report will examine wind power as an alternative energy source and nonmarket issues. Wind power usage in Canada has been growing at a significant rate in the past few years and has generated considerable interest in industry, government and the public.

Introduction

As a renewable energy source, wind power is gaining popularity as an alternative to fossil fuel, nuclear and hydro power generation. In Canada, provinces are required to achieve 15% of their energy consumption from wind by 2012 as provinces strive to meet Kyoto obligations. Wind power is considered to be environmentally friendly and low cost. In the past, Canada did not take a big part in wind energy, because of its plentiful resources of fuels and unlimited resources. The government of Canada has announced initiatives to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 23.7 million tonnes before 2012, which is a 4% decrease. This plan is expected to cost $425 million. Canada has proposed to invest in wind energy farms. A number of provinces have already demonstrated leadership by setting goals and targets that will increase the overall share of electricity generated from emerging renewable energy sources. BC Hydro will meet at least 10 percent of its new electricity requirements from emerging renewable sources by 2010. The Quebec governments will double its target to purchase 100 megawatts of wind turbines, and Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island have committed to purchasing wind turbines for government facilities. In 2001, the government of Canada provided $260 million for producing wind turbines to the Wind Power Production Incentive. This will create 1000 megawatts of wind energy in the next five years. By the year of 2012, Canada hopes to rely on wind power by 30% Wind energy can play a critical role in saving our planet from the negative effects of energy powered by fossil fuels. Wind turbines work effectively at reducing carbon dioxide emissions. For instance, a single utility scale wind turbine can prevent the emission of 5,000 tons of carbon oxide into the atmosphere a year by displacing the power generated by fossil fuels. Also, a single 750-kilowatt turbine can produce roughly two million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. Turbines of this nature are the ones now being used in power plants around the world. One good example is California. Their wind power plants displace 4.5 billion pounds of carbon dioxide each year with the 3 billion kilowatt hours of energy they produce. Although wind power has little impact on the environment there are environmental concerns surrounding this form of energy production. Some of the environmental effects of wind power include emissions and their ecological footprint.

Advantages of wind power

Wind power offers many nonmarket benefits, including:

* The average household generates approximately 1.2 to 1.6 kw/h. Wind turbines can generate from around 600 kw/h, to 4.4 Mw/h. That is equivalent to lighting approximately 10,000 to 100,000 light bulbs at once.

* Decreased dependence on fossil fuels, which are often subject to rapid price fluctuations and supply problems.

* Greatly reduced negative environmental impacts, avoiding the necessity for future environmental regulation.

*Wind power is the second largest source of non-conventional source of energy.

* In Canada during the mid-summer due lack of power generation which is one of the main source of energy there is desperate need for energy. This can be met to some extent by wind energy as there are very high winds during this period.

* By using photo voltaic, the power generated is dc .So it must be converted to ac to feed it to grid. But by using wind energy we can directly produce ac.

* In coastal areas, the cost of power generation from wind has become lower than diesel power.

* From the study of wind distribution, it is estimated that about 27% of the land surface is exposed to an annual wind speed higher than 18.36kmph at 10m above the surface.

Environmental effects

Emissions

Wind power consumes no fuel for continuing operation, and has

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