Wind Wants to Supply 5 Percent of Canada’s Electricity

The wind energy industry in Canada wants to install 10,000 MW of turbines by 2010, and generate 30 million MWh of power by that time.

CALGARY, Alberta, CA, 2001-06-12 [SolarAccess.com] The wind energy industry in Canada wants to install 10,000 MW of turbines by 2010, and generate 30 million MWh of power by that time. “Wind energy is the fastest growing source of electrical energy and is one of the few technologies which can be installed rapidly to meet the current electrical energy shortage,” says Fred Gallagher, president of the Canadian Wind Energy Association. “Wind energy today represents a strategic opportunity for Canada to develop a cleaner electricity infrastructure, at a time of increasing demand and a worldwide emphasis on emissions reduction.” The group launched its ‘Wind Vision for Canada’ strategy today, which calls on the federal and provincial governments in Canada to “embrace change and innovation” in the energy marketplace. It wants public policy to encourage the rapid deployment of wind energy capacity. “Our strategy would provide 5 percent of Canada’s electricity supply with more than 30 million megawatt-hours of electricity production per year, creating up to 160,000 jobs, up to 25 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions reductions per year, significant reductions of emissions that severely impact human health, and up to $20 billion in new capital investment, taxes and infrastructure, predominantly in rural parts of Canada,” explains Andrew Pape-Salmon, CanWEA’s director for government liaison. “We are promoting government policies and measures which are based on those which have been successfully implemented source of the border and in key electricity markets around the world.” While wind capacity increased to 17,700 MW around the world last year, Canada has only 140 MW of turbines. Germany had more than 6,000 MW and the United States expects to exceed 5,000 MW of installed capacity this year. “Considerable evidence points to the fact that our major trading partners are moving dramatically away from non-renewable resources to renewable energy, and erecting trade barriers to economies and trading partners that continue to be highly carbon-intensive,” says the strategy document. “Countries positioned with renewable energy resources and industrial strength to capitalize on this retooling of the global energy infrastructure will be highly advantaged.” “Canada’s wind resources are among the world’s best,” it concludes. “Our priority should be to accelerate market penetration and provide the support required for the industry to reach the scale at which it will be competitive with other forms of energy.”