Canadian Wind Power Capacity Expected to Advance 20% in 2012
Canada’s wind industry has added a lot more clean power to the nation’s power supply this year. At a recent conference in Toronto put on by the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA), it was announced that the industry expects an increase of 20% of new wind power, or 1,200 megawatts (MW), thanks to various new projects across Canada.
According to CanWEA, around C$2.5 billion in investments from 1,000 MW of new wind power are helping to give clean electricity for approximately 300,000 homes, with 10,500 “person-years” of employment also provided.
“Wind energy continues to prove it is a reliable and affordable partner as provinces seek to diversify and clean their electricity supplies and avoid the high costs and cost overruns associated with some other forms of energy,” said president of CanWEA Robert Hornung, in a news release.
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“Ontario’s wind energy industry continues to create good new jobs for Ontario’s manufacturing sector in places like Hamilton, Niagara, Chatham and Tillsonburg, but we are really just getting started. With political leadership and continued policy stability, wind energy will deliver on its promise of providing the clean, safe electricity that Canadians want.”
Quebec, in 2012, will create more than 60% of the new Canadian wind energy capacity, CanWEA said.
Canadian provinces leading the way in new wind energy projects this year besides Quebec include: British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia.
Meanwhile, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, PEI, are seeing new requests for wind energy projects also, with particular attention to community wind development in Nova Scotia.
By the end of 2012, there will be more than 6,200 MW of installed wind power across Canada, according to CanWEA. The top provinces include:
- Ontario — 2,000 MW
- Quebec — 1,600 MW
- Alberta — 1,000 MW
In 2013, CanWEA predicts a record year for the Canadian wind industry, with Quebec and it fourth tender call for new projects leading the way again.
Hornung also had this to say on the future potential of Canadian wind energy, and what provincial governments can do to advance further goals:
“There are many examples of leadership in supporting renewable energy across Canada, but we must see more action by governments in British Columbia and Alberta to capitalize on those provinces’ enormous wind energy potential. Canada can be a world leader in producing clean energy that reduces our greenhouse gas emissions,” said Hornung. “This is not about tomorrow or some future that we can dream about. This is about taking responsibility today.”
Here is hoping Canada’s wind industry will continue to grow and flourish across the country, and make Canada one of the global leaders in wind energy.
Source: Canadian Wind Energy Association
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