First offshore project in Canada proposed for Hecate Strait Michael Burns, Vancouver Sun

Friday, April 18, 2008

 

British Columbia has long been known for its natural resources and environmentally friendly values. Now is the time to put that reputation to work with clean energy development and climate change leadership.

The B.C. government has set the standard for climate change action in Canada. It introduced a carbon cap-and-trade system, brought in a carbon tax to encourage conservation and assembled a team of experts to map out how the province will meet its ambitious greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reduction targets.

All of these steps are important in the fight against global warming. But, as the need for energy continues to grow beyond the capacity of available hydro resources, B.C. finds itself forced to buy carbon-intensive fuel from outside the province, diminishing the impact of other GHG-reduction measures.

We need new sources of energy that exert a minimal impact on the environment.

The solution already exists in Europe, where energy constraints demanded an innovative approach decades before North America became concerned about its own domestic supply. The resource of choice among policy-makers: Wind energy.

Clean, renewable and inexhaustible, wind energy is reliable and has a proven track record. It has a minimal environmental impact. In fact, although there are no wind projects in B.C., there are several across Canada and the world; wind power contributes to the energy supply mix in more than 70 countries.

B.C. has an abundance of wind energy, in the Peace region and particularly offshore along its north coast. NaiKun Wind Energy Group is proposing the first offshore wind project in Canada, in Hecate Strait near the coast of Haida Gwaii (the Queen Charlottes Islands.)

The resource is among the strongest, most consistent wind regimes in North America. The area is ideally suited for offshore development, with a flat seabed, shallow waters and access to the B.C. electricity grid.

The project is planned for development in multiple phases, with the first phase to generate 320 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy, enough to power 120,000 homes. Phase One will be connected from the offshore project site to the main electricity grid via a submarine transmission cable and also to Haida Gwaii to replace diesel generators.

This project was initiated in 2001 by NaiKun, a company led by experienced Canadian energy executives.

The technology is not new. It's tried, tested and successful elsewhere on the planet. European offshore wind projects have been providing clean, green power for almost two decades. Within the next two years alone, the United Kingdom, Germany, Holland, Sweden, France, Belgium and Denmark will all bring offshore wind projects online.

Despite the benefit of millions of tons of greenhouse gases avoided, there are concerns and questions about the overall impact on the environment, on bird and crab populations and on marine ecology and aquatic life.

As the number of offshore wind projects grows, so too does the scientific knowledge about their impact on the environment. NaiKun and the north coast community have the benefit of the European experience and of technology improvements and strategies to deal with environmental impacts should they arise. The NaiKun project is undergoing a thorough environmental assessment process to determine the ecological and socio-economic impacts.

NaiKun recognizes the need to engage and inform the public as often and as comprehensively as possible. Starting in 2003, NaiKun has worked cooperatively with local leaders to disseminate information and encourage community discussion. In August 2007, NaiKun and the Haida Power Authority opened the Haida Gwaii Energy Centre in Masset to provide residents with easy access to information about the project and B.C.'s energy sector overall.

These efforts will continue and concerns will continue to be identified and addressed.

To that end, NaiKun is launching a series of workshops, consultations and community engagement activities. Our goal is to build a project that is widely supported and that complements and diversifies the existing north coast industry, not diminish it.

NaiKun is a B.C.-based company run by a B.C.-based executive team. That team has a vision to bring offshore wind power to the provincial grid.

Michael C. Burns is chairman of NaiKun Wind Energy Group Inc.

© The Vancouver Sun 2008