Business in Vancouver February 6-12, 2007; issue 902
Podium: Ray Castelli
B.C. could lead Canada’s wind energy development
The federal government’s recent announcement that it will invest $1.5 billion over the next decade in wind, tidal, biomass and other renewable sources of power is a welcome sign that policymakers are acknowledging alternative technologies as key components of Canada’s future energy mix.
Ottawa’s move reflects changing attitudes of Canadians who, in recent polls, have for the first time ranked the environment as their chief concern – ahead of taxes, the economy and even the perennial frontrunner, health care.
The public has made it clear that it wants the government to act on climate change by reducing the country’s reliance on fossil fuels.
Of the alternative energy offerings Prime Minister Stephen Harper mentioned in his announcement, wind power has a leading role to play. It’s clean, abundant and renewable. It’s reliable and economical to harness.
As a non-fossil fuel energy, it produces no greenhouse gas emissions or air pollution. And it generates socio-economic benefits in the form of job creation in the communities that build wind-farm projects.
Other countries have long recognized the merits of wind power. Germany leads the way in capacity, with 18,428 megawatts of installed wind power capacity in 2005, and Spain ranks second, with 10,027 megawatts in the same year. There are large offshore wind-power projects in the North and Baltic seas off northern Europe.
Canada lags far behind, with only 1,451 megawatts of installed capacity. However, this means there is potential for significant growth in our nation’s wind-power industry.
Ottawa’s new alternative energy program will help motivate more wind-power companies to add new capacity, as well as complement work being done at provincial levels, particularly in British Columbia.
BC Hydro is aware of the growing appetite for clean energy, and its own research revealed wind power to be the number one choice for new power generation by 94 per cent of the British Columbians that it polled.
In its recent call seeking bids from independent power producers last year, the utility chose three wind projects. It’s planning another round of calls for power sometime later this year.
One of Canada’s most promising geographic areas for wind power is in the Haida energy field in Hecate Strait between the Queen Charlotte Islands and Prince Rupert.
A flat sea bed, shallow waters, access to the BC Hydro’s transmission grid and strong, consistent winds make it an ideal site for what could become one of the largest wind farm developments in the world.
Vancouver-based NaiKun Wind Development Inc. is working to develop a large-scale offshore wind farm in the area.
The company is planning a first phase of 320 megawatts of installed capacity (enough for 100,000 homes), and has the support of the Haida First Nation.
The Haida have granted NaiKun a permit to investigate and will have half ownership of a company that will be created to operate the wind farm.
The NaiKun project is timely. The B.C. energy market is thirsty. The province imports 13% of its energy, and will experience a 30,000-gigawatt-hour shortfall within 20 years.
Wind farm technology meshes with B.C.’s need for energy and the provincial government’s commitment to make half of it “clean.”
So when it comes to energy, there is much change in the winds. British Columbians and all Canadians want greener electricity. The federal government has opened up its wallet to research such power.
B.C. needs power and is committed to a 50% clean energy policy. Wind power can be front and centre in fuelling that change.
Ray Castelli is the president of NaiKun Wind Development Inc., a Vancouver company working to develop a large offshore wind farm in British Columbia
