Resources: Renewable Energy News
Canada
| 01/07 | Canada's Energy Outlook, 2006
A publication by NRCan indicates that wind power capacity in Canada is expected to increase from 0.4 GW in 2004 to 8.5 GW in 2020, which is equivalent to about 6% of the country's total generating capacity and 3.6% of total electricity production, says a long-term supply and demand outlook released by Natural Resources Canada. Almost half of the increase in renewable energy capacity expected over the outlook period will be driven by the expansion of wind generation. |
| 11/06 | Wind Energy Institute of Canada Officially Opened in North Cape, PEI
The Wind Energy Institute of Canada (WEICan) will support the development of wind power generation and wind-related products and services from its recently opened facility in North Cape, PEI. The 7,860-square-foot building is equipped with laboratories and workshops designed to meet the needs of both large and small-scale projects. WEICan's work will focus on testing and certification, research and innovation, and public education. |
| 10/06 | Canadian firm develops new lighting technology
A Canadian firm has developed a breakthrough silicon-based technology that provides a more energy efficient, cheaper, and longer lasting form of lighting. Group IV Semiconductor Inc says its new "solid-state" technology is a revolutionary step for lighting. If solid-state lighting were to replace incandescent bulbs in Canada, the annual energy savings would be almost twice the amount of electricity that is consumed by Toronto homes each year, say the technology developers. |
| 05/06 | Canada-Kyoto timeline
Canada was one of the first countries to sign the Kyoto Protocol, on April 29, 1998. But Canada's continued participation in Kyoto seemed certain to end with the election of a minority Conservative government on Jan. 23, 2006. Part of the party's platform was to ditch Kyoto and come up with a made-in-Canada approach to reducing the emissions blamed for global warming. |
| 04/06 | Why Kyoto's a no-go
Canada cannot live up to the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol, due to our dependency upon fossil fuel energy production. The only real solution to controlling global warming is the funnel massive amounts of funding into research and development to develop alternative energy resources. That was the conclusion of three McGill speakers at the Centre for Climate and Global Change Research (C2GCR) 10th Annual Faculty Symposium on a panel on climate change, held late last month. |
Nova Scotia
| 12/06 | More renewable energy coming to Nova Scotia
An additional 40,000 homes in Nova Scotia will be powered by renewable energy under the next step of Nova Scotia Power's renewable energy plan. The province's electric utility will be issuing a solicitation to independent power producers for renewable energy projects, including wind power, early in 2007. The projects will add 130 megawatts of additional renewable energy by the end of 2009. |
| 11/06 | Cumberland County welcomes more wind power
The construction of three wind turbines on Higgins Mountain in Nova Scotia will add another 3.6 MW of capacity to the province's electricity system and solidify its position as "a leader in wind power in Atlantic Canada," says Nova Scotia Power CEO Ralph Tedesco. The turbines are owned by Vector Wind Energy Incorporated, which is installing a total of five in the province. |
| 11/06 | Nova Scotia changes tax regime for wind turbines
The Nova Scotia government has introduced legislation setting property tax levels for wind projects that provides a "sensible balance" between the financial needs of rural communities and those of developers, says Charles Demond, president of Atlantic Wind Power Corporation. "The legislation provides a very attractive stream of predictable tax revenue and is a first step for the viability of wind farm development in Nova Scotia." The new system will provide the basis for all future taxation of turbines, including any built by Nova Scotia Power, ensuring a level playing field for the industry. |
| 09/06 | Province Announces Commitment to Renewable Energy Energy
The government of Nova Scotia is planning to increase the amount of renewable energy that is used in the province. By 2013, the province wants at least 20 per cent of Nova Scotia's electricity to be produced by renewable energy -- wind, tidal, solar, hydro and biomass. |
| 08/06 | Renewable Energy Industry Association of NS calls for Immediate Adoption of Standard Offer Contracts
The Renewable Energy Industry Association of Nova Scotia (REIANS) is calling for Premier Rodney MacDonald and his Government to immediately implement Standard Offered Contracts (SOC) for Renewable Energy from wind, solar, small hydro, biomass and other sources. SOCs offer pre-fixed and fair "Feed-in Tariff" prices to be paid by all utilites for renewable energy and are the model that has led to the successful expansion of renewable energy in Germany, Denmark, Ontario and PEI. |
Ontario
| 09/09 | Ontario's Green Energy Act
The Ontario's Green Energy Act (GEA) and related amendments to other legislation is designed to spark growth in clean and renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar, hydro, biomass and biogas in Ontario. It will also create potential for savings and better managed household energy expenditures through conservation measures. |
| 11/06 | Ontario Standard Offer Program set to begin
The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) will begin reviewing applications for its Standard Offer Program for renewable energy on November 22nd. In advance of that date, the OPA has released the final rules for the program, which gives small producers of renewable energy - wind, solar, biomass and small hydro - a fixed price for electricity generated into to the provincial power grid. |
| 11/06 | Ontario Leads Canada in Windpower Generation
Ontario is now Canada's leading wind power generator thanks in part to the opening today of the Prince wind farm on the shores of Lake Superior, northwest of Sault Ste. Marie , Energy Minister Dwight Duncan announced. The 189-megawatt two-phase $400 million Prince wind farm project is the fourth new wind farm to open in Ontario in the last nine months. The project's 126 turbines will generate enough electricity to power over 40,000 homes. Ontario now has 413 megawatts of wind power generation, compared with 384 megawatts in Alberta. |
| 11/06 | New Study Highlights Wind Potential in Ontario
A new study by GE Energy shows wind power penetrations of up to 5,000 MW will have minimal impacts on the operation of Ontario's power system. The study also found that the average capacity value for wind during the summer peak is approximately 17% and ranges from 38-42% in the winter. "Clearly there is a potentially significant role for wind power in the future supply mix for the province of Ontario," it says. |
| 09/06 | Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program - Phase 2: Draft Rules for RESOP
The Draft Program Rules are being published in draft form in order to prompt comments and feedback from those with an interest in the program before September 22nd. The Draft Program Rules apply to renewable energy electricity generation projects with a capacity of no greater than 10,000 kW that can be connected to an electricity distribution system in Ontario. |
| 08/06 | Ontario wind tower manufacturing plant opens
A North Dakota company has opened Ontario's first dedicated wind tower manufacturing plant, located in Fort Erie, an important step forward for companies seeking to service the booming Canadian wind power market. The plant has an annual capacity of 400-500 wind tower sections, with the potential to produce double that volume. The facility employs 110 people and expects to hire 10-15 more by the end of 2006, with up to 100 more to be added by the end of 2007. |
| 03/06 | Kruger Energy Port Alma Wind Power Project
Kruger Energy Port Alma (KEPA) Wind Power Project is a 101.2 megawatt (MW) wind farm being developed by Kruger Energy Port Alma L.P. over 4800 hectares of farmland optioned for wind power development near Port Alma, Ontario in the municipality of Chatham Kent. The project will utilize 44 Siemens 2.3 MW Mark II wind turbines. Each turbine has a rated capacity of 2,300 kilowatts. Targeted in service: 2008. |
| 03/06 | Kingsbridge II Wind Power Project
Kingsbridge II Wind Power Project is the second phase of a two-phase wind farm being developed by EPCOR Power Development Corporation over 4,000 hectares of farmland optioned for wind power development within the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, near the community of Goderich, in Huron County. This phase of the project has a nameplate capacity of 158.7 megawatts and will utilize 69 Siemens 2.3 MW Mark II wind turbines. Each turbine has a rated capacity of 2,300 kilowatts. Targeted in service: 2008. |
| 03/06 | Ontario's Standard Offer Program
Ontario's Standard Offer Program will make it easier and more cost-effective for businesses and entrepreneurs to sell renewable power to the grid by setting a fixed price for small generation projects that use renewable energy. Under a Standard Offer contract, all small-scale renewable energy producers will be able to sell renewable power to the grid for 20 years. |
| 03/06 | Wolfe Island Wind Project
The Wolfe Island Wind Project is a wind plant being developed by the Canadian Renewable Energy Corporation on Wolfe Island, a few kilometres off the shore of Kingston, in the Township of Frontenac, Ontario. This is a 197.8 megawatts wind plant that consists of 86 Siemens 2.3 MW wind turbines. Each turbine has a rated capacity of 2,300 kilowatts. Targeted in service: 2008. |
| 08/05 | Groundbreaking for $120-Million Melancthon Grey Wind Project
Located in the townships of Melancthon and Grey Highlands near Shelburne in Southern Ontario, the facility will consist of 45 GE wind turbines, each rated at 1.5 megawatts for a total capacity of 67.5 MW in 2006. |
| 06/05 | Huge Turbines Arrive From Denmark
The $75-million Kingsbridge wind project, will install 22 massive 78-metre tall turbines near Goderich, 225 kilometres west of Toronto. The turbines are expected to produce 39.6 mega watts. |