Alternate Energy Secrets

Here’s some positive news on Eastern Canada taking some steps to harness Free Wind Power.

—————————————————-

Nova Scotia Power has signed a deal to buy energy from a wind power project on the Tantramar Marsh on the province’s border with New Bruswick.

It is hoped the Amherst Wind Energy Project will produce about 100 gigawatt hours of energy annually by 2007. That’s enough to supply 10,000 homes.

The turbines will be situated alongside the Trans-Canada Highway.

Nova Scotia Power has awarded contracts for 100 megawatts of wind energy from independent power producers in the last 16 months includeing this latest project.

Article published on cbc.ca by MSN News as reported by CBC News on August 18 2005

If we are going to realize the dream of main stream society using alternate energy resources, we have to make adjustments in attitude in small steps and continually. If our governments do not assist the will of the people, we will never get the ball rolling and the momentum building. Have a read on the following situation in Canada and the Candian Federal and Provincial Governments lack of action on encouraging alternate solutions in comparison to the U.S. and Europe. Escpecially as they pertain to non-big business. What about the individuals who can collectively make a major impact? Or, are the policies in place becuase the big business wants it just the way it is? What do you think?
——————————————————–

Speakers at the Canadian Wind Energy Association’s national conference have called on the federal and provincial governments to provide greater financial incentives to subsidize small scale wind energy production.

Association policy adviser, Sean Whitaker said a rebate program would encourage farmers, small businesses and communities to set up small wind turbines by offsetting the high capital costs.

“If you look at the United States and certain jurisdictions in Europe and the incentives that exist for small wind, there’s a number of rebates, buy-downs, production expenses, tax breaks and here in Canada. We really have none,” Whitaker said.

“In order to really put in place a really solid small wind market, those incentives have to be there.”

Small wind turbines produce under 300 kW of power. Between 600 to 800 such turbines are sold annually in Canada, far behind the 13,400 sold in the U.S.

Financial incentives are only available in Canada for generating projects that are connected to the power grid and that produce more than 500 kW.

Federal officials say focusing on larger commercial projects will lead to cheaper and more efficient technology for small wind turbines.

Ottowa’s Wind Power Production Incentive program has funded the construction of 13 wind farms across the country, and will invest at least $920 million in promoting wind power over the next 15 years.

Wind energy comprises. .3% of the country’s total energy consumption, with 590 MW of wind capacity installed in Canada.

That total is projected to rise to 7,000 MW.

Article published in the Business Edge, October 27, 2005, taken from The Canadian Press

Wind power has become the cheapest electricity source in the capital of Texas, the largest U.S. gas-producing state, after costs for gas and other generator fuel soared.

The Austin, Texas, city council voted Thursday to hold a drawing in March to determine which municipal utility customers will be allowed to switch to wind power. More customers are expected to request wind power than the utility has available because it will save a typical resident about $16 a year.

Councilman Brewster McCracken said, this appears to be the first time that a renewable energy source became cheaper in competitive bidding than electricity from traditional power plants.

Austin this month raised rates for conventional power to catch up with increased fuel costs, after U.S. gas futures, almost doubled last year. Austin’s wind power prices are fixed under a long-term contract. Gas futures touched a record $15.78 US per million British thermal units on December 13. The futures traded below $2 dollars in 2002. Gas fuels about 70% of power generation Texas.

Wind power also has become big in Texas. Since 1999, more than 1,200 Megawatts of renewable power generation, mostly from wind turbines, has been built in the state, according to the Texas Public Utility Commission. Another 1,100 Megawatts is under construction or planned.

Texas ranks second to California in U.S. wind power production, according to the American Wind Energy Association.

Electricity from wind turbines and other renewable sources typically sells at a premium to power produced from coal, gas and nuclear generation, even with government subsidies, because of high construction cost.

Article appeared in the Edmonton Journal on January 13, 2006, as supplied by Bloomberg News.