Russ Hellberg September 2007

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Wind Power on Vancouver Island

Commercial wind power systems are now operating across Canada and around the world which begs the question “Why not on Vancouver Island?” Is it because the Island is not suitable for Wind Power? No, Vancouver Island is rated very highly for its potential to produce Wind Power. Is the public against power produced by the wind? No, all polls and surveys confirm that the vast percentage of Canadians are highly in favour of Wind Power. Are companies not interested in investing in Wind Power production on Vancouver Island? No, several Companies, including Nomis Power Corp., have been working on Northern Vancouver Island for years to be allowed to produce commercial Wind Power. Do we need new technology? No, as the following article explains wind power has been in use for thousands of years: –

The history of wind.

No matter how far back we go in time, mankind has relied upon the wind. The ancient Egyptians used wind to sail the Nile, and the ancient Persians created the first windmills to grind grain and pump water. The Dutch used windmills to reclaim their land from the sea by draining wetlands.

Windmills were first used to generate electricity in North America in the 1800s and continued to do so up until the 1930s when the extension of the electric power grid to rural areas brought the decline of demand for electricity generated on-site. As we enter the 21st century, the continued evolution of wind turbine technology means wind energy is poised to power us into the future.

Canada’s bountiful resource.

So how much wind do we have at our disposal? In Canada, we have more than we could ever use. Wind is abundant and free. Our vast landscape, our three windy coastlines, the plains and mountains all contribute to this endless resource. Today, we are just beginning to tap into Canada’s potential wind resource, which currently powers the equivalent of 315,000 Canadian homes. Tomorrow we hope to do even more. Like Denmark, Canada has more than enough wind resources to meet 20% of our electricity demands – enough to power 17 million homes! As long as the wind continues to blow, there is a great future in wind energy.

“According to the World Energy Council, during the last decade, global wind energy capacity has doubled every 3 years – about a 30% increase annually.”

Wind: a power unlike any other.

The ultimate source of power.

Wind is powered by the sun. In fact, all renewable energy, and even energy in fossil fuels, ultimately comes from the sun. The sun heats our planet to different temperatures in different places and at different times. This unequal distribution of heat is what creates wind as warm air rises and cooler air descends to fill the void. Wind is the ongoing movement of this air.

“Q. What are the advantages of setting wind turbines high in the air where the wind speed might be faster?

A. The higher the wind speed, the more energy generated. For instance, the doubling of wind speed generates eight times more power.”

Capturing the wind.

The modern wind turbine was built to adapt to all kinds of wind and weather conditions. Turbines can even work on the water – think offshore wind farms. The way turbines work is simple, the blades spin and convert wind into electricity. Wind turbines sit high atop towers that may a hundred meters high so

that the blades of the turbine are free of obstacles and take advantage of higher and more constant wind speeds. Mechanical power is created when the blades turn in the wind – power not unlike the windmills of old with their ability to mill grain. Instead, modern wind turbines use this mechanical power to turn a generator and produce electricity. Cables carry this electrical current to transmission lines that then carry it to homes and businesses. Turbines are built to adapt to all kinds of wind conditions. Typically the blades begin to turn when the wind reaches 13 km/h and shut off when the wind is too strong – 90 km/h and above. The blades can rotate to face the wind to optimize wind coming from nearly any direction. Should they continually rotate in the same direction, turbines can “unwind” to prevent internal cables from becoming twisted.

Canadian Wind Energy Association
Powering Canada’s future naturally
Toll Free: 1.800.922.6932
T: 613.234.8716 / F: 613.234.5642
www.canwea.ca

CanWEA acknowledges the contribution of
Natural Resources Canada.

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