WIND ENERGY

INTRODUCTION

Wind is created by the sun. The sun heats our planet to different temperatures in
different places and at different times. This unequal distribution of heat is what
produces wind as warm air rises and cooler air descends to fill the void. Wind is
the ongoing movement of this air.

Matt Dobson

Canada is a windy country, since mountains, plains and coastlines are all places
of strong winds. Canada has some of the best onshore and offshore wind
resources in the world, which fuel more than a hundred wind farms which
represent just over 7,800 megawatts of total capacity. This means wind energy is
supplying about 3% of national demand in 2013.

David Thomas

In Canada, wind energy is being captured across the country. In fact, British
Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick,
Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Yukon and
the Northwest Territories are all researching or developing wind energy as part of
their energy mix.

The province of Ontario ranks first in wind production.

Alberta ranks 3rd in Canada for installed wind capacity.
All of the electricity produced in Prince Edward Island comes from wind.

Every few weeks a new wind turbine comes on-line

somewhere in Canada!

HARNESSING WIND

Wind turbines are used to harness the wind and generate electricity. Wind turns
the turbine blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to the generator and
makes electricity. A local transformer is then used to step up the electrical
voltage, so that the electricity can then be sent through transmission and
distribution lines to homes, businesses and other users.

USING WIND

Over the millennia, humans have captured wind to sail ships and power mills.
Today, modern turbines convert wind to electricity. Humans have been
harnessing the wind for centuries using windmills to power corn mills, and water
pumps for irrigation of crops and livestock. Today wind turbines are used to
harness energy for commercial and residential use.
Single small turbines, up to 300 kilowatts, can be used in a variety of applications
and are sometimes combined with other energy sources such diesel generators
and solar photovoltaic systems to provide a reliable source of power.

Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation

Utility-scale turbines, 500 kilowatts and larger, are used to provide power to the
electricity grid. These are often grouped together in wind farms or wind power
plants.
Opportunities:
A wind turbine pays for itself in less than a year
Durable, lasting up to 25 years
Does not emit greenhouse gases, pollutants or waste

Lowest overall life cycle CO2 emission of all energy sources

Low maintenance costs
Concrete base of a turbine has a small footprint
Less construction material used than for many other sources of energy
Up to 80% of a turbine can be recycled
The amount of energy used to make, install and dispose of a turbine is the lowest
of all renewable energy sources
The wind sector heavily invests in potential environmental impact studies
Estimated gross domestic product (GDP) contribution exceeds $1 billion
Offshore turbines can create new underwater habitats
Challenges:
Storage technologies need to be improved
Does not produce energy on demand
Not every location is appropriate for a wind farm
Mortality rates in bats are higher in proximity of wind turbines
Ground temperature and erosion may increase directly under a turbine
Some residents do not want wind farms in their neighbourhood, either for
aesthetic or health reasons
More studies are needed to understand Wind Turbine Syndrome