Wind Energy

See how wind power is spreading, and how it will help Canada live up to its environmental commitments.

Transcript

Narrator:

Clean and unseen. Wind energy is turning the blades of Toronto's new turbine – the first in a major North American city. It's nestled on the lakeshore of Canada's largest urban centre and provides enough electricity to power 300 homes. Wind power is non-polluting and creates no greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

Jimmy Royer, Senior Advisor-Wind Energy Technology - Natural Resources Canada:

"Well it's a clean technology and it's a renewable energy technology. And on top of that what I like, it leaves a very small footprint on the earth."

Narrator:

Ramea Island – windswept, small and remote. Here, off Newfoundland's rugged South coast, we find a unique hybrid wind turbine site.

Six wind turbines are producing about one million kilowatts of electricity a year for this tiny island community. The turbines are linked to Ramea's primary source of electricity - diesel generators. A unique control system developed by the Government of Canada communicates continuously with the diesel plant. When the wind is high, the controller eases the diesel load and increases the wind power that is injected into the system – burning less diesel fuel.

The wind power system is designed to compete with relatively low-cost energy providers and is on the leading edge of innovation.

Carl Brothers, Frontier Power Systems:

"This system is going to bring renewable energy into remote communities around the world. And everybody realizes that oil is going to become in shorter and shorter supply and there are two billion people in the world without electricity. So, renewable energy is going to play a big role in supplying electricity to these people."

Narrator:

To learn more about wind power, go to nrcan.gc.ca/cleantech.

A message from the Government of Canada.