Community rinks in Murray River, Crapaud, Kensington and Alberton will begin reaping the benefits of renewable energy through wind generation in the spring of 2011.
Today, the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, along with provincial Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister, Ron MacKinley, and Minister of Environment Energy and Forestry, Richard Brown, announced that the four rinks have been approved for funding under the net metering initiative, which is focused on the installation of renewable energy through wind generation at community ice rinks.
With the installation of wind turbines at these four arenas, the net metering initiative provides the rink associations with the means to take responsibility for their own power production and to lower their environmental impact. Wind energy is an intermittent resource and customers may not be using the power as it is being generated. Net metering allows them to effectively store that energy without installing a battery system. This directly affects the economics and pay-back period for the generation equipment.
“The federal Gas Tax Fund supports environmentally sustainable municipal infrastructure that contributes to cleaner air, cleaner water and reduced greenhouse gas emissions,” said Minister Shea. “The wind turbines installed at these four community rinks will help the venues to use renewable energy which will ease the burden on the power grid, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ultimately improve the environment.”
“The interest generated by this program shows Island communities continue to support green alternatives to traditional, non-renewable power production,” said Minister MacKinley. “Not only will this project allow rinks in rural Prince Edward Island to reduce their environmental impact and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it will also reduce their operating costs over the long term.”
The Wind Energy Institute of Canada evaluated 17 proposals from rinks across Prince Edward Island for the net metering initiative. Four of the applicants qualified for the program.
“I commend the successful rural PEI communities selected for their commitment to preserve our environment,” said Minister Brown. “We all share a responsibility to protect the environment and investing in wind energy generation lessens our dependence on fossil fuels.”
Each project will be supported with $164,000 from the Federal Gas Tax Fund administered by the provincial Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, plus $87,250 from the Trust Fund for Clean Air and Climate Change administered by the provincial Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry. The communities will provide $70,000 for each wind turbine installation.
The Trust Fund for Clean Air and Climate Change was established by the federal government to support provincial and territorial projects to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants. Prince Edward Island has used these funds to enhance renewable energy research and development, increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Gas Tax Fund provides predictable, stable, long-term funding, increasing the capacity of communities to address local needs. In Budget 2008, the Government of Canada announced that the Gas Tax Fund would be extended beyond 2013-14 to become a $2 billion per year source of permanent infrastructure investment. Between 2007 and 2014, Prince Edward Island will receive $88.5 million in federal support for infrastructure under the federal Gas Tax Fund.