Prince Edward Island's winds will soon light up government buildings. A multi-million dollar partnership between the federal and provincial governments and Maritime Electric Company Ltd. is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 13,000 tonnes per year.
Eight windmills generating an expected 16.6 million kilowatt hours per year of electrical power will be constructed next to the existing Atlantic Wind Test Site at North Cape. The project was officially launched today at a ceremony in North Cape. The windmills will be constructed by the province of Prince Edward Island through the PEI Energy Corporation.
"This initiative will help develop markets for renewable energy like wind power in Prince Edward Island and the rest of Canada," said Ralph Goodale, Minister of Natural Resources Canada. "Our investment in renewable electricity will help us meet a significant proportion of our energy requirements in a way that is environmentally friendly and consistent with our national action plan on climate change. We are pleased that our contribution is a driving force in the construction of the North Cape wind power facility."
The ability to pursue the project was, in part, due to the Government of Canada's Budget 2000 commitment to purchase electricity from emerging renewable sources in Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island. The Government of Canada and the provincial government have committed $4.5 million and $1.1 million over a 10-year period, respectively, toward the purchase of electricity generated by the windmills. PEI Energy Corporation will build the windmills at an expected cost of $9.3 million.
"This project affirms PEI's commitment to developing environmentally friendly sources of energy," said Mike Currie, Minister of Development for Prince Edward Island. "Islanders have told us that they care about the environment; these windmills represent, in part, our efforts to develop renewable, sustainable energy sources that are produced right here at home."
The power will be sold to Maritime Electric Company Limited for distribution, at a premium price, to provincial and Government of Canada offices in the province. The premium will be returned to the Prince Edward Island Energy Corporation. The wind power would displace electricity otherwise produced from high-carbon sources that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
Egmont MP, Joe McGuire, is excited with the potential impact of commercially developed wind energy on PEI. "The door has opened to a new opportunity. I look at today' s announcement as a stepping stone for PEI," commented the Island MP. "PEI is at the forefront of an emerging technology. With the growing demands for energy, people are looking to renewable energy sources. Wind is a natural resource that is plentiful on the Island because of our maritime geography," stated McGuire. "We now need to develop the business case for wind energy and capitalize on this opportunity."
Today's launch was also attended by Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Gail Shea, MLA for Tignish-Deblois, who spoke on behalf of the province of Prince Edward Island.
"I am pleased to see the growth of the development of the Island's first wind farm in North Cape. This addition positions PEI as a pioneer in the generation of wind energy," said Minister Shea. "This site will also significantly impact on the economic and tourism development of the area."
With this project and other renewable energy projects in Saskatchewan and Alberta, the Government of Canada is following through on a commitment made in Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change to purchase 20 percent of federal requirements from emerging renewable resources. Government of Canada funding for this agreement is built into the existing financial framework.
The PEI Energy Corporation will be responsible for the construction of the site and for maintenance. The windmills will be purchased from a Danish company, Vesta-Canadian Wind Technologies, Inc. Site preparation has already begun. The windmills will arrive in August and should be installed by the end of the summer. Energy should begin to flow by July 2002.
In order to transmit the power generated at the site, Maritime Electric will extend a transmission line from the Alberton Substation to North Cape. Maritime Electric will also develop a green power program to market to customers the energy produced by the wind farm that exceeds the consumption of provincial and federal government offices.