Wind Energy in the North Senate Standing Committee Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Tim Weis, P.Eng., Ph.D. Canadian Wind Energy Association [email protected] October 30th 2014 780.667.6519 @weis_renewables
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Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA)
CanWEA is the voice of Canada's wind energy industry CanWEA has 280 members ranging from owners, operators, manufacturers, project developers, consultants, and service providers, and other organizations and individuals that support Canada’s wind energy industry. Our mission is to actively promote the responsible and sustainable growth of wind energy on behalf of our members
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Fast growth – From coast to coast to coast
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Tim’s bio
Evolving from Technical to Policy B.A.Sc. Mechanical Eng’g (Waterloo) M.Sc. research on ice adhesion to wind turbine blades (Alberta) Ph.D. research on wind energy in remote Canadian communities (Rimouski)
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Remote communities in Canada
Close to 300 remote communities in Canada Many depend on diesel fuel for electricity
www2.nrcan.gc.ca/eneene/sources/rcd-bce/index.cfm?fuseaction=admin.home1
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Reasons for alternatives
Costs Spills Shortages Self-sufficiency
Photos: Tim Weis in various remote Canadian communities
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Many renewable solutions are available
Photo: Tim Weis
Photo: Integrity Wind
Photo: Skyfire Energy
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Canada was an early leader
Hydro-Quebec & NRCan in particular Canada has fallen behind Alaska – 25 wind-diesel projects running1
Global installations from Australia, to Greece, to the Caribbean to Antarctica
1 Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP) http://alaskarenewableenergy.org/why-renewable-energy-is-important/alaskas-renewable-
energy-projects/
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/living-and-working/stations/mawson/living/electrical-energy
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Fuel Savings Can Be Significant
Timothy M. Weis, Adrian Ilinca, The utility of energy storage to improve the economics of wind– diesel power plants in Canada, Renewable Energy, Volume 33, Issue 7, July 2008, Pages 1544– 1557.
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Barriers
Financial capacity Ownership opportunities Human capacity Logistics Economies of scale
Photo: Northern Power
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Policies are Required
Target Remote Communities CanWEA proposed a Northern Wind Incentive Program (NorWIP)
Feasibility support Beyond pilot projects Access to capital to work in parallel with provincial programs Scale and predictability
Photo: Tim Weis
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Key elements in effective policies
Long-term/stable Linked to production Simple/transparent process Support for early stage development One-size doesn’t fit all Part of an overall goal/target
Photo: Tim Weis
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http://www.bullfrogpower.com/remotemicrogrids/
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Conclusions
Technologies work Way beyond pilot stages Time for Canada to catch up
Photo: Enercon
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@weis_renewables
Thanks! Tim Weis
[email protected] 780.667.6519
Photo: Alaska Village Electric Cooperative
