Wind

WindmillsBC has some of the finest sites in the world for the development of wind energy. Since 1981, BC Hydro has been conducting wind velocity monitoring at various promising locations throughout the province, and has compiled a significant amount of data on wind’s potential to contribute to BC’s energy requirements.

Although more expensive than most other sources of energy, the cost per Mwh of wind energy is decreasing as technology becomes more sophisticated and utilities learn more about integrating wind into their energy systems. BC is particularly well suited for wind energy due to the storage capacity in our major hydro reservoirs, which give us the flexibility to accept significant amounts of energy from this source.

Environmentally, there are important considerations with respect to obtaining part of our energy supply from wind sources. On the positive side, wind power is both renewable and does not emit pollutants. At the same time, however, the location of wind farms must take into account the overall environmental impact, including the effect on wildlife, especially migratory birds, noise levels, and the cumulative effects of access roads and transmission lines as well as the construction and placement of wind turbines on pristine landscapes.

A principal drawback of wind power is that it is intermittent. Because of this, it must be supported by alternate sources of energy during calm periods to ensure adequate energy back-up and to avoid power outages.

BC Citizens for Public Power is highly critical of the current government’s approach to developing wind energy in BC. The provincial government has arbitrarily decided that all future wind farm developments in BC must be undertaken by private power producers. It has handed over the right to monitor wind velocities, on hundreds of thousands of hectares of Crown land, to private developers and provided huge subsidies to encourage private investment in this sector. The Liberal government has also directed BC Hydro to purchase some of this energy at extremely high prices so that developers can obtain the capital required to finance their projects.

The result is that a valuable resource which should be kept in public hands for future generations of British Columbians is being handed over to private—often foreign—interests with no benefit to the people of BC. Moreover, as with the run-of-river (ROR) IPPs, the government’s commitment to facilitating energy exports by private interests means that despite the enormous public subsidies being provided to private wind farms, we have no guarantee that most of this renewable energy will not eventually be exported to the US.

BC Citizens for Public Power believes that BC Hydro should be the owner and developer of the province’s wind resources. This approach facilitates proper integration with the province’s public system, while ensuring that citizens maintain ownership and control over this valuable resource for future generations.

To implement this approach, the provincial government should discontinue giving out land occupancy permits to private wind developers. It should also impose a moratorium on further private wind farm development and halt the lucrative energy supply contracts being given out by BC Hydro. Further, the government should stop subsidizing private power interests and allow BC Hydro to develop wind energy projects as part of our public utility. Finally, the province should stop private wind energy exports to ensure that the output of wind farms will be prioritized to meet the energy needs of British Columbians.

Further reading: