Inside Canadian Wind - Canada’s wind energy industry reaches another significant milestone

As Global Wind Day celebrations take place around the globe the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) is pleased to announce that Canada’s wind energy industry has taken another significant leap forward. With the commissioning of the K2 Wind Power Project in southwestern Ontario this month, Canada has now become the 7th country in the world to surpass 10,000 MW of installed wind energy capacity.

“Meeting the 10,000 MW milestone confirms that Canada is a global leader in wind energy development,” says Robert Hornung, CanWEA President. “Wind energy’s cost competitiveness, coupled with the fact that it produces no greenhouse gas emissions, means it is well positioned to continue its rapid growth as a mainstream contributor to Canada’s electricity supply.”

Over the last five years, more wind energy capacity has been installed in Canada than any other form of electricity generation. We have seen three record years for the annual installation of new wind energy capacity and Canada’s wind energy capacity has grown by an average of 1,300 MW, or 24 per cent, annually. 2015 is on track to exceed this five-year average for new installations.

Wind turbines are now operating in every province in Canada, and in the Northwest Territories and Yukon, providing clean wind energy to over 100 communities and accounting for nearly 5 per cent of domestic Canadian electricity demand. That’s enough power to meet the needs of over 3 million average Canadian homes every year.

“Wind energy is meeting Canada’s demand for new electricity in a clean, reliable and cost-competitive way,” says Robert Hornung, CanWEA President. “As concerns about global climate change grow, wind energy will also need to play a critical role in Canada’s transition to a more flexible and decentralized low carbon electricity system.

Every 100 MW of new wind energy brings 1,000 person-years of employment during the construction phase of a wind energy project and 350 person-years of work in long-term operations and maintenance. In addition, wind energy is delivering significant economic benefits to local economies through property tax payments, community benefit agreements and land lease contracts. Every megawatt of new wind energy represents an investment of approximately $2 million.

“We celebrate wind energy as Canada’s success story – with another milestone reached the best is yet to come,” adds Hornung.

In celebration of the growing contribution that wind energy is making around the world and right here in Canada, CanWEA is once again proud to launch the annual Power of Wind contest. Students entering or in post-secondary education are eligible to submit entries on why harnessing wind power is important to Canada’s energy future until September 6, 2015. The winners will be announced at CanWEA’s Annual Awards Banquet in Toronto on October 7, 2015. Additional information, contest rules and terms and conditions can be found on CanWEA’s Friends of Wind website.

CanWEA is the voice of Canada’s wind energy industry, actively promoting the responsible and sustainable growth of wind energy on behalf of its members. A national non-profit association, CanWEA serves as Canada’s leading source of credible information about wind energy and its social, economic and environmental benefits.

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