Shear Wind Inc. of Halifax announced Wednesday a 60-megawatt power purchase agreement with Nova Scotia Power Inc.
The electricity for the 20-year agreement is to come from the Glen Dhu wind park in Pictou County, near Merigomish, where Shear Wind plans to put up 30 turbines in a $150-million development.
"In addition to the initial 60 megawatts, the expansion potential . . . is an additional 170 megawatts," Mike Magnus, president of Shear Wind, said.
"This positions the Glen Dhu wind park in an optimal position to participate in export opportunities as well as future requests for proposals in order to secure additional power purchase agreements."
Shear Wind has nine wind projects in various stages of development in Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
The Glen Dhu wind park will be the first to produce electricity and the company’s first turbine park development.
The project is the result of a request for proposals from NSP last year for more energy from renewable sources. NSP has announced 184 megawatts of wind generation and expects to sign contracts totalling 240 megawatts.
The price per kilowatt was not disclosed.
14 comments:
An intriging pollster called. She said it was a government commissioned poll but gave no other information.
Two of the more interesting questions involved opening the Georgia Bank for drilling and purchasing nuclear produced power from New Brunswick.
Even worse, they tried a push question. The preamble stated that renewable energy was more expensive than fossil or nuclear energy. We all know this is false. This blog places wind generated electricity 30% or more below NSPC"s retail price. Enough or a comfortable profi for our favorite utility.
Our government, contrary to some commentators to this blog, seems to be pushing greaer use of fossil fuels and nuclear power while speading false rumors about renewables. Those who think wind developers make a fortune should look at the bottom line for oil and natural gas companies and the huge cash subsities enjoyed by the nuclear industry.
Let's face it. No politician is going to get much finncial support from the wind industry. They'll call Irving. Post cabinet jobs will be more plentiful as nuclear lobyists than as alternate energy lobyists. This is something I will remember at election time.
John McManus
ohn McManus
The Spanish are moving forward with green power. ENN.com has a story about Spain getting 40% of its total power from wind farms during a period of especially favourable winds. This shoots down the NSPC arguement that 10% is the maximum. I hope that Spaniards aren't smarter than Nova Scotians.
During this period, wind and hydro supplied over 2/3 of Spains needs. Where did the fossil fuels go? Its like anonymous has been saying: turn off the switch. When the winds dropped, wind generation went back to the normal 20%+ ( twice the NS govt proposal).
CBC radio had a bit about Earth hour. NB and PEI power companies both measured consumption. NSPC didn't bother. PEI consumption decreased about 10% ad NB less. We don't know how many participated. but PEI is a very energy consious jurisdiction even though PEI demand rises 1 1/2 to 2% a year.
10% isn't bad. Using a Killawatt ( you can borrow one from the library), I have measured the draw of stuff in my house. Turning off the lights, not cooking and watching tv or using the computer will save me 6.3 out of 13 kwhs per day. The furnace, pressure pump, water heater and fridge acount for the rest. Turning the switch off will save, but not enough.
I have an energy star fridge, on demand hot water and all my light bulbs are LED or mini fluorescent. Still not enough.
We need to be a bit more holistic. Concervation is necessary, but so are hydro power, photovoltaic power, tidal power and wind power.
John McManus
Hi John,
I congratulate you on your energy conservation. If more people were as frugal as you, we could make great strides in energy (and thus, fossil fuel) reduction.
A minor correction ... NS did measure energy reduction during Earth Hour. It was NB who took an extra day or two to report their findings, which were very similar to NS's (8MW reduction).
It is an interesting point of debate as to how come PEI showed proportionately much greater savings. One suggestion is that there was more waste to save there in the first place.
...with referenmce to an above post by Mr.McManus
MADRID (AFP) - Wind power is breaking new records in Spain, accounting for just over 40 percent of all electricity consumed during a brief period last weekend, the -country's wind power association said Tuesday.
As heavy winds lashed Spain on Saturday evening wind parks generated 9,862 megawatts of power which translated to 40.8 percent of total consumption due to low demand during the Easter holiday weekend, AEE said.
Between Friday and Sunday wind power accounted for an average of 28 percent of all electricity demand in Spain, which is a leading world producer of such energy, a statement from the association said.
The record for power generated by Spain's wind parks was set on March 4 at 10,032 megawatts, but as it was a regular working day this accounted for less percentage demand.
Spain's wind power generation equalled that of hydropower for the first time in 2007.
-his version has twisted the truth
..as usual!
Roger Taylor's column in todays Chrnicle Herald speaks to plans to conserve electricity. Brendan Haley fron Ecology Action Centre says that if something isn't done NSPC will have to build A $1 billion 400 meg fossil fuel plant.
With this type of demand growth, conservation is vital but must be accompanied by other action incuding wind.
400 megs is 6.6 projects like the one announced near Antigoish last week. As anonymous pointed out, in Spain 25% of total production by windpower is commonplace ( compared to <10% here). Why not do that here? The wind power companies are ready, but are being held back by NSPC.
Great story on WindWatch about a Colchester Council meeting last week. Peter Bigelow presented an anti wind opinion and was told ( I' m paraphrasing) by Mayor Mike Smith that he was a NIMBY and Mr. Smith disagreed with his position.
On a trip from Masstown to Onslow last week I saw 6 Skystream 3.7"s producing power.
John McManus
mr.mmanus
what library did you get your kilowatt meter.
ours doesn't have one.
we'd like to check our consumtion
I saw it at the Amherst Library. I would lend you mine if it is more convenient.
John McManus
--- Spains 25% of total production by windpower is commonplace ( compared to <10% here).
?????
The original report notes that this event occurred only at 5:40 pm on Monday. It was a power surge, not a useful supply of energy.
Dear anonymous:
Commonplace does not equal continuous. As your reprint shows, I used the correct figures.
Total wind production in Spain for an entire year is difficult to pin down because it is a moving target. The industry installs 25-40% capacvity per year. Over the past decade growth averaged 30% a year.
At the same time demand has been rising at about 4% a year.
Different sources provide different figures, but 6% wind for 2005and 9% for 2006 leads to a 2008 estimate of !8%. This number is hard to track becuse 40% is About 10% installed capaciy a month which could mean a ratio change of 1 1/2% producion share a month.
However measured, Spanish wind production share is larger than that forcast for Nova Scotia and will stay ahead in the near future. There are enough bids on the books to provide 15-20% of electrical needs for us. Since Denmark (20%), Germany (15%) and Spain (15-18%) can do it, Nova Scotia can do it.
John McManus
Happy Earth Day. By happy coincidence it is recycling day in Thomson.
An interview on the CBC this morning led to good news. Nationwide in the US, 2.3 birds die per turbine per year. Wind turbines are , for birds , one of the least dangerous man made things.
It didn't take long to sell the farm in Pubnico. The real worth of the industry is starting o dawn on investors. Any power supplier with $0 fuel cost is going to be in demand.
Better news from PEI. The funding for the wind research institute may be reinstated. Even our new goverment, blinded by the oil lobby can't be stupid enough to kill this project.
John McManus
Mr.mcManis
Why did you try and make it seem like Spain uses wind power for 28% of its fulltime needs when you knew that wasn't the truth?
Do you think your smarter than NSPC's engineers about our abilities to do the same?
Why are you being deceptive with us?
Do your neighbours in Oxford know your like this?
We've heard your some kind of psycho!
Does your minister know this?
You can't believe anything you say anymore.
Your friends in the wind industry must be pretty desparate to use someone like you to preach the virtues of wind power.
Maybe you've got your wind power underwear on too tight!
More good news from PEI. Funding is confirmed for the Atlantic Wind Instiute and funding is going to the Wind Turbine course at Holland College. Now Nova Scotia is behind PEI as well as Spain.
Dear anonymous: are you the same person who claimed to be unable to understand the difference between dbA and dbC scales?
An interesting part of the Spanish story has ,so far, been missed. When the power output from wind farms reahed 40.8%, the central authority ordered shutdowns. Their top acceptable level is 30%. That's twice the maximum claimed possible by NSPower. Spain may raise this level if the grid is improved and interconnectivity with the rest of Europe is achieved.
Who knows, NS may catch up.
My neighbours may think I'm weird, but so what. I don't have a minister because I'm not religious. You are, however, right about one thing: there is a lot of wind in my underwear.
John McManus
...a lot of air between your ears also!
Why is PEI so far ahead of us in wind power?
Right now wind's contribution is 15%. Some claim 18, but 15 is the number I find.
A new 100 meg development is now underway. This could double PEI's capacity and production.
Maybe we should import their politicians.
John McManus
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