Big wind farm unveiled today

$150-million power project near Merigomish will be province’s largest, with 30 turbines

By JUDY MYRDEN Business Reporter

Halifax wind power company Shear Wind Inc. is poised to build a $150-million wind turbine park east of New Glasgow.

The 30-turbine project on 2,420 hectares near Merigomish would be the largest in the province and would generate 60 megawatts of electricity to sell to Nova Scotia Power, a subsidiary of energy giant Emera Inc.

Details of the project, which would produce enough electricity to power 17,500 homes, are expected to be released this morning at the Lismore and District Community Hall.

"This project is not only a strong project for Shear Wind, it’s a great project for this community," said company president Michael Magnus, a former executive vice-president of Clearwater Seafood Ltd. Partnership.

"From a Nova Scotia Power perspective, it’s very complementary to its transmission system because there are three major (power) lines going through our property here in Glen Dhu, which is absolutely unheard of in Canada."

The site would also be home to Nova Scotia’s first "eco-interpretive centre," providing information about wind energy, turbines, the area’s history and plans to build hiking and bicycle paths.

"We recognize the fact there is a lot of conflict in Canada, and in the world, for that matter, when it comes to wind parks," Mr. Magnus said. "We find it’s incumbent upon us in our stewardship to educate people. So we are going to create an eco-interpretive centre to hopefully educate people on the value of renewable energy, specifically wind energy."Shear Wind would be the fourth company to sign a long-term contract with Nova Scotia Power to provide renewable energy for the provincial grid.

NSP hopes the agreements will result in an increase in the amount of electricity produced in this province by so-called green technology to 20 per cent by 2013, up from 11 or 12 per cent today.

Mr. Magnus said the company would generate $350,000 annually in tax revenue for municipal coffers.

Shear Wind plans to purchase two-megawatt, 80-metre-high turbines from German manufacturer Enercon and have them in operation by late 2009. The turbines would be erected at least one to four kilometres from any homes in the area.

Shear Wind was founded in 2006 and has nine wind power projects in various stages of development in Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a total potential generation capacity in excess of 1,500 megawatts.

"We have an aggressive plan over the next 12 months," said Mr. Magnus, who has recruited energy veterans to his management team, including former Emera CEO David Mann as chairman of the board, former Alberta energy minister Murray Smith and Ian Tillard, a mechanical engineer with 25 years’ experience, the past five in the wind energy business at Barrington Wind.

The former seafood executive has shifted his focus from harvesting the ocean to harvesting the wind. And he has big plans for his new project in Nova Scotia.

A second phase of the Glen Dhu wind park could generate an additional 170 megawatts of electricity for export, he said.

The company has already made an application in the U.S. requesting certification to export electricity into Massachusetts and Connecticut from Glen Dhu and its other project in New Brunswick.

"Those are the two big markets that you want to export into," said Mr. Magnus.

"We will most likely use Emera Energy Services to manage the distribution of that power."

Shear Wind is now generating electricity on two other sites at Fitzpatricks Mountain near Pictou for a total of 1.6 megawatts under a 15-year power purchase agreement.

Mr. Magnus believes the future of wind power is "great" but opportunities are shrinking with land restrictions, limited access to transmission lines and backlash from communities against wind power.

Cleaner & greener

Will windmills lower our power bills or clear the air of carbon emissions? Yes and no.
By JUDY MYRDEN Business Reporter
Thu. Mar 27

NOVA SCOTIA POWER’s wind power program won’t make electricity cheaper or replace dirty coal anytime soon.

But the utility says recently announced wind projects will act as a "bridge for the future" for a "cleaner and greener" province.

NSP spokeswoman Glennie Langille says it is not as straightforward as swapping wind for coal and that wind power is intermittent.

"The benefit is cleaner generation," she said.

The Nova Scotia government wants to boost the amount of electricity produced in the province by wind, solar, tidal and biomass technology to almost 20 per cent by 2013, up from 11 to 12 per cent today.

Will wind-generated electricity reduce NSP’s greenhouse gas emissions?

"That’s a good question," said Ms. Langille, adding the wind-generated electricity will be used domestically. "There’s no doubt using wind displaces something . . . most of the time a fossil fuel."

As for lowering electricity bills, that could happen in the long term, she says.

"Right now, wind power is not cheap," says Ms. Langille. "In the long term, these contracts are good for customers because they could stabilize power rates."

Kristen Overmyer questions the benefits for Nova Scotia of dotting the rural landscape with large windmills.

Mr. Overmyer, a mechanical engineer, and his wife, Susan, started visiting Baileys Brook, Pictou County, from Michigan as seasonal residents eight years ago. Since 2006, they have lived there year-round.

When he first moved to the area, he was interested in installing a wind turbine on his farm. But he has since changed his mind because of concerns about the noise and possible harm to migratory birds.

As part of NSP’s request for proposals, Shear Wind Inc. of Halifax has submitted a proposal to produce up to 108 megawatts of wind-generated electricity at a site near Mr. Overmyer’s home.

If its bid is successful, Shear Wind intends to have the facility operating in 2009.

The site to be developed, called Glen Dhu, is located on 2,420 hectares east of New Glasgow. But only part of the land will be used, according to documents filed with securities regulators.

Mr. Overmyer is frustrated by what he calls a lack of clarity about the benefits of wind power.

"I’m concerned that Nova Scotia Power is not giving us any specifics, and people are making decisions on falsehoods. They know there is a trade-off to having wind turbines and they think they are getting something positive in return — not burning coal," he said Wednesday.

"I can’t believe they are this far into the process and can’t tell people what the immediate benefits are to Nova Scotians," he said.

Ms. Langille refused to comment on Shear Wind’s proposal, but the firm is rumoured to be the next successful bidder in NSP’s call for more green energy.

She said the utility will be signing contracts "as appropriate" and not making any further comments.

NSP has already signed deals for slightly more than half of the 240 megawatts specified in its call for proposals.

The three deals announced so far are being called "long term" but no further details or the price to be paid per kilowatt hour are being released.

The Utility and Review Board, which oversees NSP, says it will not be reviewing the wind contracts until the next general rate increase application and if someone at that time indicates NSP has acted "imprudently," said spokesman Paul Allen.

The secrecy surrounding the wind power contracts worries Brendan Haley of the Ecology Action Centre. He argues it makes it difficult for many to get into the market, including farmers and co-ops in rural Nova Scotia.

Mr. Haley said a fixed price, instead of the current competitive bidding process, would be more transparent.

"The public will know that we are paying a reasonable cost for wind-energy development to secure its economic and environmental benefits."