Summary of power contribution of existing wind
plants in Ontario as of
Dec. 31, 2008 -
Grand Total for the following Wind Farms:
AMARANTH, KINGSBRIDGE, PORT ALMA, PORT BURWELL,
PRINCEFARM, RIPLEY SOUTH
(Information not available for
Underwood)
Number of Turbines = 429
Max. Capacity : 703 MW per hour
Actual
Production = approx. 30% or 211 MW per hour
Approx 30,000 hectares of lands were
optioned for wind power development in Ontario to accomodate the above turbines, much of it was useable farmland.
Carbon dioxide emissions calculated to have been displaced (if claims are accurate): 430grams x 211MW per hr. = approx. 91,000 grams per hour.
See note at bottom of page.
The Bruce A - G3 Nuclear Station
produces approx. 720 MW per hour according to http://www.sygration.com/gendata/today.html
While not advocating for nuclear power over wind power, it is noteworthy
that Ontario would need almost 1300 wind turbines and over 90,000 hectares (900 sq. km.) in order to
be able to shut down ONE nuclear station equivalent to Bruce A G3.
I have used nuclear for comparison since it appears to generate the highest yield.
In Ontario at the time of this comparison we have 14 nuclear plants. At this rate it would take over 12,600 sq. km. and over 18,000 turbines to create the same power that we depend on nuclear for. The size of Ontario is about 1,300,000 sq. km.
Since I have been unsuccessful in finding Cndn data of costing and subsidies, I am using US data below.
Cost per unit of energy produced was estimated in 2006 to be comparable to the cost of new generating capacity in the United States for coal and natural gas: wind cost was estimated at $55.80 per MWh, coal at $53.10/MWh and natural gas at $52.50 and $59.30 per MWh for Nuclear.
See chart at bottom of page.
A 2008 US Energy Information Administration report concluded that just some of the federal subsidies for wind energy amount to $23+ per megawatt-hour. By contrast, normal coal receives 44¢ per megawatt-hour, natural gas 25¢, hydroelectric 67¢, and nuclear power $1.59. In addition to these, there are significant state subsidies and mandates. See How We Got Here
Also from See How We Got Here No independent scientific study has ever shown that wind power saves a meaningful amount of CO2. In fact, the most independent scientific study done (by the National Academy of Sciences) says the opposite. Their 2007 report concludes that
(assuming the most optimistic conditions) the U.S. CO2 savings by 2020 will amount to
only 1.8%. An earlier EIA report said 1.3%. These are trivial quantities!
Melancthon I Wind Plant (67.5 MW) - Melancthon
TWP
http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/Page.asp?PageID=924&ContentID=5104
Approximately
2,500 hectares of lands were optioned for wind power development
within the
Township of Melancthon in southern Ontario.
Annual Production approx.
177,000 megawatt-hours per year.
24x365=8760 hrs. x 67.5 = 591.300 MW x 30% =
177,000
45 GE 1.5 MW model sle Wind Turbines
Nameplate Capacity: 67.5
MW per hour
Actual Production = approx. 30% = 21 MW/Hr
Melancthon II Wind Plant (132 MW) -
Amaranth/Melancthon TWP
http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/Page.asp?PageID=5024&ContentID=5105
Approximately
4,860 hectares of land were optioned for wind power development
within the
Townships of Amaranth and Melancthon, near the Town of Shelburne, in southern
Ontario.
Annual Production approx. 350,000 megawatt-hours per
year
Turbines: 88 GE 1.5 MW model sle Wind Turbines
Nameplate
Capacity: 132 MW per hour
Actual Production = approx. 30% = 40 MW/Hr
Total
Melancthon/Amaranth 45 + 88 = 133 1.5 MW turbines
Nameplate Capacity: 132 + 67.5 = 199.5MW per hour
Kingsbridge - near Goderich, Ontario
http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/Page.asp?PageID=924&ContentID=5100
Approx.
1,000 hectares of farmland optioned for wind power development
within the
Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, near the community of Goderich in Huron
County.
Annual Production approx. 109,000 megawatt-hours per year.
22 X 1.8 MW V80
Nameplate Capacity: 39.6 MW per hour
Actual Production = approx. 30% = 12 MW/Hr
Port Alma, Ontario
http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/Page.asp?PageID=924&ContentID=5102
over
4800 hectares of farmland optioned for wind power development
near Port
Alma, Ontario in the municipality of Chatham Kent.
OPA states Annual
Production approx. 300,000 megawatt-hours per year.
30% is less
than 266,000 megawatt-hours - Is OPA overstating the expected annual
production??
44 Siemens 2.3 MW Mark II Wind Turbines
Nameplate
Capacity: 101.2 MW per hour
Actual Production = approx. 30% = 31 MW/Hr
Port Burwell, Ontario - Erie Shores
http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/Page.asp?PageID=924&ContentID=5099
Over
5,260 hectares of farmland is optioned for wind power development
in the
townships of Bayham and Malahide in the Elgin County and the Old Houghton
Township in the Norfolk County.
Annual Production approx. 260,000
megawatt-hours per year.
66 GE 1.5MW sle Wind Turbines
Nameplate
Capacity: 99 MW per hour
Actual Production = approx. 30% = 30 MW/Hr
Prince TWP I Wind Power Project - Sault Ste. Marie
District, Ontario
http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/Page.asp?PageID=924&ContentID=5106
2,500
hectares of lands optioned for wind power development
in the Algoma region
within the townships of Aweres, Dennis, Pennefather, and Prince.
Annual
Production approx. 260,000 megawatt-hours per year.
66 GE 1.5 MW sle
Wind Turbines
Nameplate Capacity: 99 MW per hour
Actual Production = approx. 30% = 30 MW/Hr
Prince II Wind Power Project (90 MW)
http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/Page.asp?PageID=924&ContentID=5107
5,200 hectares of lands optioned for wind power development
in the
Algoma region within the townships of Dennis and Pennefather, Ontario.
Annual Production approx. 237,000 megawatt-hours per year.
60 GE
1.5 MW sle Wind Turbines
Nameplate Capacity: 90 MW per hour
Actual Production = approx. 30% = 27 MW/Hr
Total
Prince County 66 + 60 = 126 1.5 MW turbines
Nameplate Capacity: 99 + 90 =
189MW per hour
Ripley Wind Power
http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/Page.asp?PageID=924&ContentID=5108
3,600
hectares of lands optioned for wind power development
within the Townships
of Huron-Kinloss near the Town of Ripley, in south-western Ontario.
Annual Production approx. 200,000 megawatt-hours per year.
38
ENERCON GmbH E82 Wind Turbines
Nameplate Capacity: 76 MW per hour
Actual Production = approx. 30% = 23 MW/Hr
Note:
For several years The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) - which lobbies on behalf of wind power firms - claimed that electricity from wind turbines 'displaces' 860 grams of carbon dioxide emission for every kilowatt hour of electricity generated.
However it has now halved that figure to 430 grams, following discussions with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
See full article here.
Ontario's wind farms displaced approx. 91,000 grams Carbon dioxide emissions per hour in Dec. 2008.
