New Ontario Wind Farm Switched On
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03. 9.06
Here in Ontario, a land blessed with wind and water and, 50 years ago, one of the most well managed public hydro systems is the world, we now have brownouts, rotting nuclear reactors, crumbling infrastructure and "stranded debt". One of the few bright spots: today the Melancthon 67.5 megawatt Wind Farm went on line. "Two years ago, Ontario only had 15 megawatts of windpower capacity. The McGuinty government has set the wheels in motion to bring online over 1300 megawatts of windpower capacity by the end of 2008, an 80-fold increase." says Energy Minister Donna Cansfield. "The government is continuing to deliver on its promise to support renewable energy as part of its overall plan to build a sustainable energy future for Ontario," She didn't mention $ 70 Billion that the Ontario Power Authority wants to spend on new nukes. ::Melacthon Wind Project and read ::David Suzuki on Nuclear Power
Will the McGuinty government close down the coal plants like it promised? I haven't heard about that in a while..
Last I read they were going ahead with the coal plant. There's also been a big push lately for new nuclear reactors. Greenpeace.ca has a form letter to McGuinty you can sign.
Here in the USA we're jealous. Hoping for more new wind, but there is always someone (usually with oil ties) trying to stop it.
For those of you who are my compatriots, you may know about Rep. Young's (R-AK) efforts to kill the Cape Wind Project. It would be the first offshore windfarm in the US but Young has attempted to kill it with an amendment to a Coast Guard bill.
Greenpeace has joined with other groups in pressuring the Committees to defeat his attempt. Big turnout got the vote postponed, but not yet thrown out. If you're from the US, you can send Congress a letter through GreenpeaceUSA.
The melancthon wind project is finally a step in the right direction, but let us not let optics get in the way of progress. The developement of this project has truely been kept at arms length from the community dispite all appearances. Earlier promisses of a Tax benifit to our community have proven false, and we live with crumbling roads and a disturbing amount of overhead powerlines. This has also divided the community between participants (large landowners) and non-participants (small property owners). This experience should be about community building not division. What is sustainability without all members of a community benifiting from these advancements. This land is simply being used much as the lands of the past centuries as a resource for extraction. If Governments were serious about a sustainable future they would invest the same energy into new criteria for all housing and community construction. Every time I drive into Toronto I am reminded of this irony.
As the debate heats up so called Nimbys are getting organised.
With 4 Ontario Municipal board pre-hearings over the next month, perhaps the Provincial Government will see fit to regulate this industry?
It appears the main contention is over setbacks of Turbines from houses. They are asking for 1500m.
For the latest information google Kincardine Windfarms Wordpress.
Yeah, no idea
i worked at the legislature for 5 weeks, and still, Nothing. Seems to be more of a "Partisan Politics" issue to the government. Dwight duncan is the liberal member from my city, also the minister of energy. I have heard him talk, and it seems to be the least of an issue to him