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Table of contents

Executive summary ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Problem ......................................................................................................................................................... 2 Purpose.......................................................................................................................................................... 2 Scope ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Advantages of wind power ........................................................................................................................... 4 Environmental effects ................................................................................................................................... 5 Emissions .................................................................................................................................................. 5 Ecological footprint .................................................................................................................................. 5 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................... 6 Recommendation .......................................................................................................................................... 7

Executive summary The report provides an analysis of the nonmarket issues of the wind power market and provides information relating to wind power projects in Canada. The report aims to help communities balance local concerns with wider environmental needs, thereby allowing the benefits of renewable energy to be realized through careful design and consultation. Additionally, it also provides a profile of a major wind power company in Canada.

Problem Electricity generation produces more pollution than virtually any other single industry in Canada. Pollution, air quality, acid rain, nuclear waste and global warming are the unwanted side effects of traditional power production that endanger the environment. Every day, many fossil fuel consuming contraptions spew out gases that pollute the environment. However, when the fuel supplies for these devices run out, they will grind to a halt. To prevent this, Canada needs to find an alternative to unstable and polluting energy sources.

Purpose The purpose of this report is to examine wind energy as alternative energy source and effectiveness at reducing emissions by replacing power generated from fossil fuels.

Scope The report will examine wind power as an alternative energy source and nonmarket issues. Wind power usage in Canada has been growing at a significant rate in the past few years and has generated considerable interest in industry, government and the public.

Introduction As a renewable energy source, wind power is gaining popularity as an alternative to fossil fuel, nuclear and hydro power generation. In Canada, provinces are required to achieve 15% of their energy consumption from wind by 2012 as provinces strive to meet Kyoto obligations. Wind power is considered to be environmentally friendly and low cost. In the past, Canada did not take a big part in wind energy, because of its plentiful resources of fuels and unlimited resources. The government of Canada has announced initiatives to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 23.7 million tonnes before 2012, which is a 4% decrease. This plan is expected to cost $425 million. Canada has proposed to invest in wind energy farms. A number of provinces have already demonstrated leadership by setting goals and targets that will increase the overall share of electricity generated from emerging renewable energy sources. BC Hydro will meet at least 10 percent of its new electricity requirements from emerging renewable sources by 2010. The Quebec governments will double its target to purchase 100 megawatts of wind turbines, and Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island have committed to purchasing wind turbines for government facilities. In 2001, the government of Canada provided $260 million for producing wind turbines to the Wind Power Production Incentive. This will create 1000 megawatts of wind energy in the next five years. By the year of 2012, Canada hopes to rely on wind power by 30% Wind energy can play a critical role in saving our planet from the negative effects of energy powered by fossil fuels. Wind turbines work effectively at reducing carbon dioxide emissions. For instance, a single utility scale wind turbine can prevent the emission of 5,000 tons of carbon oxide into the atmosphere a year by displacing the power generated by fossil fuels. Also, a single 750-kilowatt turbine can produce roughly two million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. Turbines of this nature are the ones now being used in power plants around the world. One good

example is California. Their wind power plants displace 4.5 billion pounds of carbon dioxide each year with the 3 billion kilowatt hours of energy they produce. Although wind power has little impact on the environment there are environmental concerns surrounding this form of energy production. Some of the environmental effects of wind power include emissions and their ecological footprint.

Advantages of wind power Wind power offers many nonmarket benefits, including: The average household generates approximately 1.2 to 1.6 kw/h. Wind turbines can generate from around 600 kw/h, to 4.4 Mw/h. That is equivalent to lighting approximately 10,000 to 100,000 light bulbs at once. Decreased dependence on fossil fuels, which are often subject to rapid price fluctuations and supply problems. Greatly reduced negative environmental impacts, avoiding the necessity for future environmental regulation. Wind power is the second largest source of non-conventional source of energy. In Canada during the mid-summer due lack of power generation which is one of the main source of energy there is desperate need for energy. This can be met to some extent by wind energy as there are very high winds during this period. By using photo voltaic, the power generated is dc .So it must be converted to ac to feed it to grid. But by using wind energy we can directly produce ac.

In coastal areas, the cost of power generation from wind has become lower than diesel power. From the study of wind distribution, it is estimated that about 27% of the land surface is exposed to an annual wind speed higher than 18.36kmph at 10m above the surface.

Environmental effects Emissions Wind power consumes no fuel for continuing operation, and has no emissions directly related to electricity production. Operation does not produce carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, mercury, particulates, or any other type of air pollution, as do fossil fuel power sources. Wind power plants consume resources in manufacturing and construction. During manufacture of the wind turbine, steel, concrete, aluminum and other materials will have to be made and transported using energy-intensive processes, generally using fossil energy sources. The initial carbon dioxide emissions pay back within about nine months of operation for off shore turbines. It has been said that wind energy does not reduce carbon dioxide emissions because the intermittent nature of its output means it needs to be backed up by fossil fuel plants. Wind turbines do not displace fossil generating capacity on a one-for-one basis. But it is unambiguously the case that wind energy can displace fossil fuel-based generation, reducing both fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions. A study by the Irish national grid stated that producing electricity from wind reduces the consumption of fossil fuels and therefore leads to emissions savings and found reductions in emissions ranging from 0.33 to 0.59 tonnes of CO2 per MWh. Ecological footprint Unlike fossil fuel and nuclear power stations, which circulate or evaporate large amounts of water for cooling, wind turbines do not need water to generate electricity. Leaking lubricating oil

or hydraulic fluid running down turbine blades may be scattered over the surrounding area, in some cases contaminating drinking water areas. Compared to the environmental effects of traditional energy sources, the environmental effects of wind power are relatively minor. Wind power consumes no fuel, and emits no air pollution, unlike fossil fuel power sources. The energy consumed to manufacture and transport the materials used to build a wind power plant is equal to the new energy produced by the plant within a few months of operation. Danger to birds and bats has been a concern in some locations. However, studies show that the number of birds killed by wind turbines is very low, compared to the number of those that die as a result of certain other ways of generating electricity and especially of the environmental impacts of using non-clean power sources. Fossil fuel generation kills around twenty times as many birds per unit of energy produced than wind-farms. Bat species appear to be at risk during key movement periods. Almost nothing is known about current populations of these species and the impact on bat numbers as a result of mortality at wind power locations. Offshore wind sites 10 km or more from shore do not interact with bat populations. While a wind farm may cover a large area of land, many land uses such as agriculture are compatible, with only small areas of turbine foundations and infrastructure made unavailable for use. Aesthetics have also been an issue. In the United States, the Massachusetts Cape Wind project was delayed for years mainly because of aesthetic concerns. Finally, noise has also been an important disadvantage. With careful implanting of the wind turbines, along with use of noise reducing-modifications for the wind turbines however, these issues can be easily addressed. Conclusion Wind power is an environmentally friendly alternative that is clean. Smog, which is caused by power plant emissions, can lead to acute health effects such as persistent coughing, wheezing,

and headaches. Children and the elderly are especially at risk, and on high ozone days, are advised to remain indoors. Similarly, conventional power production generates fine particles that are toxic in nature and can be linked to premature deaths from heart and lung disease, including cancer. Investments in wind energy help to reduce power plant emissions and therefore enable a brighter future for our health, and the health of our children. Wind power is a renewable resource that is growing in importance as a means to address the nonmarket issues of air pollution, grid reliability, dependence on foreign oil and climate change. However, the wind varies over time and there is less of it at sites around major load centers, which are two of the technical and economic challenges to the establishment of power generation facilities relying solely on the wind. But hybrid systems, such as wind turbine systems, have the potential to rectify these shortcomings and also make possible the greater decentralization of electric power generation in Canada easing the transmission and distribution bottlenecks while increasing its overall reliability without sacrificing the quality of power delivered to the customer. Furthermore, wind turbine systems can achieve these results in an environment friendly manner without producing harmful emissions. The report will now review a profile of a wind turbine company in Canada and the associated control schemes for a small-scale, prototype wind turbine system that will enable the further study and optimization of the performance and cost of such a system.

Recommendation

As the energy crisis is high in Canada, there is an urgent need to look for alternative sources of energy that are clean and pollution free. This paved path for wind power. Therefore, Canadas federal government should provide grants for research, development and implementation of wind power, in order to solve the impending energy crisis, preserve Canadian hegemony and help the

environment recover from the damages caused by fossil fuels. The scale of the energy crisis is so great that it warrants another look at alternative energy ideas, mainly wind power.

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