MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT WIND POWER

 

Q: What is wind power?

Wind energy is a form of solar energy. Sunlight falling on oceans and continents causes air to warm and rise. Cooler air rushes into the space left by the risen air, which in turn generates surface winds. Wind systems capture the energy in wind using large blades mounted on tall towers called turbines. The wind turns the blades and the blades rotate a generator, which produces electricity.

Q: What are the environmental benefits of wind energy?

Wind energy is a very clean source of energy. It does not produce air emissions or hazardous waste.

Wind energy offsets the emissions of other energy sources, thus reducing our contribution to global climate change.

Using wind to produce enough power for over 200 homes (2,000,000 kWh) of electricity instead of burning coal will leave 900,000 kilograms of coal in the ground and reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2,000 tonnes. This has the same positive impact as taking 417 cars off the road or planting 10,000 trees.

Wind energy generation avoids the production of greenhouse gases, sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, heavy metals and particulate matter.

Using wind energy in place of conventional energy reduces the generation of smog and acid rain.

Q: How do wind turbines work?

Wind turbines consist of large blades mounted on tall towers attached to a horizontal shaft. As the wind blows, these blades cause the shaft to turn. The shaft is attached to a generator located inside the head, or “nacelle” of the turbine, which creates electricity. To see wind turbines in action, view our video The Answer is Blowing in the Wind.

Q: What is the potential for wind energy production in Canada?

Canada has a national wind resource map which helps create a better assessment of the wind energy potential.  Current information shows that Canada has a significant wind energy resource.  For example Northern Quebec (Nunavik) alone has enough wind resource to produce 40% of Canada's electricity needs.  Besides wind resource, you also need to consider how much wind energy can be effectively integrated into our power grid and at what cost.  Based on the experience of other countries it is possible for Canada to achieve 20% of its electricity needs from wind energy, that would be 50,000 MW of wind energy capacity.

Q. How much does wind energy cost?

In good wind areas, the costs of generating electricity from wind ranges from 6 to 12 cents per kWh. While this is still somewhat higher than the costs associated with the construction of some other new forms of electrical generation facilities, wind energy has no fuel costs and operating costs are continuing to decrease every year (by 3–5%) partly as a result of greater efficiencies and economies of scale. In contrast, most conventional generation costs are going up and steadily increasing Natural Gas prices are making wind power economics more and more attractive.

Q. Do turbines kill birds?

Any man-made structure can kill birds, including houses, radio towers and skyscrapers. In Toronto alone, it is estimated that 10,000 birds collide with the city's tallest buildings every year.

Compared with this, the risk to birds from well-sited wind farms is very low. At Altamont Pass in California, where 7000 turbines were erected on a migratory route, only 0.2 birds per turbine per year have been killed. Indeed, the real risk to birds comes not from windmills but from a changing climate, which threatens the very existence of bird species and their habitats.

 Please click HERE to read report:  Wind Farm, Property Values can Grow Together

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