Wind Energy
At this meeting, BC Hydro introduced the consultant team retained to undertake a wind data study that will provide input data to support wind integration studies. Agenda items included data collection and quality control, site screening and characterization, data derivation, wind generation forecast simulation, the characterization of wind resources in and between regions and the characterization of wind, load and hydro generation. |
Wind is used to generate electricity all over the world, notably in the United States, Denmark, Germany, Spain and Great Britain. In Canada, wind energy is generated primarily in Québec and Alberta.
In B.C., there are great opportunities to use wind to generate electricity. However, B.C.'s geography also presents some special challenges. Some potential sites are in remote mountainous locations that are far from the transmission grid and difficult to access. Also, turbines are best located on land with low or no vegetation – this poses siting difficulties in B.C. due to the challenging terrain.
Parts of B.C. are very windy, especially along the West Coast and some valley locations in the interior. BC Hydro’s wind mapping initiative has helped identify sites that may have good potential. However, wind monitoring is the best way to obtain firm data on wind speed and consistency, in order to identify the most suitable locations for potential development. A site needs to be monitored for at least one year to obtain sufficient data on the quality of the wind resource.
Wind energy prefeasibility studies were undertaken as part of the Green Energy Study for British Columbia, Phase 1: Vancouver Island [PDF, 265 Kb] and Phase 2: Mainland [PDF, 205 Kb].
