Canada Doubles Its Wind Farm Capacity in 2011

Wind power in Canada will experience a record year in 2011, with approximately 1.4 GW of new installed wind farm capacity projected to come online this year, compared to 690 MW installed in 2010, according to new projections from the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA).

Canada is expected to end the year with more than 5.4 GW of total installed wind turbines capacity – enough to power more than 1.5 million Canadian homes every year. This puts Canada in ninth place globally in terms of total installed wind energy capacity.

To mark this achievement, CanWEA opened trading today on the Toronto Stock Exchange. “2011 has been a banner year for new wind energy development in Canada, which means cleaner air, new jobs and local investments for the communities that host wind energy projects,” says Robert Hornung, president of CanWEA. “Canada – and, in particular, Ontario – is emerging as a very competitive destination for wind energy investment globally.

“Maintaining that position will require continued commitments to aggressive targets for wind energy development and a stable policy framework,” he continues. “As demonstrated here today, this industry represents billions of dollars in new investments across the manufacturing and construction sectors.”

2011 was also a record year for new wind energy installations in Ontario, with more than 500 MW projected to be installed by the end of year, CanWEA notes.

CanWEA is the voice of Canada’s wind energy industry, actively promoting the responsible and sustainable growth of wind energy on behalf of its more than 440 members. A national non-profit association, CanWEA serves as Canada’s leading source of credible information about wind energy and its social, economic and environmental benefits. To join other global leaders in the wind energy industry, CanWEA believes Canada can and must reach its target of producing 20 per cent or more of the country’s electricity from wind by 2025.

By José Santamarta, www.canwea.ca