It’s no secret that Alberta’s NDP government has been pushing for an increased presence of alternative energy solutions in the market. With the carbon levy and other initiatives rewarding individuals for their energy conservation and green energy efforts, it’s clear that diversification of the energy industry is becoming a priority in terms of creating both economic stability and preventative industry structures to protect against future industry-specific economic collapses. In fact, within the next 15 years, it has been estimated that Alberta could end up seeing up to a third of its energy coming from wind generation and other renewable sources. However, while a lot of emphasis is placed on solar photovoltaic when it comes to alternative energy solutions in Alberta, wind may actually be picking up more than people might think.
How windy is Alberta about to get?
A recent conference on wind energy has indicated that Alberta has a lot of potential when it comes to building up the wind energy aspect of alternative energy in Alberta—and it looks like the Canadian government is ready to act on that imperative. Delegates at the conference commented on Alberta’s huge and largely untapped potential when it comes to wind-generated electricity.
While Alberta has been harnessing wind energy since 1993 (representing, in fact, the first commercial wind farm in Canada), its wind-energy potential has fallen behind other provinces, including Ontario (now the top wind-energy producer) and Quebec. Alberta currently has 901 wind turbines and a total capacity of 1,479 megawatts of electricity (amounting to 6 per cent of electricity demand). However, that is expected to change significantly as alternative energy sources in Alberta begin to be phased out.
Once coal-generated electricity is phased out, wind-generated energy will be the cheapest source of non-greenhouse gas emitting electricity in Canada, as well as the cheapest source of electricity generation overall, along with natural gas. That means the market for wind-generated electricity is about to get a lot bigger, leaving Alberta as the largest market in Canada for new wind-power generating capacity. No longer a niche energy market, wind-generated electricity is fast growing and quickly becoming a mainstream alternative energy source in Alberta.
How much is it growing?
Renewable sources are on the rise overall, with demand expected to as much as triple (to 30 per cent) in the next 15 years (by 2030), but the biggest news includes plans to maximize wind-generated energy’s efficiency as more than an energy source, but a resource as well. Plans are in motion to one day export wind energy. That means significant resource-based benefits for Alberta’s economy that will come from a green, renewable, sustainable, and inexpensive source. If you aren’t convinced of wind energy’s potential for the Alberta economy, just take a look at the corporations that are already jumping on board the wind energy ship (or rather sail boat). Ikea Canada is in the process of buying Alberta’s second wind farm, located near Drumheller, and as more corporations begin to back wind farms, the capacity for alternative energy in Alberta is sure to grow.
For more information on how to incorporate alternative energy sources like wind energy into your Alberta rate plan, contact energyrates.ca today.
