Today is the 2nd annual Global Wind Day.
The Canadian Wind Energy Association says wind energy is one of the fastest growing sources of electricity in the country.
CanWEA President Robert Hornung tells Bayshore Broadcasting News if provincial governments move forward with plans currently in place, we will see wind energy production in Canada quadruple over the next 5 years.
That would move us from wind energy providing just about 2 per cent of Canada’s electricity to more in the range of 6 to 8 per cent 5 years from now.
Hornung says that will still leave Canada far behind other nations such as Denmark which gets 20 per cent of its electricity from wind, Portugal at 12 per cent, and Spain at 13 per cent.
He adds there’s tremendous opportunity in Canada with a great wind resource, a large land mass, a manufacturing sector looking for opportunities to diversify, and the largest electricity market in the world right next door.
Hornung says the Canadian Wind Energy Association is working towards a special goal in 2010 to improve community engagement practices.
He says wind farm developments are successful when they become part of the community and receive broad acceptance.
