July 22, 2005

Internet Resources

Korky Koroluk

Momentum blowing in the world of wind

The race to develop alternative energy sources has taken a somewhat novel turn: using wind power to produce hydrogen.

People keep talking about the coming “hydrogen economy” as high prices for fossil fuels and limited supplies of easily accessible oil cast doubt on the long-term viability of the present “carbon economy.” But overlooked in many of the glowing predictions is the fact that production, storage and shipment of clean hydrogen is not simple. Also overlooked is the possibility of combined systems that rely on more than one source of energy.

The Prince Edward Island Wind-Hydrogen Village project is Canada’s first serious attempt to demonstrate a range of energy applications working together. It will include the installation of a hydrogen energy station, a hydrogen storage depot, and an integrated control system using both wind-hydrogen and wind-diesel fuel to power an interpretive centre, the entire Atlantic Wind Test Site, plus some homes and other buildings in the North Cape area where it’s all located.

All that is to be done in the first three years of the multi-phased, $10.3-million research project, which is funded by both federal and provincial money. The province’s North Cape is already home to an extensive wind farm that is generating electricity for the power grid. It’s a 10.6 MW facility, built by Prince Edward Island Energy Corp., which is the leader in the new hydrogen village project. The private-sector partner is Hydrogenics Corp., of Mississauga, in Greater Toronto. The firm develops ways to produce clean energy and is working to commercialize hydrogen and fuel cell products.

All this is encouraging, because the business of developing alternative energy sources has been slow to gain momentum. Of late, though, led by provincial initiatives in P.E.I., Quebec and Ontario, that momentum is growing. For example, the Quebec government announced late last month that it will develop a further 2,000 MW of new wind power projects. That’s enough to power nearly half a million homes, so it’s significant. So, too, will be its economic impact.

The province has estimated that it will bring in more than $3 billion in investments, create more than 4,000 construction jobs, and more than 800 permanent jobs in manufacturing and continuing maintenance.

In Ontario, the government has just issued its third request for proposals (RFPs) for new renewable energy. This one is looking for up to 200 MW of power from small- and mid-sized renewable energy projects of under 20 MW each. It could come from wind, water, solar, biomass or landfill gas.

Just a few months ago it issued an RFP for up to 1,000 MW. And late last year, as a result of its first RFP, it approved 10 projects that will produce 395 MW.

As the growth in alternative power sources–especially wind–continues, this is becoming a sector to watch. So it you want to keep track of what’s going on, you may want to visit the Canadian Wind Energy Association’s Web site. It is the best single source I’ve found on the subject. It’s at www.canwea.ca

The association has just recently launched a new Web dealing with small wind turbines–those large enough to power a farm or other small business, or a home or two. That’s another sector of the alternative energy market worth watching although not much has happened there yet. The new site is at www.smallwindenergy.ca/en/smallwind.html

If you’re interested in what the Ontario government is doing, you’ll find plenty of information at www.energy.gov.on.ca. For specific information about the RFPs it has issued, there is a separate site at www.ontarioelectricityrfp.ca. There is also a place on the site where you can subscribe to receive periodic e-mails relating to the renewables RFPs. And if you want more information about P.E.I.’s wind-hydrogen project, you can find it on the Hydrogenics site at www.hydrogenics.com

Korky Koroluk is an Ottawa-based freelance writer. Send comments to editor@dailycommercialnews.com

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