Wind

Wind is growing in importance as a source of electric power around the world and particularly in western Europe and the United States. Canada’s wind industry is still relatively modest but has shown faster growth in recent years. Current installed wind power capacity in Canada exceeds 2,000 MW.

Utility-scale wind farms use large wind turbines, with typical capacities of 1.5–3.0 MW each. Each unit has a nacelle mounted on a 60- to 100-metre tower. Three 30- to 40-metre blades are mounted on each nacelle. Shaft power is transferred to a generator located in the nacelle, and the resulting electricity is fed through a collector system to a transformer station connected to the power grid.

Northland’s Mont Miller facility uses 30 Vestas V80 1.8 MW turbines mounted on 67-metre towers. The Jardin d’Éole wind farm uses 85 GE 1.5 MW turbines mounted on 80-metre towers.

See a wind turbine schematic.