Wind turbine plan concerns Guildwood residents; Toronto Hydro tests possibility of wind farm in Lake Ontario

Several residents of Guildwood are concerned about the possibility of a wind farm being built two kilometres offshore in Lake Ontario.

Roy Wright just found out about the proposal for a wind monitoring station by Toronto Hydro through a notice in the Scarborough Mirror on Aug. 13. Since then he’s spoken to many of his neighbours who he said also didn’t know about the proposal.

“Since I’ve been telling people they’ve just been appalled at it,” he said.

Wright’s home backs onto the bluffs. He has lived in the area for 40 years and has several concerns with putting wind turbines in Lake Ontario including the potential environmental damage (he is concerned about the turbines being erected in a migratory bird path) and that the project wouldn’t be worth the return in clean energy.

“It isn’t worth the investment to ruin the waterfront,” Wright said.

Toronto Hydro has been working on investigating the idea of developing a wind energy facility offshore for three years. The first step is to erect an anemometer to test the viability of putting wind turbines in Lake Ontario.

“We think it’s quite exciting to bring this concept to the Great Lakes,” said Joyce McLean, director of strategic issues for Toronto Hydro.

She said they hope to install the testing device in October.

“Toronto Hydro already has some experience with wind power…We think there’s a really good opportunity because the Great Lakes have already (proven to be a possible location),” she said. “There is also a desire for greener and cleaner energy.”

The structure will be installed in approximately 15 metres of water extending four metres above lake level with a width of approximately 5 metres and it would be two to four kilometres off shore.

McLean said there isn’t enough room in the city to put a wind farm; the only option is to put it in the lake so that is why they are testing there.

Wright doesn’t think the proposed location, off the shores of Guildwood, is a suitable location. He believes it an eventual wind farm would be noisy and an eye sore.

“In the lake front here it’s not that windy a place,” he said.

Gisela Bach lives in Guildwood too, but further away from the lake. She has concerns too, but wants to know the outcome of the testing and studies.

“I’m not against windmills at all. I just have environmental concerns,” she said. “We have to wait…until we see the studies.”

If the project moves beyond the testing phase, Bach wants to ensure the environmental issues are addressed.

She would prefer to see any possible wind farm established further up the shore near industrial lands as opposed to the residential area of Guildwood, but she understands all the options need to be explored before a final decision can be made.

The installation of the anemometer to test the wind resources of the lake is just the beginning of a long process. Toronto Hydro would need to seek a number of approvals before a wind farm could be approved, as well as someone to buy the electricity, McLean said.

“This is by no way a done deal,” she said.

An environmental assessment would also need to be completed.

“We don’t anticipate any (environmental) impact,” McLean said.

Another of Wright’s concerns is the cost of the project.

“The real issue is it’s going to cost tens of thousands of dollars,” he said,

McLean said the approximate cost of the anemometer is $1 million, which is being funded through a partnership between different levels of government and organizations including the Ministry of Natural Resources, the City of Toronto, and the Toronto Atmospheric Fund.

The public is invited to submit comments regarding the testing at the Ministry of Natural Resources or to Gartner Lee Limited, which is acting on behalf of Toronto Hydro. Comments must be received by Sept. 12.

By Danielle Milley

The Mirror

26 August 2008

Tags: Wind power, Wind energy

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