Wind Power News: New Brunswick
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Ice plagues northern wind farm; Only 11 of 33 turbines operating
Cold weather continues to plague a northern New Brunswick wind farm with technical issues. The intense cold over the past week has caused ice to build up on turbine blades at the Caribou Wind Park near Bathurst. Only 11 out of 33 turbines are currently running, officials with GDF Suez Energy North America, the company that owns the wind park, confirmed. Company spokesperson Julie Vitek said the problems continue to occur due to the location’s tendency to attract fog. When . . .
Acciona still hoping to build wind farm on Tantramar Marsh
A proposed wind farm project along the Tantramar Marsh in Aulac is still on track to become a reality although it’s still unclear as to when that might happen. “We’re continuing to develop it,” said Michael Petersen, development director with Acciona Wind Energy Canada Inc. earlier this week. Acciona, one of the world’s leading renewable energy firms, began the initial steps towards the project more than four years ago when it landed the contract from NB Power to construct the . . .
New Brunswick’s incredible wind follies
On May 10 the third wind farm in New Brunswick went into operation near Lamèque. Promoters are – what else? – promoting the idea of building more wind farms. Let’s look at that Lamèque facility. It is touted as being able to “produce enough energy to power 8,000 homes.” That’s fine, as long as the wind is blowing at full strength (typically 60 kilometres an hour). But what happens when the wind falls off, say to half? Electrical output drops . . .
N.S. firm eyes Restigouche County for wind farm
HALIFAX – The head of Shear Wind Inc. says he’s keen to build a large wind farm in northern New Brunswick, a project he says would boost the economy of Restigouche County. “It’s an area that has a need for any form of economic development. Building a wind farm is certainly a huge contributor to reaching that goal,” said Mike Magnus, Shear Wind’s president and CEO. On Monday, Shear Wind (TSX-V:SWX) announced that its 62-megawatt Glen Dhu wind farm is . . .
Acciona still working to make wind farm a reality on Tantramar marsh
A renewable energy company that is hoping to build a wind farm on the Tantramar Marsh in Aulac is still working to get the project off the ground. Acciona Wind Energy Canada Inc. was expected to be well under way by now on its proposed 43-turbine wind farm on the marsh but permitting delays, the economic recession and the need for further bird studies have led to setbacks in the project. Annie Callan, development manager for the Aulac wind farm . . .
Northern New Brunswick wind farm slowed by ice again
The Caribou wind farm near Bathurst, N.B., has been shut down for the second winter in a row because of ice. Manager Mark Hachey says the 33 turbines were last in operation during the second week of January. The farm, which is about 70 km northwest of Bathurst, had similar problems last winter and had lost 20 days of power generation by mid-February. “The cold weather is not an issue,” Hachey said. “They can run in rain, they can run . . .
New Brunswick wind farm frozen out of commission
FREDERICTON – A $200-million wind farm in northern New Brunswick is frozen solid, cutting off a potential supply of renewable energy for NB Power. The 25-kilometre stretch of wind turbines, located 70 kilometres northwest of Bathurst, has been completely shut down for several weeks due to heavy ice covering their blades. GDF SUEZ Energy, the company that owns and operates the site, is working to return the windmills to working order, a spokesperson says. “We can’t control the weather,” Julie . . .
Wind energy pricey, comes at expense of mill jobs, Irving says
MIRAMICHI – New Brunswick must get its energy costs under control if its battered economy is going to re-establish itself, an industry magnate told the province’s energy commission Tuesday. Jim Irving, president of J.D. Irving Ltd., said the cost of electricity can be the difference between success and failure in the energy-intensive pulp and paper industry. “Every other forestry jurisdiction in North America has dealt with energy. They’ve decided that forestry provides a key economic engine for a lot of . . .
Miners no fans of wind farms
Wind farms are standing in the way of millions of dollars in untapped exploration revenues in resource-rich New Brunswick, according to the province’s mineral exploration and development industry. The New Brunswick Prospectors and Developers Association is urging the province to reconsider the creation of any further large-scale wind farms in the province, charging that once lucrative lands are quickly becoming no-go zones for exploration projects. “Don’t kill exploration just to be able to say we’re green,” said Earnest Brooks, a . . .
Energy panel urges caution
EDMUNDSTON – The co-chairmen of New Brunswick’s energy commission are warning that new energy projects in the province could hurt economic growth. Jeannot Volpé and Bill Thompson launched the commission’s public consultation process in Edmundston on Tuesday, in efforts to engage the public in developing a 10-year provincial energy plan. The panel heard repeated calls in its first meeting for the provincial government to move and expand on a proposed community energy policy, with energy co-operatives and municipalities hoping to . . .
