Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Lake Ontario windmills?

A meeting held last night in Scarborough to discuss the plans to install a wind meter on a platform in Lake Ontario as part of a two year feasibility study for placing 60 windmills in Lake Ontario (between Scarborough and Ajax), was attended by 1,000 people. Emotions were strong on both sides of the issue, not so much about the study but about the windmills themselves.

It makes a lot of sense to conduct a feasibility study before making such a large investment in wind power. For opponents of wind power (well, not exactly opposed to wind power but to the prospect of looking at windmills two kilometres off shore), it makes sense to oppose the study. No study. No windmills.

The Toronto Environmental Alliance chartered buses to bring people to the meeting from the nearest subway stop.

Chicago wind turbines in Lake Michigan

Here's the Toronto Star report - Offshore wind farm stirs up a tempest

Supporters of the proposed wind farm were often interrupted as they spoke by cries of "Do you live here?"

The proponent of the wind farm is Toronto Hydro Energy Services, an unregulated unit of Toronto Hydro Corp., which is owned by the City of Toronto...

Toronto's eastern shoreline is considered a good prospect for wind turbines because of a relatively shallow underwater reef two to four kilometres offshore, where the turbines can sit.

The turbines would be bigger than the turbine at Exhibition Place, and would generate about twice as much power.

A wind farm this size could generate up to 200 megawatts when the wind blows; one megawatt powers about 250 homes.

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