Erie Shores Wind Farm
March 2009
Posted by Ian:
An extensive wind farm dominates the landscape in East Elgin. Wind power is a key component of Dalton McGuinty’s Green Energy Act for Ontario. Are they sustainable without heavy government subsidies?
By Dr. Stephen Murgatroyd
Columnist
Troy Media Corporation
Spain has a great many wind farms. In fact, by 2010, Spain will have 20,000 megawatts of installed capacity. At the peak of the winds this past February, it was able to generate 11,800 megawatts, or 29% of its energy requirements on a particular day (meaning that the turbines were working at 69% of their capacity).
Spain ranks third in the world for wind power, behind only Germany, at nearly 24,000 megawatts of capacity, and the United States, at No. 1, with over 25,000 megawatts.
But there’s a cost. Wind power has grown in Spain only because of the size of the subsidies involved. The case is the same for solar power.
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