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Canada

Canada’s wind energy market experienced its second best year ever in 2007. A total of 386 MW of new wind energy capacity was installed in 2007, increasing Canada’s total by 26 per cent. In 2007 Canada had 1,856 MW of installed wind energy capacity.

Ten wind energy projects were commissioned in 2007 in five different Canadian provinces.

• Alberta led all provinces in 2007, installing three new projects totalling 139 MW. Alberta is now Canada’s leading province for wind energy with 524 MW.
• The largest wind energy project commissioned in Canada in 2007 was the 100.5 MW Anse-a-Valleau project in Quebec, the second project to be commissioned from Hydro-Quebec’s earlier 1,000 MW request for proposals.
• Two new projects, totalling 77.6 MW, were commissioned in Ontario. These two projects brought Ontario’s total installed capacity to 491 MW.
• Three smaller projects, totaling 59 MW, were installed in Canada’s smallest province, Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.). The installation of these facilities means that P.E.I. has now met its target to produce wind energy equivalent to 15 per cent of its total electricity demand three years ahead of schedule.
• One new 10 MW project was commissioned in Nova Scotia.

Turbines for these projects were provided by three manufacturers: Enercon (169 MW), Vestas (116.4 MW) and GE (100.5 MW).

Canada began 2008 with contracts signed ready for the installation of an additional 2,800 MW of wind energy, most of which is to be installed by no later than 2010.

In addition, several new calls for tender for wind energy projects were launched in 2007 in Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and contracts have now have now been signed for 4,700 MW of projects to be constructed in the period 2009–2016.

In addition, three tendering processes were issued in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia in 2008, and contracts will be awarded in late 2008 or early 2009.

The Canadian Wind Energy Association forecasts that Canada will have 2,600 MW of installed capacity by the end of 2008, an increase of around 800 MW on the previous year. Provincial government targets and objectives in Canada, if met, will give a minimum of 12,000 MW of installed wind energy in Canada by 2016.