Wind Farm Scarborough Bluffs

[BIGFRANK]

Hydro eyes new wind farm on Bluffs
by John Spears, Toronto Star June 25, 2008
   

After a two-year delay, Toronto Hydro hopes to have a device moored on Lake Ontario this fall to test the breeze for a wind farm 2 kilometres off the Scarborough Bluffs.

The goal, says Toronto Hydro chief executive Dave O'Brien, is to establish a 60-turbine offshore wind farm capable of generating 100 megawatts.

It should take two years of collecting and analyzing wind-speed data to learn whether the project makes economic sense, O'Brien told councillors is a briefing yesterday. The City of Toronto is the utility's sole shareholder.

Toronto Hydro first proposed the idea two years ago, but the Ontario government placed a moratorium on offshore wind projects. The moratorium was recently lifted.

The wind measurement instrument, or anemometer, would rise only 3 metres above the water's surface but would measure the wind speed at 30 metres, the height of the turbine blades.

"We hope by October-November we'll have it in place," O'Brien said in an interview.

Winds out on the lake tend to blow more steadily, he said.

The intended site, off the bluffs, is ideal because a natural reef rises from the lake bed there, he said. The water is only about 10 metres deep, making it much easier to anchor turbines on the bottom.

O'Brien said the lake is much deeper elsewhere along the Toronto shoreline, so there won't be a string of turbines extending from Scarborough to Etobicoke.

It would take two to three years to chart wind speeds, get regulatory approval and install the wind farm, O'Brien said.

The turbines contemplated would be much bigger than the 0.75-megawatt turbine in operation at Exhibition Place, generating 1.5 to 2 megawatts each.

O'Brien said Toronto Hydro would like to move more aggressively into alternate power sources.

Just as the city has been given unique powers because of its size and the complexity of issues it faces, Toronto Hydro should be given more authority, he said.

The utility has limited control over generating electricity, controlling high-voltage transmission lines and setting conservation programs, he said.

If it were given that authority by the Ontario Energy Board, "then we don't have to worry about Hydro One, Ontario Power Generation, the Ontario Power Authority, all that stuff," he said.

"We can engage the community of Toronto in these solutions."
 

What we can do:
We have to Sept 12 to voice our concerns.
 People can call the local councillor Paul Ainslie 416-396-7222 to voice concern.  There are other issues but my only concern is the birds.  Other issues are noise pollution, property value, eyesore, etc.  Also if they ask you write to Mark Patterson Ministry of Natural Resources 50 Bloomington Rd W., Aurora, L4G 3G8  905-713-7386

(the edit was removing a caption of a photo that didnt show up,nothing important to the story)

[Halton Hills]

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Not sure what there is to protest.......


Myth: Wind farms kill birds

Fact: The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) stated in 2004 in an information leaflet entitled Wind farms and birds, "we have not so far witnessed any major adverse effects on birds associated with wind farms". Wind farms are always subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment to ensure that wind farm design and layout does not interfere with sensitive species or wildlife designated sites. Moreover, a recent report published in the journal Nature confirmed that the greatest threat to bird populations is climate change.

Here is a link to "Common Eco-Myth.....Wind Turbines Kill Birds"  ***  http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/04 ... sconce.php  ***


Myth: Wind farms won't help climate change

Fact: Wind power is a clean, renewable source of energy which produces no greenhouse gas emissions or waste products. Canada emits millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), the key greenhouse gas culprit, with power stations being a large contributor. We need to switch to forms of energy that do not produce CO2. Just one modern wind turbine will save over 4,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.


Myth: Wind farms are noisy

Fact: The evolution of wind farm technology over the past decade has rendered mechanical noise from turbines almost undetectable with the main sound being the aerodynamic swoosh of the blades passing the tower. There are strict guidelines on wind turbines and noise emissions to ensure the protection of residential amenity which must be followed by wind farm developers. The best advice for any doubter is to go and hear for yourself.

There is a large wind farm just outside Shelburne (Hwy 10 & Hwy 89)


Myth: Wind farms harm property prices

Fact: There is currently no evidence showing that wind farms impact house prices. In fact, there are studies that show that those living nearest to wind farms are their strongest advocates.


Myth: Wind power is expensive

Fact: The cost of generating electricity from wind has fallen dramatically over the past few years. Between 1990 and 2002, world wind energy capacity doubled every three years and with every doubling prices fell by 15%. Wind energy is competitive with new coal and new nuclear capacity, even before any environmental costs of fossil fuel and nuclear generation are taken into account. The average cost of generating electricity from wind is now competitive with new coal and cheaper than new nuclear. As gas prices increase and wind power costs fall – both of which are very likely to continue – wind becomes even more competitive, so much so that some time after 2010 wind should challenge gas as the lowest cost power source. Furthermore, the wind is a free and widely available fuel source, therefore once the wind farm is in place, there are no fuel or waste related costs.


Myth: Wind farms are ugly and unpopular

Fact: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and whether you think a wind turbine is attractive or not will always be your personal opinion. However, studies regularly show that most people find turbines an interesting feature of the landscape. On average 80% of the public support wind energy, less than 10% are against it, with the remainder undecided. Surveys conducted since the early 1990's near existing wind farms have consistently found that most people are in favour of wind energy , with support increasing among those living closer to the wind farms.



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[BIGFRANK]

Yep..a friend sent me the article I posted and the info. I thought Id post and maybe create some discussion. I did abit of poking around last evening(nite...morning) and found alot of the info you've posted. While I often distrust studies(often they are self-serving..paid for by the industry being evaluated) it would appear very few birds are impacted by windmills/farms,provided the most up to date equipment is used. I do think that its worth telling the powers that be though that along the lake in that area threatened species like Red-shouldered Hawks,a large number of Peregrine Falcons and Osprey migrate through. When inevitably this project passes,I hope it will be heavily monitored.

[Halton Hills]

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   :wink:


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[Pat Hodgson]

there is no effective way to monitor bird kills by over-water turbines

[Halton Hills]

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there is no effective way to monitor bird kills by over-water turbines

Actually.......studies have been conducted using microphones and cameras.

This type of system runs continuously and records collisions even at night using an infrared camera.

Data is obtained remotely, whether the turbine is land or water based.

These systems are already in operation and have not recorded any bird collisions.



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[JTF]

Nothing wrong with these for sure, great idea.

[GStuart]

Apparently, wind turbines are not really a "bird problem".  However, they are a "bat problem".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7581990.stm

[Halton Hills]

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Interesting phenomena.......hopefully more research will produce a solution.


As noted in that article.....radar may be the key. Here's a C & P on that subject.


Researchers at Aberdeen University studied the behaviour of bats at radar installations
and found they did not forage where electromagnetic radiation could be measured.

Bat experts Prof Paul Racey and Dr Barry Nicholls studied bats at various distances
from 10 radar installations across Scotland.

"We think the bats either feel the heat of the radiation or can actually hear it.
Either way, they appear not to like it, and forage elsewhere"

They said they found bats foraged where no radiation was detectable.

"This raises the possibility that radar could be used to deter bats from approaching wind turbines"


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