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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

How wind turbines positively affect British Columbia

Capstone formal research paper

Sarah Toews

Career Life Connections 11

Mr. Koshman

16/11/2017
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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

Introduction
Every dollar spent on nuclear is one less dollar spent on clean renewable energy and one more

dollar spent on making the world a comparatively dirtier and a more dangerous place, because

nuclear power and nuclear weapons go hand in hand. (Mark Z. Jacobson)

The main idea of this paper is that wind turbines in British Columbia will affect the economy, our

health and the environment while becoming a major source of renewable energy for the province.

Wind turbines produce around 1.6% of British Columbias energy demand (Wind Energy:

British Columbia Canwea) and in the future that percent will become larger when wind turbines

become a more dependent source of energy for BC. With new locations for wind farms and

construction plans in place B.C should have more wind turbines that produce more power in the

near future.

Although some people say that wind turbines cause medical issues such as headaches, there is no

scientific research that proves that point. Things like power plants that rely on combustion of

fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, emit particulate matter that is causing human health

problems and economic damages unlike wind turbines. Wind turbines help to remove pollution

from the air and they do not cause any pollution. This reduces the risk of chronic sinusitis,

allergies, and asthma as well as other respiratory problems.

Another reason as to why wind turbines are not as common as other types of energy (including

nuclear and coal) is because of its price. The global average cost of onshore wind could fall by

26 per cent by 2025 as technological improvements continue to be made. (2016 June,

International Renewable Energy Agency) Affordability of wind energy https://canwea.ca.

Wind power was the first of the second generation renewables to become cheaper than coal and

as a result its popularity has exploded in the last 15 years (Farris, Andrew Wind Power 2017).
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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

Thanks to technological advancements and increased demand, prices are expected keep

decreasing in the future.

With the use of wind turbines in BC our environment will be greatly effected in positive ways.

Wind energy is a green energy source. Using wind energy does not pollute the environment

nearly as much as fossil fuels, coal and nuclear power do. Although noise is a problem for some

people that live near wind turbines. Building wind turbines in urban environments should be

avoided. Noise is not a problem with offshore wind turbines. Also new designs show significant

improvements compared to older models and they generate less noise.

The provincial governments new climate strategy adopts a long-term target of emissions

reduction by 80 per cent of 2007 levels by 2050 (2016 June Renewable Fuels Regulations

Report Gov. of Canada). Wind turbines are able to create a cleaner environment by being able to

produce energy that does not emit greenhouse gases. Learning how wind turbines work and why

they will make an impact on British Columbias economy, health and environment is an

important step in creating a cleaner environment.

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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

From colossal wind farms generating power to single turbines powering residential areas, wind

turbines around the globe create clean electricity for a variety of power needs. Wind is a form of

solar energy and is a result of the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities

of the earth's surface, and the rotation of the earth. (http://www.smg.gov.mo) Wind flow

patterns and speeds vary greatly across Canada and are modified by bodies of water, vegetation,

and differences in terrain. (Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy). Modern wind

turbines fall into two categories: horizontal-axis design and vertical-axis design. The majority of

wind turbines consist of three blades mounted to a tower made from tubular steel. There are less

common varieties with two blades, or with concrete or steel lattice towers. At 100 feet or more

above the ground, the tower allows the turbine to take advantage of faster wind speeds found at

higher altitudes. (Erin R. Pierce 2014) Three-bladed wind turbines are operated "upwind," with

the blades facing into the wind. Larger wind turbines which are grouped together to create a

wind farm are more cost effective. Wind farms provide a larger amount of power to a specific

electrical grid. Single small turbines, below 100 kilowatts, can be used for homes,

telecommunications dishes, or water pumping.(U.S Department of Energy) These systems are

typically used in remote locations, where a connection to the utility grid is not available.

British Columbias first wind farm began commercial operations in November 2009. At the end

of 2016, the province had almost 500 MW of installed wind energy capacity, supplying nearly

two per cent of British Columbias electricity demand. (Canwea Wind energy)
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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

Wind turbine locations in BC:

Bear Mountain, near Dawson Creek: 102 MW (34 Enercon MW turbines)

AltaGas' 102-megawatt Bear Mountain Wind Park, located near Dawson Creek, is

British Columbia's first fully-operational wind park. In October 2009 the Park was

commissioned and fully connected to the B.C. power grid. Today it delivers enough

electricity to power most of B.C.'s South Peace region. The power from the project is sold

to BC Hydro under a 25-year contract. Bear Mountain Wind Park features a single row of

34 3-MW Enercon E-82 wind turbine generators. Each turbine is 78-metres tall to the

hub. The site, which covers approximately 25 hectares, is still used for cattle grazing and

by the public for hiking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and other recreational

activities. (Engie, http://www.engie-na.com/)

Dokie Wind Project: 144 MW (48 Vestas V-90 turbines)

The Dokie site is remote, situated in the front range of the Canadian Rock-ies along

Dokie Ridge. This initial phase of the project is part of an overall planned 300-

megawatt development. Once completed, the

Peace River region will house British Columbias largest wind power facility. BC Hydro

will buy the power from the first phase under a 25-year energy purchase agreement.

(http://www.mortenson.com)

Eye of the Wind, Grouse Mountain: 1.5 MW (Leitwind turbine)

Inspiring and revolutionary, this is the worlds first and only wind turbine that allows

you to stand in a clear glass view POD at the top of the tower, three metres from its

massive, rotating blades. The Eye of the Wind sits atop Grouse Mountain, just north of

Vancouver. Weighing more than 250 tons and standing 65 meters tall (Craig Patterson)
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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

Quality Wind, Tumbler Ridge: 144 MW

Capital Powers 142-megawatt (MW) Quality Wind facility located near Tumbler Ridge,

British Columbia began commercial operation on November 6, 2012, on time and under

budget. The facility is now supplying renewable energy to British Columbias power grid.

The project involved the installation of 79 Vestas V90 and V100 wind turbines, which

will each produce 1.8 MW of power. The Quality Wind Project received a 25-year

Electricity Purchase Agreement in March 2010 to supply clean, renewable energy to B.C.

Hydro. The project will generate enough clean electricity to meet the average annual

needs of about 43,000 homes. (Derrick Penner 2015)

Knob Hill, Cape Scott, Vancouver Island: 99 MW

The 99MW Cape Scott wind farm is situated approximately 35km to the west of Port

Hardy in Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Formerly known as Knob Hill wind farm,

it is the first utility-scale project to be developed on the western coast of British

Columbia. The project is expected to annually generate 290GWh of clean energy,

enough to power 30,000 Vancouver Island homes."(Power Technology)

Without the use of wind energy, British Columbia would emit a much larger amount of pollution

than the amount it produces with the use of renewable energy. Pollution leads to the release of

more greenhouse gases and global warming. Together they have negative effects on British

Columbias economy, peoples health and of course, the environment. As wind turbines become

a more dependable source of energy for BC, a decrease in these negative effects will begin to

happen and the difference will be astonishing.

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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

Economy

Wind energy also provides additional value to the province. BC Hydro, a major electricity

exporter has the opportunity to deliver wind and hydro together as a green energy product that

meets the requirements of western U.S. states and can earn additional revenue by accessing

renewable energy credits that cant be earned by large hydro alone.

Wind projects can be deployed quickly and at a scale that matches load growth, creating less

risk for ratepayers. Tax and royalty payments made by independent power producers currently

total $244 million a year, a figure that will grow as new projects are brought on line. (Canwea

wind energy)

Wind energy currently supplies approximately six per cent of Canadas electricity demand,

generating enough power to meet the needs of almost 3.2 million Canadian homes. There are 285

wind farms operating from coast to coast, including projects in two of the three northern

territories. In 2016, Canadas wind generation grew by 702 megawatts (MW) spread among 21

new wind energy projects, representing an investment of about $1.5 billion. The installed

capacity of wind generation reached 11,898 MW in 2016. (Canwea Wind energy) Renewable

energy is definitely an investment for the province of BC, but when looked at its obvious that the

money being spent on construction and employment is creating numerous advantages for the

province.

Analyses presented to the B.C. Utilities Commissions 2017 review of the Site C hydroelectric

project clearly show that wind energy is cost-competitive with new hydro generation now and

that its costs are expected to keep falling into the future. (Canwea wind energy)
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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

The price of wind energy is one of the cheapest sources of renewable energy and will continue to

become cheaper thanks to technological advancements and its growth in popularity. This is good

news for British Columbias economy and government. They have the opportunity to spend less

money, while creating clean energy and a cleaner province.

Health

In an article published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, University of B.C.

researchers say Chronic exposure to air pollution causes nearly nine times as many premature

deaths in Canada as traffic crashes. About 21,000 Canadians die prematurely from the ill effects

of air pollution each year, compared to 2,400 from traffic crashes.

Heavy emissions from motor vehicles and industrial activities can contribute to the development

of smog. This is known problem in Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. A component of smog

ground level ozone is linked to respiratory irritation, affecting individuals with asthma and

chronic lung disease. Even healthy individuals can experience chest pain, coughing, nausea, and

lung congestion when exposed to low amounts of this ozone. (British Columbia ministry of

environment 2016)

Creating electricity from renewable energy such as wind turbines rather than fossil fuels offers

significant health benefits for the public. The water and air pollution produced by coal and

natural gas plants can be linked to respiratory problems, brain damage, heart attacks, and

different forms of cancer. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy has also been found to

reduce premature death.

Between 1951 and 1980 in Victoria, an average of three days per year were warmer than 30C.

In the 21st century, hot days are expected to more than quadruple, to 13 days per year. Hot days
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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

will be even more frequent in the Lower Mainland and the interior of BC. (British Columbia

ministry of environment 2016) As a result, heat-related health impacts including heat stroke,

dehydration, and cardiovascular and respiratory illness are expected to increase

The impact of climate change on mental health is a relatively new field of research, but it should

not be underestimated. People who have survived droughts, floods, tropical storms and similar

extreme weather events often lose their homes and their families. As a result, they can experience

post-traumatic stress disorder, severe depression and other mental health problems. (U.S.

National Wildlife Federation, 2012) It is predicted that cases of mental and social illnesses will

rise as the signs of climate change begin to show more frequently, and as more people are

directly affected by heat waves, drought and other extreme events that put pressure on clean

water resources, food prices and social security. People can suffer from depression and anxiety

disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, substance abuse, suicides and widespread outbreaks of

violence (Meera Senthilingam 2017).

Children, the poor, the elderly and those with existing mental health problems are those likely to

be the hardest hit and the most affected. Those are the people who are the most vulnerable and it

is important that they are protected from disaster. Wind turbines have the chance to do that by

reducing the chance of extreme events.

Environment

Burning fossil fuels is harmful for the environment. When coal and oil are burned with the use of

power plants, they release particles that can pollute the air, water, and land. Unlike power plants,

wind turbines do not emit pollutants into the air and they dont create any pollution. Burning

fossil fuels also upsets Earths carbon budget, which balances the carbon in the ocean, earth,
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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

and air. When fossil fuels are heated, they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon

dioxide is a gas that keeps heat in Earths atmosphere if too much is produced the earth has the

possibility to overheat which is a main cause of global warming.

Since the Industrial Revolution of the late 1700s and early 1800s, people have been releasing

large quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. That amount has skyrocketed in the past

century. Greenhouse gas emissions increased 70 percent between 1970 and 2004. Emissions of

CO2, the most important greenhouse gas, rose by about 80 percent during that time. The amount

of CO2 in the atmosphere today far exceeds the natural range seen over the last 650,000 years.

(National Geographic)

Even the slightest shift in temperature can have huge effects on the province. One of the more

obvious effects of global warming is melting glaciers. The melting ice drains into the oceans,

causing sea levels to rise. Rising sea levels are more likely to contribute to increase flooding of

low-lying coastal regions. This has the possibility to threaten wetlands, beaches and other

sensitive coastal ecosystems, and sites of cultural importance to Aboriginal peoples. The rise in

average global sea level observed during the 20th century is very likely due to climate change. As

the atmosphere warms, sea water warms and expands in volume. Thermal expansion is a major

influence on past changes in sea level. It is expected to make the greatest contribution to a rising

sea level over the next century (British Columbia ministry of environment 2016)

Average sea level has risen along most of the B.C. coast over the past century. Average sea level

rose at a rate of 13.3 centimetres per century at Prince Rupert, 6.6 centimetres per century at

Victoria and 3.7 centimetres per century at Vancouver. (British Columbia ministry of

environment 2016)
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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

Analysis of historical data indicates that many properties of climate have changed during the

20th and early 21st centuries, affecting marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems in British

Columbia. (British Columbia ministry of environment 2016)

One change is warmer river temperatures which are associated with increased mortality in

migrating salmon. Changes in river flow and temperature linked to climate change are expected

to have profound negative impacts on some salmon stocks.

Most Fraser River sockeye stocks must pass through Hells Gate, above Hope, in their migration

upriver. Measurements taken at Hells Gate show varying river flow and temperature year to

year. Research has established a link between water flow and temperature and mortality in Fraser

River spawning stocks. Fish may die while in transit up the river (en route mortality) or they

may not spawn when they arrive at their spawning grounds (prespawning mortality). During

the past decade, en route mortality in several runs has been greater than 50 percent. Records from

1978 to 1998 indicate that en route losses have been greatest in years with warm river

temperatures. (British Columbia ministry of environment 2016)

Salmon dont always reach spawning grounds:

warmer waters cause salmon to burn energy faster salmon die en route due to exhaustion

and infection

stressed salmon reach spawning grounds, but fail to spawn in warmer waters

increase bacterial/fungal infections in salmon

All of these human activities add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. As the level of these gases

rises, so does the temperature of the Earth. The rise in Earths temperature is mostly caused by

human activity and is known as global warming. Average annual temperature in BC may
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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

increase by 1.7C to 4.5C from 1961-1990 temperatures. (British Columbia ministry of

environment 2016)

Earths climate has changed many times. The planet has gone through cold periods, where ice

sheets and large glaciers covered many portions of the earth. It has also gone through warmer

periods of time when the temperature was higher than what they tend to be today. Past changes in

Earths temperature happened very slowly, it took more than hundreds of thousands of years for

the change to occur. However, the recent warming is happening much faster than it ever has

before. The natural cycles of warming and cooling arent able explain the amount of warming we

have experienced in such a short time. Only human activities can account for it. Scientists worry

that the climate is changing faster than most living things can adapt to it and that is a problem..

Wind energy compared with natural gas, which emits between 0.6 and 2 pounds of carbon

dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour (CO2E/kWh), and coal, which emits between 1.4 and 3.6

pounds of CO2E/kWh, wind emits only 0.02 to 0.04 pounds of CO2E/kWh (Union of

Concerned Scientists)

Wind and solar energy require almost no water to operate and so it doesnt contaminate water

resources or have any major effects on water supply and the water that is needed for agriculture

and farming. On the other hand, fossil fuels can have a significant impact on water resources. For

example, both natural gas drilling and coal mining can pollute sources of drinking water. Natural

gas extraction by hydraulic fracturing requires large amounts of water and most power plants,

such as those powered by coal, gas, and oil, consume water for cooling.

It is important to know that global warming greatly affects the ecosystems in B.C. The earth gets

warmer, sea levels rise and the water becomes warmer. This can cause flooding and affects
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WIND TURBINES ARE A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR BC

salmon and their habitats. Realizing this is important and knowing that it wont stop unless

something is done is critical. Wind turbines can put the province on a better track to improving

the environment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, with the use of wind turbines in British Columbia the amount of negative effects

caused by pollution are reduced. With numerous wind turbines across B.C pollution emissions

decrease which lowers the amount of dangerous particle matter in the air. With that said health

risks are also lowered and premature death rates decrease. Wind turbines give B.C the chance to

have more economic success as it is a cheaper form of renewable energy. Finally, Wind turbines

help create a cleaner environment. With less pollution and global warming B.C becomes a

cleaner province for everyone, animals such as salmon and humans. Sea levels will not rise as

much as they would and the average temperature will decrease as well. As you can see, without

wind turbines British Columbia would be negatively affected in many ways. Wind turbines give

B.C the opportunity to become a cleaner province that one day will be able to run with only the

use of renewable energy.