The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) has outlined a future strategy for wind energy that would reach a capacity of 55,000 MW by 2025, fulfilling 20% of the country’s energy needs
The plan, Wind Vision 2025 – Powering Canada’s Future, could create over 50,000 jobs and represent around CDN$165 million annual revenue for Canadian regions.
If achieved, CanWEA’s target would make the country a major player in the wind power sector and would generate around CDN$79 billion of investment. It would also save an estimated 17 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
CanWEA is now calling on the federal and provincial governments in the country to develop a coherent development and deployment strategy for wind power. Steps need to be taken in encourage the production of wind turbines in Canada, ensure that the country’s transmission infrastructure is suitable for wind generation and streamline the approval process for wind projects.
According to a recent survey by CanWEA, 87% of Canadians support the idea of a 20% target for wind power by 2025 and 65% would be prepared to pay more for renewable power.
“We have the potential, the ability, and the support of Canadians, what we now need is government to step up and come to the table with a regulatory environment that streamlines and aids the development process,” says CanWEA president Robert Hornung.
For further information:
www.canwea.ca