Municipal Monitor - January/February 2008 - (Page 16)

Harnessing the Wind Evaluating the pros and cons of wind power By Rick Sgabellone W hen the Ontario government set a target in 2003 for the province to produce 10 per cent (2,700 megawatts) of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010, it turned wind power from a cottage industry in Ontario to a growth industry. A quick Google search will find plenty of arguments promoting wind power as a clean, renewable energy source. There are plenty more taking a stand against wind energy, claiming the unpredictability and inconsistency of wind itself make wind energy too expensive to be worth the investment. For Ontario municipalities the parameters of debate are narrower. Benefits are largely monetary, ranging from the insignificant to the impressive, while the pitfalls lie mainly in three categories: noise, unsightliness and dead birds. The pitfalls [of wind energy] lie mainly in three categories: noise, unsightliness and dead birds. “Those are the three big issues coming up time and time again,” says David Timm, Ontario Policy Manager for the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA). Although some arguments in these categories are based on personal taste, Timm suggests that when it comes to collecting facts, decisionmakers in Ontario should consider their sources. “Municipalities have a very important role to play in the wind process,” he says. “It should be reviewed 16 • municipal MONITOR January/February 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Municipal Monitor - January/February 2008

Municipal Monitor - January/February 2008 Contents President’s Message: Recognizing Achievement Viewpoint: Increasing Voter Turnout Building Bridges The Municipal Buddy System Harnessing the Wind Water Under the Bridge Municipal Memos Index to Advertisers

Municipal Monitor - January/February 2008

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