The province of Alberta, a heavy coal and natural gas producer, plans to develop more wind power. Although it was the first province to surpass 500 MW of installed wind capacity, Alberta's development of wind energy has stalled as of late.
To spur development, the province has come up with a series of plans to get more wind onto the grid through the enactment of renewable energy zones, according to Tim Grant, Alberta's assistant deputy minister of electricity and alternative energy.
Grant spoke at the session, ‘Provincial Government Perspectives on Wind Energy Opportunities’ held at the Canadian Wind Energy Association's Annual Conference and Exhibition in Toronto.
Alberta is different from other provinces in that it has a market-based electricity system. Wind developers participate in the merchant model, taking the price on offers or signing bilateral agreements with commercial and industrial users, which accounts for two-thirds of electricity usage in Alberta.
Alberta currently has about 520 MW of installed capacity. There is currently 12,000 MW of wind power waiting for interconnection, 690 MW of which is expected to be installed within the next few years. About 3,900 MW of total installed capacity is anticipated for the province over the next 10 years.
The province has not built any major transmission lines since the 1980s. Before Alberta can claim its place among Canada's wind leaders, it must first solve its transmission woes.
‘Alberta is the least interconnected of any province in Canada,’ said Grant, adding that the province has interties with British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
The Alberta Electric System Operator plans to help the province add more wind power to the grid by developing a framework that includes selecting and contracting for a wind power forecasting service provider in October. Then, the system operator plans to institute a wind working group for 2010.
