Saskatchewan approves new wind energy project

interested in developing wind power on this scale to demonstrate that there are alternatives to tackling climate change that don’t involve a carbon tax,” he said.

The Canadian Wind Energy Association says Saskatchewan had 221 megawatts of installed wind energy capacity as of August. Ontario generates the most with 5,076 megawatts followed by Quebec at 3,882 and Alberta at 1,483.

The province said it has a strategy to reduce emissions from electrical power generation by 40 per cent by 2030.

The association says on its website that Saskatchewan unveiled a plan in 2015 to have wind energy make up 30 per cent of the province’s electricity generating capacity by 2030.

In order to achieve that, the association says that Saskatchewan would need to add 1,600 MW of new wind energy in the next 15 years.

Watson said that goal is ambitious and would come down to how much the province would want to pay in order to make it happen.

“Do you start to shift some seeds away from fossil fuel companies, do you start to impose a carbon tax and shift those resources over into investment into renewable energy like this?” he said.

Saskatchewan currently has 143 wind turbines that make up around three per cent of the total generation fleet.

The new turbines are expected to generate enough energy to power more than 70,000 homes.

Construction is expected to begin next year with possible service as early as 2021.

Blue Hill will be the seventh privately developed wind power generation project in Saskatchewan.

— By Ryan McKenna in Regina.

Canadian Press photo A large-scale wind energy project has been approved for southeast Saskatchewan as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Saskatchewan Energy Minister Dustin Duncan scrums with reporters at the provincial legislature, in Regina on Thursday.