HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-02-06, Page 18Wednesday, February 6, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 17
Al)VEIITISEMEN'I'
Bep.d Wind
Farm
unity News
Gord Potts
Director Business Development
and Project Manager
Grand Bend Wind Farm for
Northland Power Inc.
Farmers can plant
crops and graze
livestock right
up to the base
of wind turbines.
Agricultural Land Use
and Wind Turbines
Wind farms and farmers
The term 'wind farm' is fitting; as Ontario moves towards a
green economy, thousands of Ontario farmers are participating
through FIT and microFlT programs. Some of you may be
wondering whether or not wind farms are compatible with
agricultural and other rural land uses, whether wind turbines
impact livestock, and how much land is taken up by a wind
farm's layout. The fact is, wind energy is a great fit with rural
life and agricultural land uses.
Wind power is not new technology for most farming areas.
Many farms started using wind power to pump water and
generate power in the late 187os. Today, farming, ranching
and hunting can continue unhindered on wind farms. This
is because the footprint of a wind turbine is relatively small,
with the base of the tower typically about fifteen feet across.
Large wind turbines generally use less than half an acre of land,
including access roads; so farmers can plant crops and graze
livestock right up to the base of the turbines. Livestock on a
number of farms have even been reported to use the turbines
as a source of shade and as scratching posts. If and when the
turbines eventually need to be decommissioned, the land can
be returned to its former state.
A sustainable source of energy and income
Wind energy is one of the most sustainable forms of energy
available. Wind power is helping Ontario improve its air
quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Compared to
other types of energy generation, wind turbines use virtually
no water. This preserves local water resources for purposes
such as irrigation and drinking water.
Intelligent energy for a greener planet
http://grandbend.northlandpower.ca
by Gord Potts
This is of particular importance as climate change makes
weather patterns more unpredictable. In 2012, North America
experienced some of the worst droughts in half a century -
CBC reported last August that rainfall in most of southern and
parts of eastern Ontario was 4o to 6o percent below normal.
In the United States, over z,000 counties in 26 states were
declared as natural -disaster areas. For some of the farmers in
that area, wind turbines provided a steady source of income
in a time of uncertainty. A fourth-generation wheat farmer in
Kansas summed it up in a July 2012 interview: "It's there every
year. It's there to use as you need it, when you need it."'
The lay of the land
In addition to providing clean, safe, renewable energy, wind
power provides a reliable supplement to farm earnings, and
is a bankable, low -maintenance revenue stream that permits
farmers to preserve the quality and traditions of their way of
life. With proper planning, siting and construction practices,
any risks to land and soil resources can be minimized. Land
lease agreements form a binding contract that, over the life of
the wind power project (2o years or more), are effectively an
investment in keeping the land as an open green space.
Northland Power is an experienced wind developer and our
projects are conducted with care and attention to details.
We are committed to developing the Grand Bend Wind Farm
in harmony with established land uses. If you have questions
about the project or about wind energy, I encourage you to
contact me at grandbend@northlandpower.ca or visit the
project website.
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/bdeans/wind energy _a lifelins_for dro.html
Northland Power is an Ontario -based company with over )5 years experience developing,
owning and operating facilities that produce and sell clean and green energy
NORTHLAND
POWER