Yellowknife (July 19/06) - Researchers are hoping for a windy year in the city.

If they get what they're after, it could lead to wind power generation in the not too distant future for the NWT capital.

NWT Power Corporation workers installed wind monitors on a communications tower at the Jackfish Power Plant last week. Researchers want to know if Yellowknife would be a good spot to generate wind energy. - photo courtesy of Myra Berrub

The Arctic Energy Alliance and Aurora Research Institute have used funds donated by the GNWT and NWT Power Corporation to set up a wind monitoring station. The tower is located at the Jackfish Lake Power Plant.

The four monitors and wind vane are attached to the top of the Power Corp.'s 40-metre communications tower and will record wind speed and direction.

Wind prospector and mechanical engineer Jean-Paul Pinard said they are looking to see if a wind farm ­ massive turbines driven by the wind to churn out energy ­ is viable for Yellowknife.

"It's worthwhile monitoring what the wind climate actually is," said Pinard.

He said the team is optimistic due to high winds frequently reported by airport officials.

Pinard has worked on several similar projects in the Yukon, where he is based, as well as in the Beaufort-Delta region ­ another place in the NWT where wind energy may be viable.

Winds should typically measure 22 km-hr annually to build a successful wind farm. The equipment, installed last week, will be checked monthly. At the end of a year, the data will be analyzed.

The cost of building a one megawatt turbine is around $1.5 million in the south, said Pinard. That price is expected to climb in the North, due to higher labour costs.

Some companies in Canada have sold electricity for five to six cents per kilowatt, and have made profits, he said.

There is also a one cent per kilowatt incentive program offered to those in the wind industry, sponsored by the federal government, he said.

"The Power Corp. is open to wind energy and other opportunities if it is reliable and won't cost the customer more," said Myra Berrub, co-ordinator of business and energy development for the Crown corporation.

She said Yellowknife is a great place for a wind pilot project because of the learning opportunities it presents.

Wind power is a renewable power source and is called "clean" because it does not generate air pollution.

Currently Yellowknife primarily gets its electricity from the Snare Lakes hydro electric complex.

Most smaller communities use diesel fuel, though Inuvik has successfully made the switch to natural gas and Jean Marie River is experimenting with small-scale solar power.