SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
An energy expert with the GNWT expressed excitement this week about a potential wind farm in the Snare River hills area but cautioned there is still more data needed to make the project viable.

This heated wind-measuring instrument was installed in the Snare River hills area by wind research JP Pinard through the Aurora Research Institute in December. The GNWT is hopeful that a wind farm project, if successful, could be built to displace diesel fuel for backup of the hydro system during drought seasons. - photo courtesy of JP Pinard

The GNWT has been involved in wind monitoring throughout the North stretching back to 2005.

Wind measuring instruments have been set up on towers in about 15 communities. The data collected is analyzed to see if the wind is strong enough to pursue potential projects. The recent discovery of high wind speeds at the Snare River hills complex - 140 km northwest of Yellowknife - could be a breakthrough that may one day help alleviate the cost of using diesel as a backup source during periods of low water levels, said Andrew Stewart, director of energy solutions with the Department of Public Works and Services.

"The challenge in the Snare system is actually drought," said Stewart. "That means that you only need additional energy solutions, or backup, when we have no water or when we have a drought. So droughts are a painful part but a normal part of a hydro cycle."

Over the last two summers, the Snare River hydro system, which powers Yellowknife, Behchoko and Dettah, saw water levels so low it led to the NWT Power Corporation relying more heavily on costly diesel and the GNWT paying $50 million over two years to avoid consumers' power bills going up.

Stewart said there are important things to consider with wind. He said significant droughts, based on historical patterns, only take place on average every 10 to 12 years. The rest of the time, hydro dams provide the best source of power by far.

He added that because the system consists of multiple small power plants, there is no capacity to take in large surpluses of energy from wind farms for future use when the hydro system is running normally.

"There would be lots of times the turbines would be spinning and you would have to find somewhere else to put that energy," he said. "There are a number of things you could explore, but it is going to complicate and increase costs."

In that case, surplus wind energy may have to be marketed for other uses. These could include exploring potential battery storage systems or using the energy for space heating of buildings or residences, which are dominated by biofuels and diesel in most places in Yellowknife. Ultimately, this would add to other financial costs for the GNWT, Stewart said.

Stewart admits the worst period may be over as high amounts of snow so far this year in the North Slave area may mean more precipitation to feed the water system so to provide for the hydro electricity needs. He also stated that with the drop of price in diesel, it could have a lesser impact on the government's finances if the territory were to suffer continued drought.

"We are more excited of the opportunity to introduce renewable energy solutions in places where we know we are going to displace diesel with every bit of energy that it produces," he said, declining comment on what kind of support the current government may provide for such a project, as it is a political decision.

"We are hopeful that wind in those certain circumstances, with the right wind speeds and capital costs that it can be competitive for fossil fuels."

An associated or estimated cost couldn't be determined by press time.

As a comparison, the four wind turbines at Diavik Diamond Mine produce 9 megawatts of power and the project cost $31 million. The Jackfish diesel plant has a megawatt capacity of 32.8 megawatts.