October 5, 2021
The City of Ottawa is strangely devoted to the idea that industrial-scale or grid-scale wind turbines are just an ordinary on-farm activity.
When the final draft of the new Official Plan was presented at last week’s public meeting, City staff maintained their position that the large wind power generators were an activity just like any other in the countryside, like corn mazes and produce stands.
“We know there are concerns,” said planning staff member Melissa Jort-Conway, adding that the City will be conducting consultations and that the community will have input when the situation gets to the zoning bylaw stage.
That’s not very reassuring when you consider that the process for new bylaws allows for ONE comment period.
That’s it.
Ward 21 Councillor Scott Moffatt said at the recent Environmental Protection, Water and Waste Management committee meeting, which he chairs, that decisions aren’t always seen as fair by rural residents who are in the minority. They feel like they don’t get any say, he noted.
That is what happened south of Ottawa when the Ontario government under Kathleen Wynne approved one last wind power project, the 100-megawatt Nation Rise or Crysler project that encompasses hundreds of acres of land in North Stormont including the communities of Finch, Berwick and Crysler
Although the Wynne government had cancelled further wind power procurement in 2016, saying Ontario had enough power and it was more than 90-percent emissions-free, Nation Rise was approved in the Liberals’ last days. The community fought hard through an appeal which pointed out the risk of environmental noise, wildlife deaths and potential harm to the fragile aquifer. The communities remain divided after the bitter conflict.
In the recent heat wave in Ontario, wind power throughout the province failed to provide any significant amount of power during the days when demand was high to power air conditioning.
Now Ottawa is calling for as much as 3,200 megawatts of wind or more than 700 turbines by 2050.
Most Ottawa residents have never seen a modern wind turbine; their experience might be to see the turbines on Wolfe Island near Kingston which are some 18 km from highway 401–those are under 2 megawatts while turbines today are well over 3 megawatts in power rating, and stand 600 feet or more. The ExPlace turbine is downtown Toronto is less than one megawatt but works well as a backdrop for political and industry photos.
The facts: wind turbines do not fulfill any of the promises made for them by their promoters. They do not produce reliable power, they are highly invasive to the environment, the produce environmental noise pollution, and they do not contribute much toward any environmental action. They will use up valuable prime agricultural land, and they are most definitely NOT an on-farm activity, contributing to agriculture.
Yet Ottawa City Council seems to want them as highly visible “climate action” beacons.
Have your say by submitting a comment to the joint Planning and Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee meeting on October 14. Deadline October 13. Details here: https://engage.ottawa.ca/the-new-official-plan
Not an “on-farm” agricultural activity [Photo: D. Larsen for Wind Concerns Ontario]
Ottawa Wind Concerns 
Pingback: Ottawa’s Official Plan widens urban-rural divide | ajmarciniak
So what,, who cares?
For the last 8 hours the Chrysler windfarm has had no measurable input to the Ontario power grid. Under 1 megawatt from any large windfarm is not considered output due to required consumption.
In fact, all 45 of the Ontario windfarms contributed only 197 megawatts into an overnight grid demand of 17,197 megawatts. That’s only lacking 17,000 megawatts.
3,000 Ontario windmills producing less than 1% of demand.
Windmills have nothing to do with power!
I danced the twist, I bought 8 track tapes, now I invest in windmills.
Stupidity rules.
Low interest rates and the best Return On Investment ever realized, thanks to taxpayer subsidies.
700 in the Ottawa area, that’s peanuts, let’s go for 7000. No output from 3000 or no output from 7000, same difference in power, big difference in profit,,, and,,,, I get to say I TOLD YOU SO!
Stan the power man
Exactly, so why, knowing this, are we wrecking more countryside for virtue-signalling wind turbines?
Hmmm, good question!
I will quote a part of the response from our IESO that I recieved yesterday and, with that, perhaps, you can make up some form of reasoning that might be acceptable as an attempted reply.
Ontario Independent Electricity Systems Operator report assessing the impacts of phasing out gas power generation by 2030.
Ontarios economy is primed for decarbonization, even though it will be necassary to rely on existing gas generators for a number of years to support wide-scale emissions reductions.
In response to discussion from communities and other stakeholders, the IESO today released a study that determined phasing out gas generation by 2030 would result in blackouts, raise electricity costs and hinder electrification, but could be considered given more time and planning.
Recieved October 7th 2021.
Entire document available on the IESO site.
Yup, gas generators support emissions reductions. There is no mention of from who or from where that study evolved but I imagine it cost taxpayers plenty or possibly was supplied by a windmill proponent. No mention of which communities and the stakeholders obviously are the stockholders like myself who also have interests in the gas plants to fulfill contractual obligations. Industrial Wind Turbines need gas generation back-up, both invested by the same stakeholders, if you install one, you need the other.
McGinty and Wynne knew this before they signed into legislation the Green Energy Act of 2009 then offered the lucrative off shore contracts,,,and,,,the reason the GEA was written the way it was. Without general revenue fund inclusion noone I know would consider such a high risk.
My favorite wind power statement, “installed capacity”!
Ontario windfarms haven’t yet and probably never will achieve anywhere near the, “installed capacity”, for power generation as promoted,,,,but,,,,taxpayer subsidies and government by back profits have surpassed expectations. It is rare and short lived when the nearly 3,000 Ontario industrial wind turbines supply 3200 megawatts now so another 700 won’t make much difference.
The three gas plants I know of in Ottawa are not designed to feed the local grid so before windmills the city better build a huge gas plant!
Hope that helps!
Stan