Why Not Ohio? Ontario To Use Wind Power To Boost Manufacturing

[irishbobcat]

Why Not Ohio? Ontario To Use Wind Power To Boost Manufacturing

A $1.1-billion wind farm development slated for Southwestern Ontario would be the largest of its type in the province and cement the region's reputation as a wind energy centre.

Next Era Energy, North America's largest energy company, is proposing to build three wind farm projects in Lambton and Huron counties. Combined, they'd dwarf other farms — adding up to 300 wind turbines to the landscape and generating 490 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 144,000 homes.

The developments would also bring manufacturing jobs, since Next Era will buy either General Electric or Siemens turbines and has made it clear it wants to buy local — pressing the manufacturers to open plants here.

Over the next six years about 1,000 MW of wind power are expected to be added to the power grid each year.

Murray Stewart, president of the Energy Council of Canada, agreed, saying Next Era's "is a big development and there are a lot more on the horizon."

He also credited Ontario's Green Energy Act and its feed-in tariff program — it pays a fixed amount to businesses providing energy to the grid, and the rates for sustainable energy ensure a profit — with spurring development.

"There is no question the FIT makes it easier for suppliers and developers to come here — they get a good, long-term contract and a good market," he said.

What a difference government can make. In Ontario you have a government pushing Feed-In Tariffs and wind energy, while Ted Strickland pushes dirty coal and nuke power for Ohio. How many new manufacturing jobs are your new dirty coal plants bringing into Ohio, Ted? Zilch, Zero, None.

Ohio is already at the bottom of the list of states currently using renewable energy at producing only 1% of renewable energy. Do we really see this number going any higher with Ted Strickland remaining in office for another 4 years? I don't think so.