Wind Energy in Canada.
Phil Cockshutt wrote this three-page article to describe what was happening at the turn of the century in the wind industry.
1999 Series 2 Number 2 Page 28
He briefly described the wind turbine technology of the day, including vertically and horizontally spinning generators. He linked that technology back to the technology of the 1920s and 1930s that some CACOR members of the day might have remembered.
He pointed out that from 1986 to 1999, the global wind industry had grown from 1 GW of installed capacity to 10 GW.
[In 2024, global wind energy capacity had risen to 1.1 TW (up by a factor of 10). In fact, in 2024 alone, capacity was increased by 117 GW, the same amount as in 2023. Ed.]
Mr. Cockshutt attributed the rapid rate of increase in wind power (~20% per year at the time) to falling costs, with rates having reached US$0.06/kWh in USA, down from US$0.15/kWh in 1985.
[That rate of increase in the wind industry has since been greatly surpassed. Costs have fallen to ~US$0.04/kWh for land-based installations, < US$0.01/kWh for offshore facilities. Costs have fallen even faster than Mr. Cockshutt predicted. Ed.]
He presented figures that showed total wind potential in Canada was ~25 GW, while installed capacity was just 0.12 GW in 1999.
[In 2024, Canada had 18 GW of installed wind energy production capacity. Ed.]
[Note: there is at least one inconsistency in the article. At one point it says there is 120 MW of installed capacity, yet at another place (near the end) a different order of magnitude appears as it says 110 GW. That second value is incorrect. Several sources confirmed capacity was ~110 MW. Ed.]
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