Content
Renewable and Green Energy Development
Ontario Wind Power
In 2008, Enbridge completed construction of its Ontario Wind Power project—the second largest wind farm in Canada. The 115-turbine wind farm located in Bruce County, Ontario, on the eastern shore of Lake Huron is contributing 190 megawatts of emissions-free energy to Ontario’s grid—enough electricity to supply about 63,000 Ontario homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking about 30,000 vehicles off the road.
We are encouraging the use of renewable and clean energy by investing in wind power and new energy technologies such as fuel cells. We are also positioning ourselves for the future by participating in the emerging technology of carbon dioxide (CO2) capture, pipelining and sequestration and participating in research for the safe transport of ethanol through pipelines.
Wind power
Enbridge owns a 100% working interest in the 190-megawatt Ontario Wind Power project. Located in Bruce County, Ontario, it is the second largest wind farm in Canada. Enbridge Income Fund owns interests in two wind farms in Alberta and one in Saskatchewan. These four wind power projects have a combined capacity of more than 260 megawatts, our share of which is enough green energy to provide 35% of our total Canadian crude oil mainline power consumption.
We expect future wind opportunities to come through expanding our existing operations, as well as developing new greenfield projects near Enbridge operations throughout North America, particularly where operating synergies can be applied.
Fuel Cell Power Plant
In 2008, we officially launched the world’s first hybrid fuel cell power plant that is designed for gas utility pressure reduction stations. The plant harvests pipeline energy that would otherwise be wasted, and the fuel cell operates without burning any fuel to produce about 2.2 megawatts of environmentally preferred, near zero-emissions electricity—enough to serve about 1,700 Ontario homes.
Enbridge has exclusive North American distribution rights for the hybrid fuel cell technology. We plan to replicate the plant throughout our distribution network in Ontario and market the hybrid fuel cell to other natural gas pipeline companies in North America.
Solar and geothermal
We are currently exploring the potential for solar power projects in Ontario and evaluating opportunities for taking an equity position in new solar power technologies. We are also examining our potential involvement in geothermal energy.