It’s now 2009 and there haven’t been any new windmills installed in Yukon since those two on Haeckel Hill, which were installed in 1993.
Are they still being tested for unimpeded performance in cold weather? That’s 16 years so far.
The life of these windmills is estimated to be 20 years. Is it fair to conclude by now that installing them to offset some of the costs accrued from the 12 diesel generating stations in Yukon is a viable consideration?
Maybe in some areas where the wind is not as strong as atop Haeckel Hill smaller windmills, requiring less wind energy to turn, would suffice if they put up enough of them.
Would Yukon Energy Corporation be motivated to promote installing, them given the potential loss of income? Especially the diminished need for their diesel powered electrification? I don’t know. Just asking.
What incentive is there for the Yukon government to pursue cost savings in energy use when its budget, handed down from the federal government, is $1 billion this year?
Dean Metcalfe
via e-mail