Site Development

Choosing the perfect site for a wind farm requires a combination of professional and popular knowledge. Mountainous and coastal regions are generally known to be windier than other areas, but there are always exceptions to the rule.

“The wind, a sightless laborer, whistles at his task.” - William Wordsworth

Some places are more obvious than others, but historical regional knowledge is often a good indicator of consistent wind activity. For example, if your family homestead is in a valley and, like your grandmother once did, you have to use extra clothes pins on the line so your laundry doesn’t blow away, and if the tree down the lane is bent into a weird shape, then these are signs that this could be a good place to harvest the wind.

Once a site has been targeted, our highly-specialized wind team sets up measurement towers to collect data. Using long-term correlations with historical data, they establish precise information about the quality and consistency of wind parameters and productivity potentials. This allows us to decide whether or not to go ahead with the project and select the appropriate turbine type and size.

Of course, many other factors come into play, such as the environment, soil conditions, proximity of power lines, local air traffic, community buy-in, securing the land through contracts and leases with landowners, conforming to zoning bylaws, obtaining permits and securing competitive rates with buyers.

For more information about Site Development see:

The Canadian Wind Association: Building a Wind Farm

The American Wind Association: 10 Steps to Building a Wind Farm