Infrastructure company seeking support for proposed new Chatham-Kent wind farm
Capstone Infrastructure has signed options with about 70 landowners, its vice president of development says
A new green energy project under consideration in Chatham-Kent could bring between 15 and 40 new turbines to the region.
Capstone Infrastructure Corporation is proposing the new wind farm, which would cut across parts of east Kent and south Kent.
Currently, about 70 landowners have signed options to work with the company, said Andrea Kausel, Capstone's vice president of development.
Some of them might host turbines, some of the land might be needed for the underground electrical collector that connects the parcels, and others may not end up hosting infrastructure, she said.
"We have to do an environmental assessment if this project were to go forward," she said.
"And through that process we have to do a season of field surveys. So, you know, different things could come up in that process. So it's just helpful to have flexibility."
The Ford government has reopened the door to green energy projects in the province after cancelling hundreds of them when he first became premier in 2018.
This as the Independent Electricity Systems Operator has forecasted a 75 per cent growth in electricity demand by 2050.
It is currently calling for proposals for new electricity generation to meet that demand, and Capstone wants to participate in that process, Kausel said.
The company recently held a public meeting with local residents and has sent out about 5,000 mailers, she said.
Landowners who sign lease agreements will benefit from a compensation plan.
And those who sign options but don't end up hosting infrastructure will also benefit from revenue sharing, she added.
The final project could generate between 100 and 200 megawatts of electricity.
The province's procurement process requires municipal endorsement of the project, and Capstone is currently having conversations with officials about what's needed to get that endorsement, Kausel said.
Ward 2 Coun. Anthony Ceccacci said it's important to strike a balance between the interests of contributing to the growth of clean energy and reaping the economic rewards for the municipality and respecting the community's desires when it comes to the number of turbines dotting the landscape.
"It's challenging because I've heard a lot of people in the community that say that the land rights are pretty lucrative, and, you know, there's some land owners that really want these to proceed," he said.
"But … my personal opinion is that, you know, in south Kent, we already have a significant amount of wind turbines. So it's really something that you have to balance ... what the actual community wants, you know, and not really what's your self preference, right?
It's important for the community to do its part for renewable energy, Ceccacci added.
But he also questioned whether Chatham-Kent had already done its part by hosting as many turbines as it already hosts.
"All you've got to do is come for a drive through Chatham-Kent at night time," he said.
"There's a lot there."
Kausel said turbine technology has improved over the years resulting in fewer turbines producing more energy.
There have also been advances when it comes to dimming the lighting on the structures.
Capstone operates wind, solar, hydro and natural gas energy projects in 20 sites across Ontario, she said, including the Napier wind farm in Middlesex County.