Energy, Mines, and Resources

Wind Prospecting Service

A met tower will be used to measure wind speed and direction on your propertyOur Wind Prospecting Service is for off-grid residents who are interested in wind energy. This program will help you determine if the wind resource at your location is sufficient to justify the significant investment required to purchase wind generation equipment. Clients who request this service will undergo a preliminary screening to determine the suitability of their location. Suitability will be based on the answers to the following questions:

  • Does your location meet off-grid requirements?
  • Will you be using the power for private or commercial use?
  • How much power do you need?
  • Are you in an area that is likely to have a good wind regime?
  • How much will it cost to set up and maintain a monitoring station at your location?

If you have a suitable location, you will be required to sign a legal agreement with the Energy Solutions Centre (ESC) allowing ESC's wind assessment contractor to install, maintain and remove a wind monitoring station consisting of a tower and meteorological equipment at your site over a 1 year monitoring period.

Once the agreement is signed, ESC's wind assessment contractor will contact you and arrange the necessary logistics to begin monitoring.

At the end of the monitoring period, you will meet with ESC to discuss the wind assessment contractor's report and the next steps for developing wind generation on your property.

Wind Prospecting Service – First year of exploration completed, second year in progress
The Energy Solutions Centre’s Wind Prospecting Service completed its first year in June, 2010. Two off-grid clients located along the Haines Road each received a wind monitoring station for the period of June 2010 to June 2011. The results of the monitoring showed that wind energy could usefully displace some fossil-fuel generated power at these sites, but it is unlikely to be more cost effective than solar electricity, or optimizing the clients’ existing diesel and gas generating systems.


Wind Prospecting Service June 2010 – June 2011 Results
Monitoring Station Coordinates       5-Year Mean Wind Speed*
60◦35’ 01.14”N 137◦12’24.91” W       2.60 m/s at 18.6 metres above ground level
60◦35’ 15.52”N 137◦13’ 00.64” W      2.27 m/s at 20 metres above ground level
*Calculated using the year of monitoring data correlated with the nearest Environment Canada weather station.

Questions?

Call us at 867.393.7148, or toll free (in Yukon) at 1.800.661.0408 ext. 7148