Port Burwell Wind Farm

Port Burwell Wind Farm (formerly known as the Erie Shores Wind Farm) is a large wind farm near Port Burwell, Ontario, Canada. The facility stretches approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) to the west of the town, and 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) to the southeast.

In 2004, Port Burwell was awarded a generation contract by the Government of Ontario as part of its renewable energy plan. This wind farm was officially opened on April 13, 2006 to the delight of progressive leaders and to the dismay of local residents and bird conservationists.

The project comprises 66 GE 1.5 MW Wind Turbines (model 1.5 SLE). Each turbine has a blade diameter of 77 metres (253 ft), and is mounted on an 80 metre (260 ft) tubular tower.

An important measure of renewable energy generation is the capacity factor (actual output per year divided by the nameplate output). In 2009 the output was 232,296 megawatt-hours (836,270 GJ) and in 2010 the output was 227,778 megawatt-hours (820,000 GJ), so the capacity factor was 26.8% and 26.2% respectively. Published reports show that the developers were expecting the capacity factor to be higher – 28.6% to 32%.

Production (MWh)
Year January February March April May June July August September October November December Total
2006 780 2,726 9,145 12,226 8,393 18,044 25,678 14,420 32,949 124,361
2007 27,634 31,724 29,335 25,257 14,229 11,814 10,728 9,301 7,955 23,845 26,039 25,285 183,788
2008 38,123 20,368 23,256 19,545 19,029 15,180 12,295 10,853 11,875 23,044 23,076 37,186 195,339
2009 28,053 23,673 20,186 29,483 17,401 8,577 10,267 12,469 12,453 24,904 17,844 26,964 180,548
2010 26,269 15,324 18,913 21,368 19,610 13,066 9,122 9,510 18,376 23,895 23,582 28,725 186,167
2011 20,142 31,043 19,439 25,301 14,633 12,641 8,801 9,394 13,753 20,943 34,548 26,020 185,473
2012 33,682 25,593 24,667 19,700 12,548 15,199 9,338 81,452

Famous quotes containing the words port, wind and/or farm:

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    —Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    “In spite of Virtue and the Muse,
    Nemesis will have her dues,
    And all our struggles and our toils
    Tighter wind the giant coils.”
    —Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

    “On the farm I had learned how to meet realities without suffering either mentally or physically. My initiative had never been blunted. I had freedom to succeed—freedom to fail. Life on the farm produces a kind of toughness.”
    —Bertha Van Hoosen (1863–1952)