Ontario's "Go-Green" Initiative has fast-tracked development of the Toronto Region's Wind Energy Research and Development expertise

The Toronto Region is....

Located in south central Ontario, a province that is committed to renewable energy sources to protect the environment and create a vibrant green economy:
- Canada's two largest wind farms are located in Ontario and, by the end of 2009, nearly 1,200 megawatts of wind capacity will be on-line
- Ontario has invested about $4 billion in new renewable energy projects already in place or under construction, including wind power technology
- Government of Ontario recently passed the Green Energy Act (GEA) which aims to increase investment in renewable energy projects and increase conservation
A growing hub of more than 75 companies that provide wind generated products and services, including: Brookfield Power, GE Canada, Helix Synergy, Hybridyne Power Systems Canada Inc., Hydro One, John Deere Wind Energy, Northwind Solutions, Schneider Power Inc., and Wenvor Technologies Inc.
Ranked # 7 in North America for number of publications on the subject of wind energy research,wind turbine power and alternative energy technologies, and ranked #10 in citations and numbers of citations per publication
Home to 45 university programs in environmental science, engineering and sustainable and renewable energy that produce a highly-educated and highly-skilled workforce: More than 2,700 university graduates (all levels) in 2007

Canada has approximately 1600 MW of installed capacity - enough to power about 480,000 homes.
- Canadian Wind Energy Association

Supportive Government Programs

Government of Canada: Wind Power Production Incentive Program, Sustainable Development Technologies Canada; Scientific Research & Experimental Development Expenditures; NRC Industrial Research Assistance
Program; New Environmental Technologies Evaluation; Financial Support - Science & Technology; and Canadian Environmental Technology Information Centre
Government of Ontario: Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program; Ontario Research Fund; Innovation Demonstration Fund; Investment Accelerator Fund; Business Mentorship and Entrepreneurship Program; Next
Generation of Jobs Fund: Strategic Opportunities Program; and Ontario Business Research Institute Tax Credit

Wind power research and development

Toronto Region universities are a hub of research excellence recognized by major Canadian granting agencies. Between 1998-2008, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) awarded $1.2 million to wind energy research projects. 19 experts affiliated with Toronto Region universities and institutes conduct wind power research and development that includes a focus on wind power systems, wind turbine technologies, andwind as renewable energy. Advanced wind energy research takes place at:

McMaster University: McMaster Institute for Energy Studies (MIES), Power Research Laboratory, Centre for Excellence for Earth and Environmental Technologies, and Centre for Excellence for Energy
University of Guelph: Centre for Agricultural Renewable Energy and Sustainability (CARES), and Guelph Institute for the Environment
University of Toronto: Centre for Technology and Social Development; Lassonde Institute for Engineering Geoscience, and Centre for Applied Power Electronics
University of Waterloo: Power and Energy System Group, Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy (WISE), Green Energy Research Institute (GERI), Sustainable Energy Research, Institute for Innovation Research, Adaptation and Impacts Research Division (AIRD), and Residential Energy Efficiency Project (REEP)
York University: Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability

What's New

Ontario adds 700 new clean energy projects More Ontario announces $17M Showcasing Water Innovation program More Sungrow Canada invests $10M; opens North American HQ in Vaughan More Ryerson University launches Centre for Urban Energy (CUE)MoreOntario invests$1.86 million in Morgan Solar More