Alternatives to industrial wind power include
Conservation
- Incentives to use less electricity “Ontario has blown an opportunity to invest heavily in conservation — the cheapest and most environmentally-friendly option” Sun
Efficiency
- Incentives to use electricity more efficiently
- Promote energy efficiency instead of building power projects: Enviro watchdog OWR
Solar, biogas, biomass, wood waste etc.
- The best thing about solar is that it produces power during the day, when we need it
Natural Gas
- Coal is being displaced by natural gas in Ontario. Click here for more.
- “gas generation to back up wind” WCO
- “forcing the system to keep other generators – usually gas-fired plants – on standby” Star
Hydro-Electric Power
- The cheapest & cleanest electricity that we have
- “by IESO having to instruct OPG to spill hydro production” WCO
- Ontario has been wasting energy by spilling water around the turbines as Niagara Falls because expensive 20-year wind contracts ensure preferred access to the grid. This is bad policy, especially when one considers that Ontario has had a surplus of electricity for years:
Imports and Exports
Ontario is capable of importing or exporting approximately 4,800 MW at any one time, depending on system conditions. Ontario’s high-voltage transmission grid is connected to Manitoba, Quebec, New York, Michigan and Minnesota. IESO
| Year | Imports (TWh) | Exports (TWh) | Net Imports (TWh) |
| 2011 | 3.9 | 12.9 | -9.0 |
| 2010 | 6.4 | 15.2 | -8.8 |
| 2009 | 4.8 | 15.1 | -10.3 |
| 2008 | 11.3 | 22.2 | -10.9 |
| 2007 | 7.2 | 12.3 | -5.1 |
| 2006 | 6.2 | 11.4 | -5.2 |
| 2005 | 11.0 | 10.2 | 0.8 |
| 2004 | 9.8 | 9.5 | 0.3 |
| 2003 | 10.4 | 6.3 | 4.1 |
| 2002 | 7.1 | 3.9 | 3.2 |
| 2001 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 0.2 |
| 2000 | 5.1 | 5.5 | -0.4 |
| 1999 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| 1998 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| 1997 | 3.8 | 6.4 | -2.6 |
What price is being paid for these kWh that are fed into the Hydro One system?
Ontario has been paying up to 13.5 cents per kWh for wind power under 20-year contracts.