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CanWEA launches new purchasing guide for ‘Small Wind’

November 25, 2008 Ottawa, -In response to growing demand from consumers, the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) has released a new 16-page “Small Wind Purchasing Guide” for off-grid, residential, farm and commercial applications. In keeping with CanWEA’s environmental print policy, the document is available in electronic format at www.canwea.ca and www.smallwindenergy.ca. The Guide, developed in partnership with the Pembina Institute and eFormative Options LLC, provides step-by-step information to assist individuals, farmers, community leaders and small business owners in selecting and purchasing a small wind system. The Guide covers a wide range of small wind, including “mini” systems (0 to 5 kW) intended primarily for battery charging, “small” systems (1 kW to 10 kW) intended for residential use, and larger systems (10 kW to 300 kW) for business and community applications.“We see tremendous public interest in small wind and an extraordinary potential to develop the sector in Canada” says Sean Whittaker, CanWEA Vice-president of Policy. “The small wind market is where the utility-scale, large wind energy market was about 15 or 20 years ago. With proper actions and policies going forward, we believe that small wind will play a significant role in meeting Canadians’ energy needs, addressing national climate change concerns and driving investment and jobs through growth in small wind manufacturing.” The Guide outlines the main issues to consider before buying a system (e.g. assessing your wind resource and looking for a suitable site), when buying a system (e.g. how to select a turbine and how to deal with permitting) and after buying the system (e.g. dealing with installation, maintenance and repair). It also provides a permitting check list and references for those seeking more detailed information.

“We believe that this Guide will be a useful resource for anyone interested in small wind in Canada,” says Whittaker. “And it will build on the existing educational tools, including our small wind website, siting guidelines and model municipal zoning bylaws for small wind.”