Canada - New wind power project sends electricity to Ontario grid

The Ripley Wind Power Project, a $176 million joint venture project between Acciona Energy and Suncor Energy Products Inc. began generating power on November 24, sending electricity to Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator.

The partners are continuing to commission wind turbines and plan to complete commissioning activities by the end of 2007. The 76-megawatt facility is the first Ontario wind power project for both companies. It is located near the town of Ripley on the eastern shores of Lake Huron in Huron-Kinloss Township, approximately 220 kilometres west of Toronto and 140 kilometres north of London. Operated by Acciona, the wind farm consists of 38 two-megawatt turbines, two electrical substations and a 27-kilometre transmission line.

The Ripley project is expected to generate enough clean electricity to power approximately 24,000 Ontario homes and displace the equivalent of at least 66,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

“Adding clean, affordable and sustainable electricity capacity is a top priority for our government,” said Minister of Energy and Member of Provincial Parliament Scarborough - Agincourt Gerry Phillips. “That's why we have set a goal of doubling Ontario's renewable energy supply to 15,700 megawatts by 2025. The Ripley wind farm, at 76 megawatts, is an important and welcome addition.”

Government support is critical to renewable energy development in Ontario and Canada. The Ontario government’s Request for Proposals and Standard Offer Program, and the Canadian government’s ecoENERGY Renewable Initiative support investment in wind energy. The Ripley project companies have applied for funding under ecoENERGY for Renewable Power.

This is the third wind farm jointly owned by Acciona and Suncor. The companies co-own the Alberta-based Magrath and Chin Chute wind farms, 30-megawatts each, in partnership with Enbridge Income Fund.

About Acciona
Acciona Energy is the largest wind developer in the world with a portfolio of 4,910 megawatts installed in 180 wind farms in 10 countries (3,603 owned by the company). The company manufactures wind turbine generators using in-house technology. In solar energy, Acciona’s Nevada Solar One project represents the largest solar thermal electric power plant (64 MW) built in the world in the last 16 years, in addition to the company’s 38 MW installations of photovoltaic power and a 46 MW photovoltaic solar plant under development in Portugal. In the area of biomass, Acciona operates three plants (33 MW) and 19 small hydro power plants (59 MW). In biofuels, the company produces biodiesel from vegetable oils and bioethanol from surplus wine.