Watt Section | Watts Wind Energy

The Watts Wind project

Project Update

This project has been in operation since March 2011.
Located in Watt Section, Nova Scotia, Watts is a community based wind project with a generating capacity of 1.5 megawatts.
This project started it all – it was conceived in October 2008 with the installation of a meteorological tower. Watts Wind Energy was formed after the gathered data showed a potential for wind energy development.

Read Watts Wind Project News

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Timeline

  • The favourable wind data prompted a submission to the December 2008 RFP for small, community-based renewable energy projects.
  • In January 2010, Watts Wind Energy Inc. was awarded the opportunity to develop 1.5MW of renewable wind energy.
  • Project construction began in October 2010.
  • The project was up and running by its projected completion date, March 30, 2011.

Location

Watts’ wind turbine generator (WTG) is located in Watt Section, a rural community approximately 2 hours east of Halifax on the Eastern Shore. This location provides a wind regime that enables the project to contribute toward Nova Scotia’s plan to increase its renewable electricity generation to 18.5% of total supply by 2013.

The nearest major centre is Sheet Harbour, home to a shipping port and many shops and businesses.

Technical Details

  • Enough energy is generated by the turbine to power approximately 375 Nova Scotia homes.*
  • Electrical output from the project is provided by a single German-made 1.5MW Vensys 77 wind turbine. The WTG tower stands 85m tall and the rotor diameter is 77m.
  • The project’s small size permits it to be connected to the local grid rather than large transmission lines, mitigating the need for upgrades to the grid. This type of project is known as a “distribution level” project.

* Number of homes is determined using pre-construction meteorological study and Statistics Canada report “Households and Environment: Energy Use 2007”

Carbon Impact

The Watts Wind Project reduces greenhouse gas emissions in Nova Scotia by 3600 tonnes per year. That’s the equivalent of taking 700 passenger vehicles off the road.

(This is based upon 2008 annual electricity production and 2008 annual carbon dioxide emissions provided by the Nova Scotia Department of Environment.)

* Carbon emission offsets are based on Statistics Canada report “Greenhouse Gas Intensity 2009” and calculated using Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov) equivalence calculator.

Investment Information

This project is part of the Nova Scotia COMFIT program.

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