South Peace Historical Society

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  • Table of Contents

    • Part 1: First Nations of the Peace River Region
    • Part 2: The Fur Trade Era
    • Part 3: Transportation and Communication
    • Part 4: Old Timers and the Price of Land
    • Part 5: Dawson Creek: The Story of the Community
    • Part 6: Mysteries, Adventures and Indian Legends
    • Part 7: Arts, Crafts and Recreation
    • Part 8: Agriculture
    • Part 9: Church Histories
    • Part 10: Schools
    • Part 11: Health Care
    • Part 12: Industries and Enterprises
    • Part 13: Policing the Peace
    • Part 14: Pouce Coupe, Rolla, and Other South Peace Communities
    • Part 15: Chetwynd and the Fort St. John Area
    • Part 16: The Alberta Peace
    • Part 17: Natural History of the Peace River Region
    • Part 18: Interviews with Old Timers
    • Part 19: Remembering Our Veterans

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BN12-68: Peace Energy’s Farm Still Blowin’ in the Wind

Recent History – 2004-2006

By Gary Rusak, Daily News Staff

The Peace Energy Co-op and its new partner Aeolis WPC made a joint presentation to city council on Monday with an update on plans to build a wind farm on Bear Mountain.

“We weren’t looking for anything in particular,” said Bill Studley, manager of the local co-op. “We just wanted to let them know the possibilities that are out there for the city of Dawson Creek to benefit in being engaged in the development.”

The local group and their Sidney, B.C.-based partners are looking to develop a wind farm at locations on Bear Mountain and possibly the Kiskatinaw Ridge. Since the partnership was struck in October, the groups have been working together to verify wind data information on the site.

Their presentation to city council consisted of detailed maps of the area as well as proposals to have the city partner, in some way, with the project.

“Part of what we were looking at is that city council is about to get engaged in a community energy plan and (we believe) there should be a huge incentive for renewables,” said TJ Schur, director of Aeolis WPC. “That is something that they should be thinking about.”

During the presentation the group also suggested that if a wind park was established on Bear Mountain it could mean another tourism asset

for the city.

“I think they should definitely take a look at the tourism aspects,” said Schur.

Mayor Wayne Dahlen agreed that it could indeed bring more people to the city.

“Those turbines are very exciting,” he said after the meeting. “We could have tours to go see them. I’d like to see one myself. It would be another added attraction that we could show our tourists.”

The group is also looking into the possibility of selling the city a portion of the energy that would be created by the turbines. Although it is far too early to work out the specifics of such a plan, Studley said it was something that the city should be considering.

“Wind power is a natural partner to hydro power,” he said. “When the wind is blowing they can store water behind the Bennett Dam and the Peace Canyon Dam and when the wind is down, and is no longer producing electricity, they have extra water to let out. It helps make a balance.”

Dahlen said it was something that the city would be considering during upcoming strategic planning meetings.

“We have to discuss how involved we want to become in that,” he said. “They are looking for support, mainly they want us to step out and say we will become a user. It is something we will have to look at.”

The city will have ample time to consider the proposal, according to Schur.

At this point the group is at the early stages of testing the viability of the site. The erection of energy producing turbines could be anywhere from 15 months to three years in the future, she said.

This article is taken from the Peace River Block Daily News, Dawson Creek, with the permission of the publisher. The Daily News retains all rights relating to this material. The information in this article is intended solely for research or general interest purposes.

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BN12-69: Wolverine Mine Should Be Open By Late 2005 »

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