This presentation will focus on the considerable offshore wind potential in the bi-national Great Lakes and the tremendous economic and environmental benefits that would flow from its development. Momentum to install tens of thousands of megawatts in The Great Lakes, on both sides of the border, is building rapidly due to their large size, strong wind resources, favorable building environment, new permitting rules and incentives and proximity to load. Moreover, the large scale of commercial offshore wind projects is vital to attracting large turbine manufacturers capable of revitalizing the struggling manufacturing sector throughout The Great Lakes region.
Trillium Power Wind Corporation, which is planning to build a large offshore wind power facility in Lake Ontario, and one of the first in North America, submits that developers have recently applied to lease contiguous offshore areas reserved under the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ Site Release Program that would generate a total of 20,790 MW of offshore wind power. According to Trillium Power’s calculations, this would generate a total of C$253.6 billion in gross economic activity and create between 65,000 and 100,000 jobs. In effect, Ontario has the potential to become a catalyst to accelerate the offshore wind market in both The Great Lakes and North America.