June 25, 2008

TAI WIND Consortium aims to build wind-power turbines and equipment in Canada

VINCE VERSACE

staff writer

The creation of an offshore wind-power consortium to develop capacity for this green technology in North America will make Ontario a leader in the sector, says one of the group’s main players.

“Ontario can become a green-power eco giant,” says John Kourtoff, president and CEO of Trillium Power. “Ontario has the offshore wind resources, facilities, work force and innovative spirit to bring it to the world.”

Kourtoff unveiled the TAI WIND Consortium that aims to build wind-power turbines and equipment in Canada so offshore projects will not have to rely on already burdened European offshore wind supply chains. Fishermen’s Energy of New Jersey is a member of the consortium and six other partners are in the process of finalizing their partnership with TAI WIND.

“All [consortium members] have the same issues in the area of procurement,” explains Kourtoff. “There are supply chain restrictions in Europe. This gives us the opportunity to manufacture in Ontario.”

Kourtoff points to underutilized automobile assembly plants and other industrial plants which can be retooled to help manufacture in the wind power sector. There also is expertise in the Great Lakes area for offshore wind power building that can be tapped into as well. Since two-thirds of the predominant winds in the Great Lakes fall on the Ontario side, it makes sense to have the hub of manufacturing here, says Kourtoff.

The consortium has begun a supply chain analysis of possible manufacturing locations in Ontario and the project costs for retooling could be an estimated $300 to $400 million. However, these costs are just projections and the analysis still needs to be completed, says Kourtoff.

Multibird GmbH is a German-based wind turbine manufacturing company that supports the TAI WIND initiative. It is beginning discussions with federal, Ontario and local governments to determine the potential of establishing a turbine assembly plant in the province.

“In the Great Lakes region, New York, Michigan and Wisconsin are all pursuing wind-power and TAI WIND will help position Ontario to supply North America and the west with the needed equipment,” said Jean-François Beland of Multibird GmbH.

A recent Ontario Power Authority report indicates that there are 64 feasible offshore wind development sites on the Ontario side of the Great Lakes.

“That [potential] could provide over 60 years of renewable energy development and green-collar employment for thousands of Ontario workers,” said Kourtoff.

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