GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. – Adrian Smedstad knew her company was on the right track when people driving past a wind turbine in downtown Grande Prairie thought it was a piece of art.
Employees at Golden Sheep Power erected the largest, most offensive turbine they could find next to a city fire hall to test people’s reaction to the look and sound of the turbine. They painted the turbine black to make it more visible against the snow. It didn’t elicit a negative reaction.
With the high cost of power and a desire to be green, Smedstad believes people are more willing to adopt alternative energy sources, including wind power.
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“We grew up hating the wind,” Smedstad said.
“Why not take something that’s been driving you crazy for years and get a benefit from it?”
The City of Grande Prairie is asking residents what they think of the four-kilowatt turbine used in the pilot project, which would produce enough electricity to meet the energy requirements of one house.
Based on the results, the city will rewrite its bylaws to include residential wind turbines in its land-use bylaws.
Smedstad helps rural and urban municipalities write wind power into their bylaws, including set back distances, accommodating neighbours and height restrictions.
Few municipalities have the expertise to rewrite bylaws to include wind energy so they call on Golden Sheep Power for advice.
“The majority of (municipalities) and cities sit back and wait for someone else to do it,” said Smedstad, who had just returned from making a presentation to the Municipality of Spirit River about changing the bylaws in that community.
It also receives requests from farmers, towns and oil companies looking for ways to reduce energy costs using wind energy. Interest ranges from small micro generation units to offset power costs on the farm to giant wind farms that could sell energy to electrical grids.
While the wind in the Peace River region isn’t strong, it’s constant, Smedstad said. The turbine at the Grande Prairie fire station looks more like an egg beater than the traditional propeller-type turbines.
Wind power technology has improved and it is now able to match wind speeds with turbines best suited for the area, she said.
Golden Sheep Power began less than two years ago to generate interest in wind power, installed turbines and helped rewrite bylaws.
If the wind turbine trial in Grande Prairie is successful, Smedstad said cities could set up wind farms on land already annexed to generate enough power to be self sufficient.
“We like to see cities actually be green.”
She said farmers are also becoming more interested in wind power as an additional revenue source.
“You don’t have to plow it, feed it – just watch it.”
