CanWEA puts pressure on newly elected government to commit to wind

The Canadian Wind Energy Association has lost no time in reminding the country's newly elected federal government of its campaign commitments to wind power. Association president Robert Hornung is already urging Prime Minister Paul Martin of the governing Liberals to use the October 5 "throne speech," which lays out the government's priorities for the coming session of parliament, to promise quick action on wind policy. Hornung points out to Martin that a strong signal from government will be heard by wind turbine and component manufacturers interested in establishing manufacturing facilities to serve the whole of North America. "Continuing policy uncertainty in the United States has made companies wary of placing new facilities there," continues Hornung. "Concrete actions by our government that make it clear that Canada will be home to a stable and growing wind energy market could, if implemented prior to the finalisation of a new wind energy policy framework in the United States, make Canada the location of choice." During the election campaign, the Liberals made a commitment to see 5% of Canada's electricity generated by wind energy within a decade and quadrupled Canada's Wind Power Production Incentive subsidy for wind generated kilowatt hours to support the installation of 4000 MW of capacity.