Power Two more wind turbines could sprout at Exhibition Place.
They would go on the north side of Lake Shore Boulevard West — one opposite Ontario Place, the other at the western tip of the property — but Joyce McLean of Toronto Hydro says a final decision won’t be made until the end of summer.
TREC Windpower Co-operative and Toronto Hydro Energy Services Inc. — partners who jointly own the existing turbine there — last week received approval from the board of governors at Exhibition Place to lease land for them, should the project go ahead.
There’s a good reason for more wind turbines: Money. Ontario’s new Green Energy Act has boosted the producer’s price for wind-powered electricity to 14.4 cents a kWh, from 11 cents.
If the partners decide to install the turbines, they would pay $76,000 on the two leases over 15 years.
Dianne Young, chief executive of Exhibition Place, said more turbines would help meet the goal of having the site produce as much electricity as it uses. Public response has been “very positive,” she said.
McLean said there had been concern that the Ex turbine would kill a lot of birds, but experience has shown its slow-moving blades kill only two a year. About 80 bird species live in the vicinity of the turbine.
