Local wind-energy potential for the city of Guelph, Ontario (Canada)

Municipalities around the world are using community energy plans (CEPs) to drive progress towards a more sustainable energy future. Many recognize the supply of local and renewable energy as a crucial component of a resilient future including the potential use of wind power generation. The city of Guelph (Ontario, Canada) included wind energy as a component of its CEP. The goal of this work was to estimate the potential for wind power generation within the municipal boundaries of this city. This paper summarizes the methodology used and results obtained with site and meteorological data, wind maps, and turbine power curves. The methodology relies on the use of a geographically uniform array of turbines, spread throughout the community. An array of utility-scale turbines could potentially generate 29% of Guelph's 2005 total electricity demand, whereas one consisting of small-scale turbines could achieve 10% of that demand.