Feasibility of Wind and Solar Power in Ontario

In summary, Samsung has signed a $6.6 billion deal to build wind and solar power in Ontario, which is estimated to produce 2.8GW of energy. The cost of installing a modern large 1.5-2Mw turbine is around $4-5M, and the average cost for wind power in the US is $1500/kw. However, with the current recession, costs have dropped to $1000/kW. It is unclear how much of the 2.8GW will be allocated to wind and solar, but it is unlikely that the budget will cover a significant amount of solar power due to the latitude and cloud cover.
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  • #2
Easily doable
A modern large 1.5-2Mw turbine costs about $4-5M installed
so 2800Mw for $7bn is about right if you include the transmission lines etc.
 
  • #3
mgb_phys said:
Easily doable
A modern large 1.5-2Mw turbine costs about $4-5M installed
That's a bit high. The 2007 installed price in the US was $1500/kw average onshore, http://eetd.lbl.gov/EA/emp/reports/lbnl-275e.pdf" or $2.25 M for 1.5MW turbine. Apparently now in the recession costs are nearer $1000/kW for wind onshore.

so 2800Mw for $7bn is about right if you include the transmission lines etc.
That was wind and solar for the 2.8GW, and the article never broke out the two, nor does it say what kind of solar. If it was all solar PV $6.6B won't be nearly enough (so there can't be much solar PV in there). I can't imagine solar's going to ever be worth while at that latitude and average cloud cover.
 
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1. What is the current usage of wind and solar power in Ontario?

As of 2021, wind and solar power make up about 10% of Ontario's electricity generation. This percentage has been steadily increasing in recent years due to government initiatives and the decreasing cost of renewable energy technology.

2. What is the potential for wind and solar power in Ontario?

According to a study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Ontario has the potential to generate over 50% of its electricity from wind and solar power. This is due to its favorable geographic location and strong wind and solar resources.

3. How does the feasibility of wind and solar power in Ontario compare to other forms of energy?

Compared to traditional forms of energy such as coal, natural gas, and nuclear, wind and solar power have a relatively low levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) in Ontario. This means that over the lifetime of a wind or solar project, it is cheaper to produce electricity from these sources compared to traditional forms of energy.

4. What are the challenges facing the widespread adoption of wind and solar power in Ontario?

One major challenge is the intermittency of wind and solar power. These sources rely on weather conditions and are not constantly available, which can make it difficult to meet the energy demands of Ontario. Additionally, there may be infrastructure and grid integration issues that need to be addressed in order to fully utilize wind and solar power in the province.

5. How can the feasibility of wind and solar power in Ontario be improved?

To improve the feasibility of wind and solar power in Ontario, continued government support and investment in renewable energy projects is crucial. This can help drive down costs and make these sources more competitive with traditional forms of energy. Additionally, advancements in energy storage technology can help mitigate the issue of intermittency and make wind and solar power more reliable sources of energy.

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