Building communities.
Trillium Power Wind Corporation is working with many aboriginal and non-aboriginal community partners toward a shared vision of a secure energy future with clean, economical and reliable far-offshore wind.
Cleaner air for healthier Ontarians
According to the Ontario Medical Association, approximately 6,000 people die each year in Ontario from smog-related illnesses, costing the province an estimated $1 billion per year in hospital admissions, emergency room visits and absenteeism. Unfortunately, costs such as these which are directly linked to polluting sources of energy like coal and gas-fired generation do not figure into cost analyses used to determine the energy supply mix. Instead, they are socialized by Ontario taxpayers.
The proliferation of renewable energy, which produces no air or water pollution, nor any toxic by-products associated with nuclear power, is hugely advantageous to both human health and the provincial economy. Trillium Power Wind 1 (TPW1) will deliver both health and economic benefits by tapping into Lake Ontario's powerful far-offshore winds to deliver up to 600 MW of emission-free electricity – enough to supply approximately 252,000 typical Ontario homes. TPW1 will:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.57 million tonnes;
- Reduce nitrous oxide emissions by 7,571 tonnes;
- Reduce sulphur dioxide emissions by 15,571 tonnes
- ... and without the extreme risk of nuclear generators.
Greater economic prosperity
Nothing contributes more to a societal well-being than an abundance of full-time, well-paid employment. The recent recession and lingering unemployment/underemployment has placed untold strains on families and communities throughout Ontario through job loss, particularly in the manufacturing sector.
The potential gross economic benefit of developing far-offshore areas reserved by Ontario developers through the Ministry of Natural Resources' Windpower Site Release and Development Program is estimated to be a quarter of a trillion dollars. It would also result in the creation of between 66,000 and 100,000 new jobs. Recent actions against Trillium Power and Ontario's nascent offshore wind sector have placed all of these opportunities for Ontarians in peril.
With the development of TPW1 alone, Trillium Power will create up to 2,100 full-time positions in the manufacturing, operation and maintenance, construction, services and R&D and engineering sectors. The positive impacts on communities benefiting from these job opportunities will be priceless.
Supporting local educational institutions
Trillium Power Wind Corporation assisted St. Lawrence College, which had already partnered with the German Renewable Energy Institute (BZEE), to develop cutting edge training programmes for students aiming to become skilled in all aspects of renewable energy deployment. These programs have positioned St. Lawrence College as one of the first North American institutions to offer a comprehensive series of courses for maintaining wind developments – including offshore wind.
Trillium Power is also working with the First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) to develop the first and only comprehensive indigenous wind power training program. A Wind Turbine Technician Diploma qualifies First Nations' students for jobs related to the commissioning, installations, testing, operation and maintenance of wind farms.
Trillium Power has also executed an agreement with the Niagara Industrial Association to develop sustainable jobs in the Niagara Region.
Trillium Power continues to strive towards developing opportunities for sustainable economic development throughout Ontario.