Far-Offshore Wind in the Great Lakes and specifically the TPW1 Offshore Wind Project offers an unparalleled opportunity to enhance Ontario's energy mix, aligning perfectly with the province's objectives of sustainability, reliability, and innovation as outlined in the Integrated Energy Plan (IEP). Offshore wind is a proven technology globally, providing clean, renewable, and affordable energy. Yet, Ontario’s moratorium on offshore wind prevents the province from tapping into this abundant resource, stalling its leadership in clean energy and economic development. It is time to lift this moratorium and include TPW1 as a keystone project.
Offshore wind possesses significant advantages over other renewable technologies. Unlike solar or onshore wind, offshore wind benefits from stronger, more consistent winds over water, resulting in significantly higher capacity factors and a better diurnal profile. TPW1 is strategically located far-offshore in eastern Lake Ontario with the nearest shoreline 18 kilometers away, and averaging 25 kms from shore, making it practically invisible and unheard especially relative to any onshore generation station (Note: The photo included here is a view of Horns Rev Offshore Wind Farm from a shoreline 25 kms away). The site has ideal wind speeds, low turbulence, benign bathymetry and proximity to existing transmission infrastructure minimizing costs and environmental disruption. The project's potential to produce approximately 500 MWs of clean energy at over 50% capacity factor can significantly contribute to Ontario meeting its accelerating electricity demand while reducing further reliance on fossil fuels and the risks of developing new and refurbishing old nuclear plants and where the promise of SMRs is bound to have growing pains.
Offshore Wind is affordable. The project economics for Offshore Wind in the Great Lakes are extremely competitive relative to nuclear and gas power plants. This is a debate often polarized by various proponents and is easily circular due to the vast and complex set of variables that go into the calculation. However, when factoring in declining capital costs, zero fuel dependency, shorter timelines, and reduced environmental impacts, offshore wind emerges as an extremely competitive and sustainable choice for Ontario. Trillium Power Wind’s TPW1 project exemplifies how offshore wind can provide reliable, cost-effective power while reducing Ontario’s dependence on volatile and carbon-intensive energy sources. Including offshore wind is not only viable but imperative for the province's economic and environmental resilience. More on this in a future blog.
Furthermore, TPW1 represents economic opportunity. Offshore wind projects create high-value jobs during construction, operations, and maintenance, stimulating local economies. Trillium Power's initiative includes plans for local workforce development and partnerships, ensuring economic benefits are retained within the province. The Conference Board of Canada estimated in their Impact Study that building 2,000 MWs of Offshore Wind would create 55,000 to 62,000 person-years of employment and increase Ontario's cumaltive real GDP by 5.6 billion CAD.
Ontario claims to pursue a technology-agnostic energy policy; however, maintaining the offshore wind moratorium contradicts this stance. The moratorium is outdated, as modern offshore wind technology addresses past concerns, including environmental impact and cost-efficiency. Internationally, offshore wind has proven its viability, with projects in Europe, Asia and the U.S. demonstrating successful integration and deployment.
Incorporating TPW1 into Ontario’s energy mix is a logical, forward-thinking step. By lifting the moratorium, Ontario can harness offshore wind's potential, truly establishing itself as a leader in clean energy innovation, creating a new and significant source of economic development and securing a sustainable energy future.
