18/10/2005 – Environment Canada Minister Stéphane Dion announced today in Toronto the release of a leading-edge wind energy mapping software called WindScope at the Canadian Wind Energy Association's (CanWEA) annual wind energy conference. WindScope is a software program that allows users to locate the ideal location to install wind turbines, by providing the science and technology to perform pinpoint wind-energy studies. This will contribute to making the wind-energy sector more energy efficient.

"WindScope complements the Government of Canada's commitment to wind energy through its quadrupling of Canada's Wind Power Production Incentive, as outlined in Budget 2005 and the most recent Speech from the Throne," said Minister Dion. "WindScope strengthens the government's commitment to Project Green, whose goal is to achieve a cleaner, healthier environment and continued economic growth. This is a terrific benefit and provides an excellent opportunity not only to expand wind energy usage in Canada but elsewhere in the world."

WindScope's ability to assess an area of one kilometre down to an area as small as 100 metres, allows wind location studies to be made much more rapidly, with greater confidence and certainty, and at a lower cost than what was possible up until now. Potential users of WindScope are private-sector engineering or consulting firms, and power utilities.

This supports Project Green, the broad environmental vision that links Canada's economic competitiveness and prosperity to a sustainable future.

"This invaluable tool is a key to making the most of this country's wind-energy potential," said the Honourable John McCallum, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Natural Resources. "WindScope will encourage companies to build wind turbines in places where the wind is the strongest and the steadiest. It will lead to better decisions, spur new investments and help Canada reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change."

"The National Research Council's goal is to put science to work for Canada" said Dr. Pierre Coulombe, President of the National Research Council. "The release of this product is the result of successful, on-going collaborations between our two agencies for the benefit of the Canadian environment."

Sustainable energy, wind power and climate change are priorities of the Government of Canada. Minister Dion said the federal government will remain committed to working with their partners to build sustainable development systematically into decision-making. He also noted that Hydro Quebec's recent commitment to wind energy reinforces the importance of WindScope.

WindScope will help assist future wind farm development in Canada. Putting the right wind farms in the right places through wider access to wind-mapping software allows an optimization of Canada's increased investment in our Wind Power Production Incentive. For a modest investment, more and more Canadian wind consulting companies can provide quick and efficient wind analysis thanks to WindScope. This will help optimize the use of the wind resource in Canada.

WindScope is the result of an ongoing collaborative project between Environment Canada, the National Research Council Canadian Hydraulics Centre, and funded by Natural Resources Canada.

Project Green is a set of policies and programs aimed at supporting a sustainable environment, healthy population and competitive economy. It addresses environmental and competitiveness issues for the 21st century including measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to increase fuel and energy efficiency and to increase Canadian and foreign markets for environmental technologies that can drive our economy and protect our environment and health. Through Project Green's policies and programs, Canada can set an international example by developing effective model solutions for the long-term health of the planet.