The winds blowing through Squamish are not be the untapped energy resource they appeared to be four years ago. A report on wind speeds in the area deemed to be most suitable for a turbine, Alice Ridge, showed disappointing results.

A meteorological tower was installed on the ridge in September 2006 to test wind speeds. By December 2007, monitoring showed the average wind speed was half of the speed needed to make the project viable. A report prepared by Squamish Sustainability Corporation’s Dan McCrae stated, “The average speed is too low to justify further feasibility on Alice Ridge.”

In 2004, wind energy was poised to become the town’s newest economic sector. Sea Breeze Power Corporation took advantage of the opportunity, and had two wind turbine manufacturing companies lined up to harness the town’s breezy weather. A year later, the district invested $10,500 into wind power to help with the costs of erecting a 50-metre meteorological tower on Alice Ridge.

The federal government also chipped in, contributing $84,000 through Western Economic Diversification Canada. The money also went toward the costs of exploring ways wind energy could tie in with local business, tourism and education. The report stated that public consultation had shown “an overwhelmingly positive response in favour of developing a wind energy project.”

In June 2006, Sea Breeze Power’s vice-president of government relations, Eugene Hodgson made the quest to install turbines more urgent. He encouraged the Chamber of Commerce to pressure the province to help wind power tie into the BC Hydro grids. But this enthusiasm was offset by the realities of a complex landscape in Squamish. Winds may be strong in town, but they are also inconstent, moving from the oceanfront to the mountaintops with the seasons.

“It’s too bad we can’t get wind turbines that we can move around, but that’s the wind regime we’re dealing with,” said McRae while presenting the findings to council Tuesday (May 6). In the summer, the winds are highest by the ocean, where kiteboarders and windsurfers can be found enjoying the gusts at the Spit. But when winter comes, the strong winds moves move much higher toward the mountaintops, creating two infrequent hotspots.