NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Tags: physical sciences, economic feasibility, wind energy

Objective(s): To continue quantifying the wind energy potential for the economic feasibility of installing a wind turbine as a part of the Avalon Rare Metals Inc. development near Thor Lake.

Project Description: The objective of this wind monitoring proposal is to continue quantifying the wind energy potential for the economic feasibility of installing a wind turbine as a part of the Avalon Rare Metals Inc. development near Thor Lake. Due to equipment problems, no data was collected during the winter months of the last two years. The monitoring equipment has now been replaced and we aim to capture this important seasonal data in order to confirm early predictions on the viability of wind energy for the Thor Lake mine site. Once the data is collected, the tower will be removed as previously planned. The project engineer has been working on wind monitoring projects with Aurora Research Institute since 2004. He oversaw the wind tower installation with the assistance of a community member who was trained to maintain the wind monitoring equipment and data collection at the site. The community wind monitor will continue to visit the wind tower site monthly and maintain the monitoring site equipment. Data files will be downloaded monthly. Reporting and data management will continue to be maintained by the Aurora Research Institute staff in conjunction with the project engineer. Wind monitoring data will continue to be collected from the wind tower through the winter and spring. All data will be stored at the Aurora Research Institute and will be analyzed by the project engineer. The wind monitoring equipment will be removed from the site when the data collection is completed in 2012. This will be conducted by the Aurora Research Institute technician with the assistance of the local wind monitor. Two Yellowknife residents and employees of Deton'Cho were hired to assist with the wind tower installation, and will likely be involved in its disassembly. Also, a local wind monitor was hired from the community of Yellowknife to assist with the ongoing wind data collection, which will continue until fall 2012. All of the project personnel will stay at the exploration mine camp at Thor Lake during disassembly and will lease equipment locally. The results from this study will be compiled into a wind analysis report which will be posted on the Aurora Research Institute website. Copies of the report will also be distributed to nearby community organizations and project partners, and a plain language report will be distributed for community members. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from February 27, 2012 to December 31, 2012.