NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: North Slave Region

Tags: physical sciences, renewable energy, atmospheric sciences, engineering, economic feasibility, wind energy, wind monitoring

Objective(s): To continue to measure the wind energy potential at CN Hill until the site is next serviced and the equipment removed.

Project Description: The objective of this wind monitoring proposal is to continue to measure the wind energy potential at CN Hill (approximately 130 km from Yellowknife) until the site is next serviced and the equipment removed. This is part of an alternative energy study for the Yellowknife area. Wind data will be collected using instruments that measure wind speed, direction, and temperature. Sensors are already installed on an existing Northwestel Tower. 1) Wind monitoring data collection, analysis and reporting. Data files will be transmitted via a satellite link, and downloaded remotely by the project engineer and technician up until the site is decommissioned. Reporting and data management will be the responsibility of both the project engineer and technician. Data will be collected from the wind tower for a period of two years. All data will be stored at the Aurora Research Institute (ARI), and analyzed by the project engineer. 2) The decommissioning of the installed wind monitoring equipment at the CN Hill monitoring site will be led by the project engineer, who has conducted all wind tower installations in the NWT to date and has been working on wind monitoring projects with ARI since 2004. The engineer will be supported by local technicians from Public Works and Northwestel. Anemometers, a wind vane, and a temperature sensor are currently installed on the upper portion of a pre-existing Northwestel communications tower. NWT residents will benefit from the data collected and the resulting wind energy feasibility study that will follow, once wind estimates have been verified for the site. The results from this work will be compiled into a wind analysis report which will be posted on the Aurora Research Institute website (www.nwtresearch.com). Copies of the report will also be distributed to nearby community organizations and project partners, and a plain language report will be distributed to community members. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from January 23, 2019 to December 31, 2019.