Wind Energy Monitoring at Snare Hill
Principal Investigator: Gall, Patrick N. (6)
Licence Number: 16945
Organization: Aurora College
Licensed Year(s): 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Issued: Jan 25, 2022
Project Team: Jean-Paul Pinard

Objective(s): To measure the wind energy potential at CN Hill (approximately 130 km from Yellowknife) until the site is next serviced and the equipment removed.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.5159. 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 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. 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 25, 2022 to December 31, 2022.