While the announcement does nothing to change the status of the Meikle Wind Energy project near Tumbler Ridge, it does put the future of other projects in doubt, including the $480-million Red Willow Wind project

The country’s largest wind energy organization has announced it is pulling out of British Columbia to chase better opportunities in Alberta and Saskatchewan.  

Jean-Francois Nolet, vice-president of the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA), made the announcement in a letter to members of the association’s B.C. caucus Feb. 5, and obtained by the Alaska Highway News.

“In the last few months we have seen significant new commitments to renewable energy in Alberta and Saskatchewan, but much work remains to be done to make those commitments a reality,” Nolet wrote. 

“At the same time, despite the hard work and efforts of CanWEA and other stakeholders over many years in British Columbia, we have not yet secured any significant new opportunities for wind energy in the province and both the B.C. Government and BC Hydro have indicated that they do not expect to proceed with a new call for power within the next decade.”

In response, CanWEA determined it must shift its focus from B.C. to emerging markets in Alberta and Saskatchewan. With the announcment comes the closure of CanWEA’s B.C. office. Regional director Ian Baille will be leaving the organization.

– See more at: http://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/regional-news/canadian-wind-energy-association-pulls-out-of-b-c-1.2172268#sthash.PqRmWoAq.dpuf