Saskatchewan approves new wind energy project with 56 turbines

The Saskatchewan government approved a large-scale wind energy project Thursday for the province’s southwest as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Blue Hill Wind Energy Project will be located south of Herbert and is expected to have 56 turbines. Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said the project demonstrates the government’s commitment to renewable energy. Saskatchewan has consistently opposed a federal carbon tax that would put a price on carbon emissions. The province argues it’s already doing enough with its own climate change strategy. "If all of this is about greenhouse gas emissions, we’re trying to get to the same goal, we just have a different way to do it," Duncan said. Andrew Watson, an assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s school of environment and sustainability, said the project is a good start, although still puts Saskatchewan behind several provinces. "I think the carbon tax has created the context within which the government is now eager and interested in developing wind power on this scale to demonstrate that there are alternatives to tackling climate change that don’t involve a carbon tax," he said. The Canadian Wind Energy Association says Saskatchewan had 221 megawatts of installed wind energy capacity […]

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