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Wind Energy in Canada

2021 wind energy numbers

During 2021, 677 MW of new wind capacity was installed in Canada.

This is a significant increase from last year’s installed capacity (175 MW), partially because many projects are ramping up due to the post-pandemic economic recovery. Wind production reached over 36 TWh of electricity generated, representing a 0.2% decrease from production in 2020.

To read more about Canada’s wind energy sector, read their chapter in the IEA Wind TCP 2020 Annual Report.

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Megawatt

Total wind power capacity is 14,300 MW.
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Megawatt

Wind power capacity in Canada increased by 677 MW in 2021.
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Terawatt-time

Canada produces 36.19 TWh from wind energy, which accounts for 6.2% of the country’s electricity consumption.

National Targets

In April 2021, the Government of Canada announced a national GHG emission reduction target of 40% to 45% below 2005 levels by 2030, an increase in stringency compared to the previous target of a 30% reduction by 2030.

In June 2021, the Government of Canada announced the 965 million CAD (665 million EUR; 762 million USD) Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs) in support of Canada’s ongoing effort to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 by encouraging the replacement of fossil-fuel generated electricity with cleaner energy technologies. The program provides funding support for eligible projects under three streams: established renewables, emerging technologies, and grid modernisation.

Progress & Operational Details

Projects announced in 2021 had an average installed cost of 1.8 million CAD/MW (1.27 million EUR/ MW; 1.46 million USD/MW), a moderate decrease from the 2020 average of 2.3 million CAD/MW (1.59 million EUR/MW; 1.82 million USD/MW).

There was a significant increase from 2020 (175 MW) in terms of new wind installations in Canada, with 677 MW of new capacity coming online in 2021.

Total wind energy capacity in Canada (as of Dec 31, 2021) was 14,304 MW, up from 13,627 MW in 2020. Nearly half of the capacity growth occurred in Alberta (358 MW), with additional development in Saskatchewan, Ontario, and British Columbia.

National RDD Priorities and Budget

CanmetENERGY-Ottawa released an assessment of existing offshore wind technologies and their potential applicability in Atlantic Canada. The analysis provided high-level information on five aspects of offshore wind: construction methods, foundation, technologies, environmental protection, operational considerations, and a summary of Canada’s offshore setting.

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Alternate Member Thomas Levy

sthomas.levy@canada.ca