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The power of green
Green power is electricity produced from environmentally friendly sources such as wind, low-impact hydroelectric, biomass, and solar. These sources are renewable, meaning that they cannot be used up because nature's cycle is the source. OPG's green power collection consists of 31 EcoLogo-certified facilities (29 small hydroelectric, and two wind-powered stations) with a combined capacity of 133 megawatts.
Electricity from the wind
Wind power is the world's fastest growing source of energy. Wind-generated electricity is produced when the wind propels the blades of a wind turbine, turning the central drive shaft that drives an electrical generator. |
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Huron Wind Farm |
Ontario's first wind farm
The nine megawatt Huron Wind facility, Ontario's first wind farm, started making electricity in December, 2002. This five-turbine wind farm near Kincardine is expected to produce enough green power to meet the needs of about 3,000 households each year. Visit www.huronwind.com for more details. |
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Pickering's tall tower
OPG's Pickering Nuclear site is home to the Pickering Wind Generating Station, one of North America's largest wind turbines. This 1.8 megawatt, 117-metre high wind machine started making electricity in 2001. It is designed to produce enough green power for 600 households a year.
Green hydroelectric
Hydropower, or electricity made with falling water, is by far the largest renewable energy source in Canada. It uses falling water to turn turbines and create electricity. Environmentally friendly hydro sites are typically smaller sites and don't hold back a lot of water in a reservoir. The backbone of OPG's current Green Power collection is our 29 small hydroelectric units. These Ontario sites are capable of producing about 125 MW of low-impact electricity.
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Biomass fuel pellets
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Biomass energy
OPG is targetting 2012 as the year it will begin using renewable biomass as a replacement fuel for coal in some of its electricity generating units. Biomass is a fuel that is carbon neutral. Unlike oil, gas or coal, its use as a fuel does not contribute to climate change. For more information and to watch our biomass video visit our biomass web page.
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