Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, NaiKun Wind Energy Group Inc. is planning a large scale offshore wind farm in the Hecate Strait off the northwest coast of British Columbia (B.C.), Canada. The company trades on the TSX Venture Exchange and is developing their project through wholly-owned subsidiary, NaiKun Wind Development Inc. NaiKun is proposing to construct and operate this wind farm in a 550-square-kilometer permit area within the Haida Energy Field. The Hecate Strait area is between the Queen Charlotte Islands and the B. C. mainland and has some of the most consistent and powerful winds in all of Canada.
The company’s goal is to establish B.C. and Canada as one of the world leaders in renewable energy development. NaiKun believes this wind farm will be a cost-effective, clean, domestic energy source that will serve the B.C. electricity market. Phase one of this planned project will be for 320 MW of wind power, enough to provide electricity to 120,000 B.C. homes. When this five-phase wind project is complete, NaiKun Wind Energy Group Inc. hopes to generate 1,750 MW of electricity, or enough to supply 600,000 B.C homes.
NaiKun Wind Energy Group Inc.’s subsidiary, NaiKun Wind Development Inc., this month announced the expansion of their engineering team. They did this by including Offshore Design Engineering Ltd. (ODE, formerly Sandwell Engineering Inc.), one of the world’s leading offshore wind project engineering consultants, as major players in the design and construction of their wind energy project in Hecate Strait. ODE offers significant European experience in offshore wind projects.
Offshore wind turbines generate between two and five MW of electricity per turbine. A 5MW turbine can power 350,000 high efficiency (CFL) light bulbs with clean, renewable electricity. Many developers of wind projects are beginning to look offshore, as the winds over open waters are stronger and more regular. This is because there is less obstruction from mountains, hills, and trees.
NaiKun believes energy production from the first turbines of this project may begin in 2010 at the earliest. They must complete certain steps before this will take place. These include a full and thorough environmental review and discussions with all affected communities and stakeholders, as well as a geophysical seabed survey, the measurement of waves and currents and field studies.
The company plans for construction to begin upon receiving final approval from various levels of government. They also require a power purchase agreement to be completed and the raising of investment capital. NaiKun is working hard to put everything in place to develop this extensive project. Sitting in the seabed in Hecate Strait, NaiKun’s wind farm project will be a family of 67 to 110 wind turbine towers when it is complete.
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