Industrial wind turbine projects are getting the green light to proceed in the province despite mounting protests from groups calling for a moratorium on further construction until more studies are done on the social and economic impact of Ontario’s wind energy sector.

At Arthur, Schneider Power Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc., announced two weeks ago that it had a permit to commence construction of the Arthur Wind Farm starting this week.

The small wind farm The small wind farm will have five Enercon wind turbines with a combined generating capacity of 10 Megawatts. It is to be located on 348 acres of private farmland.

Company president Thomas Schneider said in a press release: “We are very excited by this historic moment, as it is the second wind farm to be constructed by our Company in Ontario,” adding later:“We would like to thank the community of Arthur and the Township of Wellington North for their continued support of this project. Together we are one step closer to a sustainable energy future.”

His enthusiasm does not appear to be shared by all.

A legal challenge was launched against the Green Energy Act last October, specifically to the parts that deal with siting and setbacks of Industrial Wind Turbines (IWTs) in relation to people’s homes.

This “Application for Judicial Review” seeks to have IWT development close to people placed on hold across Ontario until independent, epidemiological studies are completed to determine safe setbacks from places where people live.

Supporters of this application and wind turbine foes were heartened by a recent decision in Divisional Court, where the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) sought to be admitted to this application as a party able to file evidence and be entitled to cross-examine witnesses .

In a May 4 decision, CanWEA was denied full party status but was accepted as a “Friend of the Court,” wherein they will only be allowed to file a brief written argument and make brief oral submissions, and will not be permitted to file evidence or cross examine witnesses.

Ian Hanna of Prince Edward County launched the challenge against the Green Energy Act, claiming there more than sufficient scientific uncertainty surrounding wind development in province to allow Ontario's courts to strike down key portions of the legislation until such time as proper health studies have been carried out.

Mr. Hanna’s supporters include Dr. Robert McMurtry, former Dean of Medicine at the University of Western Ontario.

Dr. McMurtry has spoken out in support of a statement that says the number of people already apparently suffering adverse health effects from industrial wind turbines is now over 100 in Ontario alone. He has been calling for an independent epidemiological study into health effects from wind turbines since 2008.

The main concerns arising from wind installations surround noise levels and low frequency sound issues. These two factors, and others, are claimed to have resulted in sleep deprivation, cardiac arrhythmia, tinnitus, nausea, heart palpitations, severe headaches and acute hypertensive episodes.

Ottawa-based CanWEA, which presents itself as a non-profit trade association that promotes the appropriate development and application of all aspects of wind energy in Canada, including the creation of a suitable policy environment, counters that there is no credible evidence that sound from wind turbines can have a direct impact on human health and no plausible mechanism through which it could have such an impact.

The association also attributed a statement to Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Arlene King, where it says she states, “there is no scientific evidence, to date, to demonstrate a causal association between wind turbine noise and adverse health effects” in an October 2009 memorandum to medical officers of health and environmental health directors throughout Ontario.

Meanwhile, the government is touting the Community Energy Partnerships Program (CEPP), which will cover up to 90 per cent of eligible development costs to a maximum of $200,000 for community power projects greater than 10 kilowatts and no larger than 10 megawatts.

“Opening Ontario’s doors to clean energy means that everyone can participate in growing Ontario's clean energy economy and the jobs associated with it,” Brad Duguid, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, said in a press release. The “launch of the Community Energy Partnership Program will make it easier for not-for-profits, coops and farmers to become clean energy providers through communityowned renewable energy projects.”

Funding under the CEEP is divided into two phases. The first phase involves project design and development. Examples of costs covered by the CEPP include engineering studies, business plan development and connection impact assessments.

The second phase provides funding support for regulatory approvals, including federal and provincial environmental assessments and the province’s renewable energy approval.