The Kluane First Nation in Yukon will erect a 60-metre meteorological tower on the shore of Kluane Lake as part of an initiative to develop a small-scale wind farm in the area.
Over the next year, the tower will monitor atmospheric conditions and wind speed in the area. The First Nation plans to install wind turbines next year.
Colin Wright, environmental co-ordinator with the Kluane First Nation, said there is a lot of initiative to move away from diesel-generated power.
“As we know, fossil fuels are not going to be as readily available as they are right now, so I think that forward looking and trying to get off this archaic technology is something that we’re trying to get into,” he said. “Hopefully Burwash and Destruction Bay can become a bit of a model for these types of projects.”
Wright said the Kluane First Nation hopes to eventually add three wind turbines. They will generate about 300 kilowatts of power to the grid, which he said is about 30 per cent of the energy Destruction Bay and Burwash Landing consume.
The First Nation hopes to have the first meteorological tower up in two weeks.