Winds of change
Kivalliq Alternate Energy (KAE) is proposing to install and operate wind turbines that will provide clean electricity to Rankin Inlet and Baker Lake. The projects will support energy sovereignty for the communities by producing renewable, locally-generated power and reducing reliance on diesel fuel.
To better understand wildlife near the community, KAE is undertaking an exploratory wildlife program to collect data to document wildlife presence and use in several areas being considered for wind turbine installation.
This wildlife monitoring program will target barren-ground caribou for herds interacting with Rankin Inlet and Baker Lake, as well as migratory birds species at risk. Information collected from this wildlife monitoring program will be used to better understand the wildlife and their movement near these communities, and assist KAE in planning and locating the wind turbines in suitable areas to minimize potential affects on local wildlife.
KAE will be setting up three survey stations in Baker Lake and nine in Rankin Inlet, located about 2-5 km from each community. The positioning of the survey stations will capture wildlife presence and wildlife behaviour from different angles to provide suitable coverage within the candidate areas for the project.
Survey stations were installed in June and will be left in place until October 2024, when they will be completely removed to avoid any potential safety concerns to wildlife and community members over the winter.
Survey stations include a set of two remote cameras and one automated recording unit that will be attached to a rebar frame secured onto stable ground and stabilized with florescent cord. Each station will include a sticker indicating that these are part of the KAE wildlife monitoring program.
Blaine Chislett, manager of energy and sustainability for Sakku Investments Corp., said for the past seven or eight years, Sakku has been doing some wind monitoring and data collection on wind speeds.
He said with the wind studies, Sakku is aiming to install a few wind turbines in the vicinity of Rankin Inlet, with assistance from the hamlet and territorial government organizations.
“We’re working towards having the majority, if not 100 per cent, of these wind turbines funded, so nothing is going to be coming out of the North,” said Chislett. “It’s just going to be providing green energy for the North.
“As you know, I grew up here and I’m Inuk. And I work for an Inuit organization that’s very culturally sensitive. We’ve had our caribou herd coming through here for a millennia, if not more, and we’d like to continue to do so.
“We’re here to prove that we can do a renewable program with multiple wind turbines safely, without affecting the caribou population, wildlife population in general, or bird population in a negative way.
“There are studies done in the south and studies on other caribou and reindeer, but there’s nothing better than having a study done of your local herd of wildlife and bird populations so that you can answer any questions that may arise.”
Chislett said, eventually, all seven Kivalliq communities will be involved with numerous studies because Sakku is mandated – and is working on it with KAE – to develop renewable resources in all regions to help combat fuel spills and the ever-fluctuating cost of fuel.
Renewable projects are costly, he acknowledged, but, if they’re funded, there’s no push-back towards the consumer, which would be Inuit beneficiaries and the local populace.
“Baker Lake got involved with this study because we did one there with our SODAR unit (a type of instrument that emits sound waves and detects the backscattered acoustic signal to measure atmospheric structure and velocity) last year, which produced beautiful numbers and is totally feasible with our wind speeds.
“Once we collect all the data, we’ll be able to consolidate all the information onto audio, video and jpeg photos of any animals that come around, so we can pick the best suitable spot for our future proposed wind turbines. It’s an exciting process.”
Darrell Greer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kivalliq News
