Feb 24 2011
A British Columbia First Nation, is partnering with in Endurance Wind Power, a Surrey- based Wind Power Company for marketing wind turbines to aboriginal communities across the US and Canada.
Endurance Deal with Tsleil-Waututh NationChief
According to Chief, Justin George of the North Vancouver- based Tsleil-Waututh Nation, which was once upon a time known as Burrard Band, has made $2 million equity investment in Endurance and this amount would be utilized to finance R&D work in areas like solar panel/turbine combinations for usage on a small scale. He revealed this plan at an alternative energy conference for first nations held in Vancouver. Also the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, which is one among the four hosts for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics has developed TWN Wind Power, a wholly owned company, which would allocate the Endurance wind turbines in the aboriginal markets.
The Chief Justin George has also revealed that the partnership is mainly because they have recognized a new market potential via the relationship with first nations. Most of the first nations use diesel, which is 10 times more expensive than the BC hydro grid electricity and he also counted the environmental benefits, which wind turbine power have over diesel. The company TWN Wind Power was now trying to recognize the wind potential in the various rural communities and is also conducting discussions with groups located in Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and B.C.
Glenn Johnson, the CEO of Endurance has commented that Canada has so far been a poor market as most of the country has been supplied power at very low costs and also because the federal and provincial governments have not been very actively supporting clean renewable energy. Johnson further revealed that they have sold only four wind turbines to the whole of Canada whereas the company had installed more than 145 turbines in Europe and in the US.
Johnson has stated that both TWN and Endurance would be highly successful even if they don’t install turbines in Canada. However, a number of first nation’s communities such as Saskatchewan and B.C. and others in isolated and inaccessible areas, which get electricity at high costs, may be much more receptive to these turbines. The major hurdle was gaining approval from the appropriate utility to tie up with their power grid. Johnson further mentioned that even though getting approval was a difficult process it was not as if they have ever been rejected. Endurance, which was established four years ago is half owned by employees and the other half owned by personal and institutional investors. The Tsleil-Waututh has now become a minority owner. Johnson further states that they wanted to lead in distributed wind energy and think that they have a chance to do this in B.C.
Source: http://www.endurancewindpower.com/