Rome was not built in a day and likewise the process to develop a wind farm is quite lengthy.
Before BowArk visits a community for the first time, a significant amount of initial site analysis occurs.
By the time landowners are approached for initial discussions on lease arrangements, BowArk has spent 6 –
12 months evaluating the location. We analyze publicly available data on the local wind, assess where and
how a potential project might connect into the power grid and contact community leaders to gauge community
support and potential environmental sensitivities.
To give you an idea of what happens once a community is selected, we have assembled a sample
timeline for the development of a wind farm project. This timeline is by no means set in stone,
but it will give you a high level overview of the process. A key assumption in our timeline is
negotiating a Power Purchase Agreement with local power authorities. This process varies greatly
between provinces. For example, in Manitoba developers must wait for a formal request for proposal
(RFP) process, while in Ontario, developers can choose to wait for a RFP process or move forward
with a smaller project as part of the province’s Standard Offer Contract program.
Bottom line is that the project cannot move forward without a Power Purchase Agreement, so this element has a
significant impact on the overall schedule. More information on the overall process is available
in the Canadian Wind Energy Association’s Building a Wind Farm.
