Calgary: Residents ride the wind

What is the significance of only 12 wind turbines? They can power one of North America’s most successful Light Rail Transit (LRT) systems, providing a truly emissions-free mode of transportation. Calgary’s C-Train, which runs on 46.0 kilometers of track and serves over 90 million people each year, is completely powered on clean, renewable wind energy. As one of the first and only transportation systems in North America to phase out fossil fuel energy sources, the C-Train system reduces over 47,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.



The project began in September 2011, when Calgary Transit partnered with ENMAX and Vision Quest Windelectric to develop the Ride the Wind! program, creating a truly emissions free mode of transportation. The 12 windmills located in Southern Alberta generate the wind-power, which is sent to the main power grid. In Alberta’s deregulated market for electricity, large consumers contract to purchase their electricity from a specific vendor, while individual electrons received from the province-wide grid may not be identical as those transmitted. The main requirement is that supply and demand be identical at each end. 



The Ride the Wind! program has received positive comments from riders who appreciate that they can ride the C-Train and know it is virtually free of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2006, Calgary’s light rail system surpassed the personal automobile as the preferred transportation choice for entering the downtown during peak rush hours. Without the C-Train system, an extra 74,000 vehicles would enter the downtown core, occupying over 28 lanes of traffic, equivalent to 388 city blocks.

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The connection between wind power and transportation choices is important, and the Pembina Institute has committed to educating students about Calgary’s Ride the Wind! program. Students build model wind turbines and learn about how the power generated from Vision Quest’s wind turbines is distributed through ENMAX Energy’s Greenmax program. Their website, re-energy.ca, explores the possibilities of utilizing renewable technology for transportation and other purposes. Dave Mussell, Education Specialist with the Institute, says:


"Climate change has forced us to examine the presumption of limitless growth, and has raised awareness of humanity's impacts on basic ecological processes of the planet. Ride the Wind! is an important initiative to help students understand the impacts their consumer choices will have on energy suppliers and producers in the coming decades."

Countries across the world are beginning to look at climate change as one of the most critical and challenging issues of our time. As more cities implement sustainable transportation systems, it is important to consider abandoning fossil-fuel energy sources for renewable energy. Indeed, Calgary’s wind-powered C-Train has been a monumental success that provides residents with a clean, sustainable, and emissions-free mode of transportation, and will undoubtedly do so for generations to come.