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Kivalliq Alternative Energy

Event Recap: Baker Lake Town Hall (July 22, 2024)

Kivalliq Alternative Energy
July 22, 2024


Overview

Who: Kivalliq Alternative Energy

What: Town Hall – Baker Lake Wind Energy Project

When: July 22, 2024

Location: Recreation Centre, Baker Lake

Target Audience: Baker Lake community members

Attendance: Approx. 35 people


Hosts:

  • Blaine Chislett, Energy & Sustainability Manager, Sakku Investments Corporation (SIC)

  • Dana May, Project Development Manager, Northern Energy Capital (NEC)

  • Ruben den Uyl, Renewable Energy Analyst, NEC


Summary of Presentation

  • Kivalliq Alternative Energy (KAE), a partnership between Sakku Investments and Northern Energy Capital, is exploring the benefits of a wind and energy storage project in Baker Lake.

  • The Project aims to generate locally-produced clean energy, reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels, and increase energy sovereignty, security and economic development in the Kivalliq Region.

  • Wind energy offers benefits like local clean energy generation and reduced reliance on costly imported fossil fuels, but trade-offs such as land disturbance during construction, noise, and potential interactions with wildlife must first be fully understood.

  • The Project concept includes 1-3 turbines with 46m-69m height, a new road and electrical line

  • The Project is estimated to produce 5,000 MWh of renewable electricity annually, meeting 40% of Baker Lake's total demand and displacing 1,160,000 L of diesel per year.

  • Site selection criteria consider factors like wind speed, distance to objects, environmental impact, and wildlife concerns.

  • Two sites are being studied at the moment, north of the community along the AEM road.

  • Community engagement is a key aspect of the project, with ongoing opportunities for feedback and collaboration.

  • The project timeline includes community engagement, wildlife monitoring, site selection, design & engineering, and construction phases.


Download Baker Lake Town Hall Presentation (PDF):



Questions from the Community

Click the arrows to view answers

Q1: Are the wind turbines safe if the wind comes from different directions?

Q2: Why does the project choose these types of wind turbines and not, for instance, omnidirectional turbines?

Q3: With the average energy demand of Baker Lake being 2.2 MW, why is the proposed project up to 3 MW?

Q4: Will the wind turbines blow the smell from the sewage lake to the community?

Q5: Will there be job opportunities for the community and if so, when?

Q6: Will it be possible to speak Inuktitut during the jobs of the project?

Q7: Will there be learning opportunities for the youth, and will internships be available?

Q8: How will the youth be engaged throughout the project?

Q9: Will the Elders be engaged in the conversation?

Q10: Can we host a meeting with the elders and youth together, so they can share their knowledge of traditional names of locations and areas?

Q11: Can the wind turbines survive in extreme weather conditions, such as extreme cold, arctic storms and lightning strikes?



Feedback from the Community

Click the arrows to view KAE's responses

Location #2 that we proposed during the Town Hall received some remarks from the audience. Firstly, this location lies on an important transit route to some hunting areas and lakes that many people use. Secondly, there might be some graves in the area.

Attendees indicated that currently a lot of Elders weren’t reached with the announcement of the Town Hall and indicated that we should use the radio more for announcements.

Attendees indicated that summer is not the best time for reaching a large share of the community with a Town Hall event, since it overlaps with hunting season and many are out on the land.




Kivalliq Alternative Energy team members host a town hall in Baker Lake to answer questions and gather feedback on the proposed wind energy project on July 22, after a few days of stakeholder meetings, community connections, and site-seeing. PHOTO: Ruben den Uyl





About Kivalliq Alternative Energy

Kivalliq Alternative Energy (KAE) is a leader in the clean energy transition in Nunavut's Kivalliq region. By developing renewable energy-generating projects, KAE is increasing energy independence for the remote communities it represents. KAE's projects nurture community benefits, grow local capacity and lay the foundations for powering the region's clean energy future. KAE is an Inuit-led partnership between Sakku Investments Corporation (SIC) and Northern Energy Capital (NEC).

 

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Kivalliq Alternative Energy Ltd. 

12-71 Nuvua St, PO Box 188 

Rankin Inlet, NU, X0C 0G0

(403) 968-1516

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