Take the example of Mount Allison University. A further hopeful factor is the possibility of a progressive energy policy from the new Lord government. Mount Allison University is uniquely positioned on the edge of the Tantramar Marshes, one of the two ideal wind energy locations in the province. The wind regime on the marshes has the advantage of being reliable over the long term due to the temperature gradient between the land and the ocean as the world s largest tides move in and out, but the disadvantage of fluctuating considerably over the short term for the same reason. This is huge by all accounts, particularly since the blade is mounted on a 60-70 metre high tower.
Several concerns are immediately apparent.
The Tantramar marshes are vitally important for migrating birds. It is conceivable that the installation of such a significant tower could seriously impact bird routes. However, extensive studies in Europe and the US have demonstrated that mortality is less than one bird per year. The sound of wind turbines can be problematic as they whish, whish around day and night. At 200 metres the sound of a 750 kW machine is significantly louder then whispering, slightly quieter than the interior of the average residence and much quieter than conversational speech at 3 feet.