Ontario, Canada and its Energy Minister George Smitherman were recently awarded the World Wind Energy Award for efforts that promote wind power in North America, making Ontario a leader in the region.

The award was given by the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA), an international non-profit group with members in 90 countries, at awarding rites in Jeju, South Korea.

WWEA awarded Smitherman for his “outstanding achievements in making Ontario the leading wind energy jurisdiction in North America.”

Smitherman was among the key pushers of the recently-passed Green Energy and Green Economy Act of Ontario which was cited as a step towards the establishment of a strong domestic wind industry in the province.

The Green Energy and Green Economy Act is among the biggest renewable energy legislation in North America and estimated to create 50,000 jobs. It also expects to see an investment of at least over $4 billion.

The legislation features a feed-in tariff guaranteed for a fixed time period, and a special premium provided for community investors such as individual citizens, cooperatives, and farmers, among others.

Ontario is Canada’s largest province by population, and it has the highest wind power capacity in the country, with almost 1,000 megawatts.

The World Wind Energy started in 2002, recognizing people who have contributed to the worldwide proliferation of wind energy.


-  Eric Dorente

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¹ http://www.mei.gov.on.ca/english/news/?page=news-releases&body=yes&news_id=50