Residents of Newfoundland’s Port au Port Peninsula say they have been blindsided by the announcement of a proposed hydrogen wind farm in the area, saying they fear multiple turbines will encroach on their land and harm their way of life. At a meeting in Cape St. George Wednesday, businessman John Risley faced a room full of visibly disappointed residents, some of whom said they were surprised to learn about it from media reports or from neighbors. “It’s disrespectful. Very disrespectful … There are some very angry people in our communities,” a woman can be heard telling Risley during a meeting streamed on YouTube. “You’ll have a lot of convincing to do.” Risley, a Nova Scotia businessman who previously ran Clearwater Seafoods, is president and CEO of CFFI Ventures and part of the group behind World Energy GH2. The company plans to build 164 wind turbines on the peninsula and use the energy generated there to produce green hydrogen and ammonia at a plant in Stephenville. WATCHES | Watch a stream of John Risley’s July 6 meeting with Port au Port Peninsula residents: Risley said meetings with multiple municipalities began six weeks ago and told the meeting he understands those meetings do not represent the entire population. He added that later meetings were also held in Lourdes and Stephenville. Others raised concerns about the location, noise and height of the turbines, wondering if they would have any effect on the areas’ landscapes and views — or if they could be placed on people’s properties. In response, Risley said turbines cannot be less than a kilometer from any building and expects the turbines to be between 90 and 120 feet tall, or between 27 and 45 meters tall. The government of Newfoundland and Labrador does not appear to have rules governing the minimum distance between wind turbines and private residences. The Department of Environment and Climate Change has refused to explain what — if any — rules exist for turbines, despite repeated requests from the CBC and Radio-Canada. Spokeswoman Debbie Marnell said in an email that Environment Minister Bernard Davis “will be updated on the province’s requirements and policies regarding wind energy projects.” Newfoundland and Labrador in April lifted a moratorium on privately owned onshore wind power generation. The moratorium had been in place for 15 years.
German market already confirmed: Risley
Asked where the hydrogen produced in Newfoundland might end up, Risley said the group already has a confirmed market in Germany. Risley said the German government has set up a Crown company to buy green hydrogen, which will then decide where to introduce it into the German economy. A company plans to install 164 wind turbines on the Port au Port peninsula on Newfoundland’s west coast. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press) “The purpose of doing this is to make our marketing job easier, because we don’t have to run around and talk to all these potential customers and convince them that they have to pay a green-related premium,” he said. Construction of the turbines and a hydrogen plant in Stephenville is expected to take three years, with Risley hoping to begin around the summer of 2023. The project must first undergo a year-long environmental study, studying how the birds and plants along with considering the conditions around where the turbines will be placed. Meanwhile, residents living in local service areas said they were not consulted in the same way as councils. The proposed wind farm project on the Port au Port peninsula. Each red dot represents a wind turbine. (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador) Risley also said he is ready to work with local service districts to ensure all concerns are shared. During the meeting, Risley even offered to take some people to similar wind farms in places like Ontario so they could share the experience with residents. “We don’t start construction for a year. There’s plenty of time to have those conversations,” he said. “And if I have to come back here three or four times or a few more, then I’m more than happy to.” Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
