Canada – WIND WORKS

DAF-Indal[1] began working with Canada’s National Research Council and provincial utilities to develop Darrieus wind turbines using Canada’s abundant aluminum in the mid 1970s.[2]

They constructed about a dozen small prototype Darrieus turbines less than 5 meters in diameter and about 9 meters tall in the mid to late 1970s, rated variously from 4 kW to 12 kW.[3] One was installed in the Arctic for Canada’s Defence Research Establishment.[4] Another was installed in Texas at the USDA’s Bushland Experiment Station in a wind-assisted pumping test. Another was installed on Block Island, Rhode Island.[5] One was still standing—inoperative–outside Toronto in 2007.[6]

Not much more was heard about Honda and electric cars until this week when Japanese news source Nikkei announced that Honda is contemplating a $14 billion investment to manufacture batteries and electric cars in Canada. Without confirming the report, Canadian industry minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told Canada’s Global News that it reflected the country’s growing reputation as a leader in attracting green investment in the auto industry.

Northvolt, the Swedish battery manufacturer founded in 2017 by former Tesla supply chain leader Peter Carlsson, has been considering building a factory in North America for some time. Now, according to a report by The National News, the company has selected a site in Saint Basile le Grand, a community located about 25 kilometers east of Montreal, for the site of its first battery factory outside of Europe.

Ford plans to retool and transform its Oakville assembly plant in Ontario to prepare for the auto industry’s future. The facility will be renamed the Oakville EV complex to represent its role in the company better.

A spokesperson from Stellantis claimed the companies are looking at backup plans because “the Canadian Government has not delivered on what was agreed.”