Spatial Assessment and Modelling of Wind Energy Potential in British Columbia

The analysis was implemented in Python, and all nine criteria were integrated into a weighted overlay analysis using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The study found that BC has approximately 2,527.7 km2 of land suitable for wind energy development, representing 0.27% of BC’s total area. The predicted annual production was estimated using three commonly used turbine models in BC with different installed capacities and rotor diameters, namely General Electric, Vestas, and Senvion, and it was found that the corresponding annual energy production was 41.5, 49.2, and 54.5 Terawatt-hours per year, respectively.

The results suggest that wind energy is a strong candidate for addressing BC’s future energy demands. Additionally, they show that BC not only has the capacity to expand energy production but also the potential to become a leading wind energy development hub in Canada.