Energy is the backbone of Canadian economic growth and prosperity. It is also the Achilles heel of Canadian economic growth and prosperity. Canada has lagged far behind most of the industrial world in the recognition and utilisation of alternate energy sources. We have a rich resource base of cheap fossil fuels and large-scale hydro combined with a small population and tight provincial jurisdiction in the energy utility generation field. Up till now this has provided Canadians with cheap power and abelief that energy is always going to be there at reasonable cost just like the public health care system. Not a sound idea on either front. Wind energy is still more expensive than conventional energy and faces short-term cost increases due to turbine shortage, commodity prices (steel), exchange rates (Euro) and "learning by doing" costs. The long-term cost trend is clearly downward and wind energy is expected to compete directly in price against any source sometime between 2010 and 2020.
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