Current Status of the Canadian Small Wind Turbine Market 

At present the market for SWTs in Canada is relatively small, although it has experienced some growth in the past five years. A survey of retailers, distributors and manufacturers of SWTs revealed the following:

• Annual Sales. It is estimated that current annual sales of SWTs are in the range of 600 to 800 units per year, with a total rated output of between 800 kW and 1,000 kW. This represents roughly $4.2 million in annual sales, including $2.3 million for mini wind turbines, $1.2 million for small wind turbines and $0.7 million for medium wind turbines.
• Total Installed Capacity. There are currently between 2,200 and 2,500 SWTs installed in Canada, 90% of which fall into the mini wind turbine category. The total combined capacity of all SWTs is estimated to be between 1.8 MW and 4.5 MW, equivalent to the capacity of one to three modern utility-grade wind turbines. Their total annual output is roughly 7.5 GWh per year, or the amount of electricity consumed by approximately 750 Canadian homes. The installed SWTs together reduce GHG emissions by 4 kilotonnes CO₂e per year.

Respondents indicated that the most active current markets for SWTs are in four areas: battery charging, on-grid residential, farms & commercial, and northern communities. Each is distinct in terms of SWT preference, decision-making factors and geographic activity. Exhibit ES-2 provides a summary of the four SWT markets. 

Exhibit ES-2: Summary of Key SWT Markets 

Market	SWT Preference	Key decision-making factors	Where markets are now	Existing Incentives & Support
Battery charging	300 W to 1 kW	Noise, energy independence	Focus in BC and Ontario	None
On-grid Residential*	500 W to 10 kW	First cost	All of Canada	Net metering
Farms & Commercial	5 kW to 50 kW	Energy independence (10 year payback)	Prairies, Ontario	Net metering
Northern & Remote Communities	10 kW to 300 kW	Cost savings, reduced use of imported diesel	North (by definition)	Wind Power Prod. Incentive (WPPI)

* Note this market includes certain off-grid residential applications where use is year-round rather than seasonal. For example, it includes houses that “go off-grid”, but not cottages that are used only part of the year.

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