i have been a consultant questioning further canadian hydro development for nearly two decades, and glad to see clf continues to be part of the dialog.

as a cleantech developer and energy economist, it would seem an optimal strategy for quebec would be to develop their wind resources (estimated at over 15gw) to work in conjunction with their existing hydro resources. the dams — and associated reservoirs — would serve as ‘storage’ for intermittent wind resources, and create a high value resource, offering both energy and capacity for local and export markets.

current estimates for wind-generated electricity are below forecasts for further canadian hydro development, so a wind/storage strategy would still allow h-q to be a renewable resource — without further damming of rivers.

i look forward to further discussions on how this can be a win-win for h-q, new england ratepayers, and the environment.

cheers