Toronto's only wind turbine is expected to be up and running again this weekend after taking a month-long hiatus due to high winds and missing parts.
Diane Saxe, president of Windshare, the co-operative which runs the turbine, said Torotonians will be happy to see the blades spinning once again after they came to a halt in the third week of March.
She said the delay was a result of a bearing failure, which was compounded by continued demand for wind turbines and parts.
Demand is so high around the world for wind power that they were unable to get the parts for Toronto's turbine, Saxe said.
And after managing to locate a bearing she told ctvtoronto.ca that this week's high wind actually stopped workers from properly installing it.
"The bearing is there, I believe it was physically inserted on Thursday night, but they couldn't lift it because of the winds," she said.
She added that the co-operative has been hearing from a lot of people since the turbine, located on the Exhibition grounds, went down.
"People feel very proud…and they monitor the turbine," she said. "Whether they are driving, riding their bikes or taking the GO Train by, people feel very proprietorial about it and they want to see it moving."
The project was launched in 2002 when 427 investors raised $800,000 to buy 8,000 shares in the 750-kilowatt generator.
In 2005 investors managed to divide $32,000 from the sale of power, but since then all profits have gone towards maintaining the turbine.
In 2010 the turbine generated about 1,000 megawatts, enough to power about 200 homes for a year.
The bearing, for example, will cost an estimated $200,000.
Saxe said Windshare is currently in discussions to have a number of turbines placed in the Bruce Peninsula.
The co-operative also hopes to put a turbine in Ashbridges Bay.
