Impact in northern BC
The main impediment to developing a robust timber turbine tower manufacturing base in BC is the absence of timber turbine towers in operation. A fully operational 1.5 MW turbine tower, however, is planned for Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek to provide proof of concept. This test tower will be instrumental in building the foundation for an exciting new industry in northern and central BC.For the first time a significant new market for high-value timber products (Figure A) can be designed to take advantage of the abundant MPB-affected softwood resource (Figure B) and can take advantage of local skills and expertise to benefit some of BC’s most vulnerable communities (Figure C). The result is a significant opportunity to harvest, mill, process and market high value-added forestry products with minimal requirements for transportation, and maximum benefit to local economies.