Ontario puts moratorium on off-shore wind projects

The province, which offers North America's most comprehensive and lucrative rates for power from the sun, wind, water and biomass, said on Friday it would suspend current offshore wind applications under its program to buy power generated by renewable sources.

It will accept no new applications for off-shore projects under the so-called feed-in tariff program.

The moratorium will have no effect on applications for wind power projects on land.

The government said power production from offshore wind in freshwater lakes is in an early stage of development and there are no projects operating in North America.

A pilot project in Lake Vanern, Sweden, is one of the world's only operating freshwater off-shore wind projects, the province said. A pilot project is proposed in Ohio, it said.

"We will be working with our U.S. neighbors to ensure that any offshore wind projects are protective of the environment," John Wilkinson, Ontario's minister of the environment, said in a statement.

"Offshore wind on freshwater lakes is a recent concept that requires a cautious approach until the science of environmental impact is clear. In contrast, the science concerning land based wind is extensive."

(Reporting by Susan Taylor; Editing by Frank McGurty)