Summerside sets example for community wind power projects
A1BY ALAN COCHRANE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF
Stumble Upondel.icio.usDiggFacebookPrintEmail5 Comment(s)Now that New Brunswick's existing wind farms are expanding, the next step is to help individual communities harness the power of the wind to generate their own electricity, Energy Minister Jack Keir said yesterday.
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GREG AGNEW/TIMES & TRANSCRIPTBy the end of the year, this lineup of TransAlta windmills seen from the Magnetic Hill area will include 18 new units. GREG AGNEW/TIMES & TRANSCRIPTSteve Snyder, left, CEO and president of TransAlta, chats with Energy Minister Jack Keir at the Lions Club in Riverview yesterday. GREG AGNEW/TIMES & TRANSCRIPTDr. Yves Gagnon "The big wind farms represent large-scale investments by big companies. A 100-megawatt wind farm is a $200-million to $250-million investment. That's a lot of money where I come from and so, in order to get those big wind farms on, you need big companies to invest.
"The next step to get wind on the grid is small community wind farms that generate about 10-megawatts, and so we're going to put a renewable policy in place that's going to allow a smaller wind farm to also get onto the grid."
The provincial government has been working on a new policy for community wind farms for about two years and Keir hinted yesterday that an announcement is coming soon.
The energy minister was in Riverview with officials of the TransAlta Corporation to announce that 18 more windmills will be added to the Kent Hills Wind Farm south of Moncton. TransAlta already has 32 windmills at the site, which began commercial operations in December 2008. Construction of another 18 windmills is expected to begin later this year and cost about $100 million.
Once complete, the Kent Hills site will provide 160 megawatts of electricity per year, enough to supply about 9,000 homes. TransAlta will hold an open house in Moncton on Jan. 28 for companies that want to participate in the construction project. TransAlta president Steve Snyder said local contractors and suppliers will be hired for many aspects of the construction project.
"Once this expansion is complete, the 150-megawatt Kent Hills Wind Farm will be the largest wind farm in Atlantic Canda," Keir said.
New Brunswick communities thinking about setting up their own wind farm might find inspiration across the Northumberland Strait in the City of Summerside. The P.E.I. community generates its own electricity, sells it to NB Power and uses the money for its own infrastructure projects.
"When the wind is blowing, we have enough capacity to power the whole city but, most of the time, we have to buy electricity from NB Power," Terry Murphy, the chief administrative officer for the City of Summerside, said yesterday.
Summerside has a population of about 15,000 and recently built the new Credit Union Place, a 4,000-seat, multi-use arena complete with pools, fitness centre and bowling alley.
Murphy said Summerside has had its own electrical utility since 1885 and historically purchased power from New Brunswick. It also had diesel-powered backup generators for emergencies.
He said the city's idea to build a wind farm came along with the new arena. The arena had a $40-million price tag but the city could get only $10 million in government money, but it could get $22 million of the $30 million required to build the wind farm. It used infrastructure money from the gas tax fund to set up four big windmills that each generate three megawatts of electricity for a total of 12 megawatts. The windmills are set up on the shores of Malpeque Bay but inside city limits.
Murphy likes to state that Summerside is the only city in Canada that is bordered on two sides by the ocean.
The city-owned utility sells the electricity it generates to NB Power for approximately $1 million a year, and puts that money back into infrastructure.
Murphy said the big decision was to divert infrastructure money that could have gone into paving streets toward windmills, but the city figured it was better to use that money to build something that would create an ongoing revenue stream.
He said the other tough part was negotiating a deal to sell that power.
"There's no sense in building a wind farm unless you can get a fair rate on the grid."
Keir said yesterday that New Brunswick will continue looking at ways to generate new wind energy and that won't change with the controversial sale of NB Power's assets to Hydro-Quebec.
"New Brunswick is always going to be in charge of their energy policy, their energy initiatives and their energy sovereignty. That's not going to change," Keir said.
He added that TransAlta has long-term power purchase agreements with NB Power, and the windmills will remain the property of TransAlta. He said community wind farms would have similar deals.
Keir said having big companies like TransAlta invest their own money to build and operate the windmills makes good financial sense.
"We could do it ourselves, but there's large investment dollars required for it," Keir said. "My own personal view is that government funds should be used on hospitals and schools and roads. If we can get the private sector to invest in our communities and these types of project, I'm more than willing to let the private sector do it."
But Yves Gagnon, chairman of the K.C. Irving Centre for Sustainable Development at l'Université de Moncton, disagrees. Gagnon, who was present at yesterday's announcement in Riverview, says the provincial government should set up a crown corporation to deal with wind power so the province can benefit from the profits of its operation.
"The large economic impacts from the generation of electricity are in the control of the profits, so you need to control the profits if you want economic impact. And controlling the profits means you need to own the wind farm," Gagnon said.
"The government is hammering the message of self-sufficiency. Well, if we want self-sufficiency we need to exploit our natural resources to the benefit of the population of New Brunswick. By this announcement, what the New Brunswick government is saying is that the self-sufficiency agenda is dead."
A small group of protesters, angry over the sale of NB Power to Hydro-Quebec, stood outside shivering in the cold yesterday. Keir admitted there is still a lot of opposition to the deal with many calling for a referendum, but he said people voted for change and the Graham government is making changes.
"We've got an opportunity before us that I've never seen in a long time. I believe in my heart the opportunity we've got with this proposed agreement with Hydro-Quebec is an opportunity to change the economic landscape in New Brunswick in such a positive way than we've had before, and I want to take advantage of that."
He also said progress is being made on tidal power as 15 sites along the Bay of Fundy are being studied.
Keir added that New Brunswick is also watching with interest the research Nova Scotia is doing on tidal power.
Friday, January 22, 2010
One Tourist's Wildlife Viewing Trip to Canada
Canadian Wildlife Tours – Where Critters Canada Favorite Spot in the Wild
Posted in Adventure Travel Articles by tummadamon
Jan 20 2010 TrackBack Address.
When planning a vacation with the desire to see the animals, look no further than the Great White North. Canada is largely undisturbed nature, and even in many top cities in Canada, probably raccoons, coyotes and other creatures on earth to walk quiet streets. What you see depends on where you go, but here are some of the top spots for wildlife viewing in Canada, all over the country.
In the Maritimes:
Digby, Nova Scotia is a bunch of largeless tourist gateway to some of the best whale watching in Canada. How it works alongside a picturesque peninsula and travel remote fishing villages, one can see how far minke whales, humpback whales on the spot or, with the option, right, sperm, blue, or even pilot whales.
Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland offers the opportunity to see a herd of caribou, a colony of gannets spectacular place, and the largest puffin colony in North America.
In the East –Canada
Churchill, Manitoba is the gateway to polar bears in the wild. Vacation polar bear is truly a wildlife experience unlike any other.
Prince Albert Park, Saskatchewan – The Lavallee Lake in Prince Albert Park, resting places, the second largest colony of pelicans in North America, where moose, bison, elk roam, caribou, black bear and red fox also free.
Baie Ste-Catherine, Quebec – Two hours northeast of Quebec City is the Baie Ste-Catherine, where Belugaand minke whales gather in the hundreds. During the summer migration patterns mean that they are united by humpback and blue whales as well.
Between the Rockies and on the West Coast:
Victoria, BC offers great whale watching tours where you get a chance to spot orcas (killer whales), seals, sea lions, dolphins and eagles Dahl.
Tofino, BC s' beaches are beautiful and durable, and host all kinds of small creatures. Pull on your shoes andTake a walk along the rocks in tide pools full of sea anemones, clams, starfish and sea stars, crabs and small fish to discover.
Remote regions of BC and Alberta is full of choices of specialty, for a relaxing way to make the beasts of the field. The Great Bear Lodge and the Knight Inlet Lodge Rainforest Retreat float that the proportion of habitats of grizzly bears, wolves, otters and eagles.
Posted in Adventure Travel Articles by tummadamon
Jan 20 2010 TrackBack Address.
When planning a vacation with the desire to see the animals, look no further than the Great White North. Canada is largely undisturbed nature, and even in many top cities in Canada, probably raccoons, coyotes and other creatures on earth to walk quiet streets. What you see depends on where you go, but here are some of the top spots for wildlife viewing in Canada, all over the country.
In the Maritimes:
Digby, Nova Scotia is a bunch of largeless tourist gateway to some of the best whale watching in Canada. How it works alongside a picturesque peninsula and travel remote fishing villages, one can see how far minke whales, humpback whales on the spot or, with the option, right, sperm, blue, or even pilot whales.
Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland offers the opportunity to see a herd of caribou, a colony of gannets spectacular place, and the largest puffin colony in North America.
In the East –Canada
Churchill, Manitoba is the gateway to polar bears in the wild. Vacation polar bear is truly a wildlife experience unlike any other.
Prince Albert Park, Saskatchewan – The Lavallee Lake in Prince Albert Park, resting places, the second largest colony of pelicans in North America, where moose, bison, elk roam, caribou, black bear and red fox also free.
Baie Ste-Catherine, Quebec – Two hours northeast of Quebec City is the Baie Ste-Catherine, where Belugaand minke whales gather in the hundreds. During the summer migration patterns mean that they are united by humpback and blue whales as well.
Between the Rockies and on the West Coast:
Victoria, BC offers great whale watching tours where you get a chance to spot orcas (killer whales), seals, sea lions, dolphins and eagles Dahl.
Tofino, BC s' beaches are beautiful and durable, and host all kinds of small creatures. Pull on your shoes andTake a walk along the rocks in tide pools full of sea anemones, clams, starfish and sea stars, crabs and small fish to discover.
Remote regions of BC and Alberta is full of choices of specialty, for a relaxing way to make the beasts of the field. The Great Bear Lodge and the Knight Inlet Lodge Rainforest Retreat float that the proportion of habitats of grizzly bears, wolves, otters and eagles.
The Steele Tour
Steele begins pre-budget road show
Last Updated: Friday, January 22, 2010 | 8:15 AM AT Comments19Recommend4CBC News
Finance Minister Graham Steele says compromises will have to be made in light of the province's gloomy financial outlook. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press)
Nova Scotia's minister of finance is starting a pre-budget tour that will include 23 public meetings in 16 communities across the province.
Graham Steele said his cash-strapped government wants advice from Nova Scotians.
"I don't talk about cutting. I never use the word 'cut.' We have three tools to work with: We have expenditure restraint, we have increases in revenue and we have growing the economy," he said.
Steele can expect to hear calls to protect education, health care, social services, and a range of other issues.
On Thursday, school boards in the province called for a $36 million increase this year and warned of dire consequences for education if there's no new money.
Steele said there has to be a tradeoff, and that's the key question he will put to Nova Scotians in the weeks ahead.
"What is it you want the government to cut in order to find the money to do that?" he said.
"You could cut out, for example, all government travel by any civil servant anywhere and it's a drop in the bucket."
The NDP government is predicting a deficit of $525.2 million for 2009-10, about $66.9 million lower than first projected in the September budget.
With more money going out than coming in, there has been talk of tax hikes along with program cuts. A panel of experts has suggested hiking the harmonized sales tax by two percentage points, for example.
The pre-budget tour kicks off in Sydney on Friday.
Last Updated: Friday, January 22, 2010 | 8:15 AM AT Comments19Recommend4CBC News
Finance Minister Graham Steele says compromises will have to be made in light of the province's gloomy financial outlook. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press)
Nova Scotia's minister of finance is starting a pre-budget tour that will include 23 public meetings in 16 communities across the province.
Graham Steele said his cash-strapped government wants advice from Nova Scotians.
"I don't talk about cutting. I never use the word 'cut.' We have three tools to work with: We have expenditure restraint, we have increases in revenue and we have growing the economy," he said.
Steele can expect to hear calls to protect education, health care, social services, and a range of other issues.
On Thursday, school boards in the province called for a $36 million increase this year and warned of dire consequences for education if there's no new money.
Steele said there has to be a tradeoff, and that's the key question he will put to Nova Scotians in the weeks ahead.
"What is it you want the government to cut in order to find the money to do that?" he said.
"You could cut out, for example, all government travel by any civil servant anywhere and it's a drop in the bucket."
The NDP government is predicting a deficit of $525.2 million for 2009-10, about $66.9 million lower than first projected in the September budget.
With more money going out than coming in, there has been talk of tax hikes along with program cuts. A panel of experts has suggested hiking the harmonized sales tax by two percentage points, for example.
The pre-budget tour kicks off in Sydney on Friday.
Labels:
tour Steele nova scotia
Our Coastal Area...Needs Ferry Service
Brokers: Cat loss will sink home prices
Fewer Americans will buy area vacation properties, they say
By BRUCE ERSKINE Business Reporter
Fri. Jan 22 - 4:46 AM
The loss of the Cat ferry could be catastrophic for Yarmouth’s real estate market, say local brokers.
"The lack of a ferry will have a negative impact on average home sale prices," said Debbie Boudreau, a Realtor with Yarmouth’s 1761 Realty Ltd., in an interview on Thursday.
Bay Ferries Ltd. of Prince Edward Island suspended the service between Yarmouth and Maine after the provincial government announced in December that it would no longer subsidize the link.
The absence of the ferry will also hurt the lucrative "summer settler" real estate business from Americans who buy vacation properties in the area, said Ms. Boudreau, who used to see a lot of walk-in U.S. business from the Cat at her Main Street office.
"They like ocean properties," she said, adding that Americans found Yarmouth real estate a bargain, especially when the U.S. dollar was stronger, and convenient to get to when there was a ferry running.
"As transportation has gotten worse, those numbers have decreased and some are looking to sell," she said, noting that Americans could get to Yarmouth and back for long weekends when the ferry ran.
"They’re finding that the cost of maintaining a home they use two or three times a year isn’t worth it," she said, adding that recent cuts to air travel to Yarmouth have further hurt transportation links to the area.
Ms. Boudreau said she sold a piece of oceanfront Yarmouth-area land three years ago to a couple from Connecticut who built a $400,000 home on it.
But she recently unloaded a local property that had been listed at US$200,000 for C$130,000.
"It’s a bit of the economy, a bit of the ferry," she said. "Fewer people are looking and values have gone down."
Richard LeBlanc, owner of Victory Realty in Yarmouth, echoed Ms. Boudreau’s concerns about the loss of the ferry.
"It’s probably going to really reduce the number of American buyers we’ve been accustomed to," he said. "That’s going to come to a halt because we don’t have that direct link."
Mr. LeBlanc also expected to see American-owned properties put up for sale with the loss of the ferry.
"It’s probably going to mean a general reduction in property values," he said.
Mike Randall of The Real Estate Store in Yarmouth said his office realized "substantial business" from Cat passengers from New England and Ontario.
"They would stop and inquire about properties," he said. "Some would acquire."
He and Mr. LeBlanc both hope ferry service between Yarmouth and the U.S. will be restored.
"I hope the powers that be will realize what they’ve done," said Mr. Randall, noting there is a need for more consistent commercial ferry service between the two regions.
Mr. LeBlanc said Yarmouth has the port facilities to support a ferry.
"I can’t see government not doing something," he said. "I think something will happen but whether it will be this year or not is hard to say."
The province, which said Bay Ferries wanted $6 million to $10 million to keep the Cat afloat in 2010, is waiting on an Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency study to develop a long-term solution to southwest Nova Scotia’s transportation requirements.
The study is expected to be released in the spring.
Ms. Boudreau said Yarmouth-area real estate remains popular with affluent German and Austrian buyers unaffected by local transportation issues.
"They don’t come to put up $80,000 cottages," she said. "They put up $300,000 homes."
( berskine@herald.ca)
Fewer Americans will buy area vacation properties, they say
By BRUCE ERSKINE Business Reporter
Fri. Jan 22 - 4:46 AM
The loss of the Cat ferry could be catastrophic for Yarmouth’s real estate market, say local brokers.
"The lack of a ferry will have a negative impact on average home sale prices," said Debbie Boudreau, a Realtor with Yarmouth’s 1761 Realty Ltd., in an interview on Thursday.
Bay Ferries Ltd. of Prince Edward Island suspended the service between Yarmouth and Maine after the provincial government announced in December that it would no longer subsidize the link.
The absence of the ferry will also hurt the lucrative "summer settler" real estate business from Americans who buy vacation properties in the area, said Ms. Boudreau, who used to see a lot of walk-in U.S. business from the Cat at her Main Street office.
"They like ocean properties," she said, adding that Americans found Yarmouth real estate a bargain, especially when the U.S. dollar was stronger, and convenient to get to when there was a ferry running.
"As transportation has gotten worse, those numbers have decreased and some are looking to sell," she said, noting that Americans could get to Yarmouth and back for long weekends when the ferry ran.
"They’re finding that the cost of maintaining a home they use two or three times a year isn’t worth it," she said, adding that recent cuts to air travel to Yarmouth have further hurt transportation links to the area.
Ms. Boudreau said she sold a piece of oceanfront Yarmouth-area land three years ago to a couple from Connecticut who built a $400,000 home on it.
But she recently unloaded a local property that had been listed at US$200,000 for C$130,000.
"It’s a bit of the economy, a bit of the ferry," she said. "Fewer people are looking and values have gone down."
Richard LeBlanc, owner of Victory Realty in Yarmouth, echoed Ms. Boudreau’s concerns about the loss of the ferry.
"It’s probably going to really reduce the number of American buyers we’ve been accustomed to," he said. "That’s going to come to a halt because we don’t have that direct link."
Mr. LeBlanc also expected to see American-owned properties put up for sale with the loss of the ferry.
"It’s probably going to mean a general reduction in property values," he said.
Mike Randall of The Real Estate Store in Yarmouth said his office realized "substantial business" from Cat passengers from New England and Ontario.
"They would stop and inquire about properties," he said. "Some would acquire."
He and Mr. LeBlanc both hope ferry service between Yarmouth and the U.S. will be restored.
"I hope the powers that be will realize what they’ve done," said Mr. Randall, noting there is a need for more consistent commercial ferry service between the two regions.
Mr. LeBlanc said Yarmouth has the port facilities to support a ferry.
"I can’t see government not doing something," he said. "I think something will happen but whether it will be this year or not is hard to say."
The province, which said Bay Ferries wanted $6 million to $10 million to keep the Cat afloat in 2010, is waiting on an Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency study to develop a long-term solution to southwest Nova Scotia’s transportation requirements.
The study is expected to be released in the spring.
Ms. Boudreau said Yarmouth-area real estate remains popular with affluent German and Austrian buyers unaffected by local transportation issues.
"They don’t come to put up $80,000 cottages," she said. "They put up $300,000 homes."
( berskine@herald.ca)
Studying Opportunities in Renewable Energy
From the Chronicle Herald
Province seeks energy consultant
By BILL POWER Business Reporter
Fri. Jan 22 - 4:46 AM
The province is looking for a hired gun to explore business and job opportunities in the fledgling renewable energy sector.
The Ecology Action Centre in Halifax welcomed the move Wednesday.
"It is exciting to see the government seriously considering specific opportunities," said Cheryl Ratchford, the centre’s energy co-ordinator.
The Energy Department has put out a call for proposals from consultants interested in studying opportunities arising from the province’s move toward a greater reliance on renewable energy.
According to the documentation, the province believes "consultation and research" is required to determine what sort of opportunities may arise from the plan to increase renewable energy generation to 25 per cent by 2015.
"The drive to meet this objective will open up many new opportunities in the wind, biomass, solar and tidal energy fields," said department spokesman Matt Lumley.
"The consultant’s job will be to consider how businesses in our province can take full advantage of these emerging opportunities."
Documentation accompanying the call for proposals talks about the province developing a network of suppliers for a variety of renewable energy products and services.
The documents note that some business from the growing renewable energy sector may go to existing companies with links to the oil and gas supply and service industry.
"Consultation and research is required to determine what present and planned renewable energy opportunities exist for these fabricators and suppliers, and to determine the feasibility, costs and opportunities associated with participating in a renewable energy industry," the documents say.
The call for proposals closes Feb. 3 and the deadline for completing the study is March 31.
( bpower@herald.ca)
Province seeks energy consultant
By BILL POWER Business Reporter
Fri. Jan 22 - 4:46 AM
The province is looking for a hired gun to explore business and job opportunities in the fledgling renewable energy sector.
The Ecology Action Centre in Halifax welcomed the move Wednesday.
"It is exciting to see the government seriously considering specific opportunities," said Cheryl Ratchford, the centre’s energy co-ordinator.
The Energy Department has put out a call for proposals from consultants interested in studying opportunities arising from the province’s move toward a greater reliance on renewable energy.
According to the documentation, the province believes "consultation and research" is required to determine what sort of opportunities may arise from the plan to increase renewable energy generation to 25 per cent by 2015.
"The drive to meet this objective will open up many new opportunities in the wind, biomass, solar and tidal energy fields," said department spokesman Matt Lumley.
"The consultant’s job will be to consider how businesses in our province can take full advantage of these emerging opportunities."
Documentation accompanying the call for proposals talks about the province developing a network of suppliers for a variety of renewable energy products and services.
The documents note that some business from the growing renewable energy sector may go to existing companies with links to the oil and gas supply and service industry.
"Consultation and research is required to determine what present and planned renewable energy opportunities exist for these fabricators and suppliers, and to determine the feasibility, costs and opportunities associated with participating in a renewable energy industry," the documents say.
The call for proposals closes Feb. 3 and the deadline for completing the study is March 31.
( bpower@herald.ca)
Labels:
Renewable energy nova scotia
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