Funding for ADEDA

NS: Federal funding for ADEDA plan
By John DeMings, Transcontinental Media

Source: Digby Courier, Nov. 13/09

[DIGBY, NS] – Ottawa is contributing $65,000 to help create a five-year development strategy for the region’s six municipal units.

The plan is being developed by the Annapolis Digby Economic Development Agency and will address a range of initiatives in the tourism, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and other economic sectors.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) is contributing $40,000 to this project, with the Department of Foreign Affairs providing an additional $25,000.
“By developing a five-year investment strategy, we’re taking an innovative approach to positioning the Annapolis Digby region for future economic growth,” says Mike Gushue, managing director of ADEDA.

“We will look to those sectors that are in a growth mode, develop business cases for those opportunities that show the most potential and present these to qualified investors. It’s a practical, business approach to attracting investment to our region.”

The federal government’s funding was announced by West Nova MP Greg Kerr.

There Are Different Models

Windside – A Different Kind Of Wind Turbine photo at arcticsatartup.com look for Windside
by Hendrik Morkel on November 13, 2009 —
The common picture we have of wind turbines are the ones which stand on tubular towers and have three rotor blades, varying in different sizes. The design is very much similar to the windmills of old, which were used to pump water and grind grain. However, Risto Joutsiniemi had already developed another kind of wind turbine over two decades ago – the Windside vertical wind turbine. Its a unique product which has many advantages in comparison to the horizontal wind turbine, most notably that they are able to operate at very low wind speeds and in extreme temperatures.

I became aware of Windside a few years back when we were doing research at the University about wind turbine manufacturers in Finland. The Windside turbine stood out, being completely silent and able to operate in different environments – from the freezing and snow swept mountains of Antarctica to the blazing Sahara desert, the Windside turbine worked in the harshest of environments. Add to this that it can already operate in wind speeds as low as 1-3 m/s and that it doesn’t kill birds and you’ve got a superb product.

The company is not currently marketing their product for energy production, but as wind turbines for charging batteries, sending signals, pumping water and providing light, heat and ventilation; aimed at the professional market. The turbines are used on ocean buoys, remote telecommunication posts, expedition ships and lighthouses. Nevertheless, they are currently developing a product for energy production, so we are curious to see what they come up with. Somewhere in the depths of their website they explain that the current turbines could be scaled up to tens of meters, which would be an interesting development.

Windside has over 340 shareholders, but they are looking for a main investor that is ready to invest about €20m. I speculate that this will go into R&D and production of their new turbine. The majority of their clients are professional marine, safety and telecommunications companies, but if you have a cottage on an island and are looking for a way to power your TV, you also can buy one of their smaller models at Bauhaus in Finland. The lack of marketing for the consumer option really has me puzzled: every cottage owner I talked to loved the idea of the turbine, but has never heard of it. Given that Windside says their product has a lifetime of 100 years and can then be recycled, I am perplexed as to why they do not market themselves more to consumers.

The bottom line is that I am still fascinated by the Windside turbine, and should I one day become a cottage owner I will get one to power the fridge. But I wonder if the archaic website together with the limited marketing is helping the company in its search for an investor, especially if I see the efforts their competitors Helix Wind and TMA make. It also seems a turn in strategy would be advisable, and to concentrate equally on consumers and professionals – and in future on energy production. Wind energy is growing in importance in today’s energy mix, so it would be sad to see Windside being unsuccessful in the age of renewable energy.

Photo courtesy of Wikikko.

Atlantic Lobster Reaches China!

From gov.ns.ca

Fisheries and AquacultureNovember 13, 2009 3:45 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atlantic Canadian lobster has made a splash in China during a recent 10-day promotional tour by industry and government staff.

Industry representatives made significant progress in developing business relationships during the tour that marketed live lobster to cities with booming economies and populations of about eight million people each. A Chinese partner has immediate plans to expand and buy more Atlantic lobster.

"Our lobster industry is vital to the future growth and prosperity of our province, especially for the many Nova Scotians who live in our coastal communities," said Sterling Belliveau, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. "This project provided the Nova Scotia lobster industry with a great opportunity to showcase our premium Atlantic Canadian lobster in a significant Asian market.

"This is just the first of many possible opportunities to boost our exports to China."

The live lobster China tour was developed by the Nova Scotia Fish Packers Association. The industry-driven project received financial support from the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and industry partners.

The delegation, lead by Greg Roach, Fisheries and Aquaculture assistant deputy minister, met with vice-mayor Zhang Yuanfu of Qingdao Municipal People's Government and Shen Qi Feng, vice-director general, Qingdao Municipal Bureau of Economic Co-operation.

"It was really an eye-opener to see the growing wealth and economic activity in China," said Peter Swim, president of Island Marine Products, one of the project partners. "This market in China offers a great opportunity for us to sell our live lobsters."

Industry tour representatives were from Ferguson's Lobster Pound Limited, Island Marine Products Limited, Canadian Gold Seafood Limited and K&N Nickerson. Tour events included a Canadian Live Lobster Cooking tournament and a tour of All Success Trading International, the project's Chinese partner in Qingdao, which will expand to hold more Nova Scotia live lobster for distribution in China.

Special November Concert in Digby

The Fundy Chorale is putting on a special November concert, sure to get you in the festive mood! A variety of musical pieces and specialist performers add to this wonderful event on Nov. 22. Choose from a 3 pm or a 7 pm performance.
Tickets on sale now! Call Kathleen for advance (and cheaper) tickets! 834-2024

Digby windfarm landowners face liens

Digby Wind Farm Landowners Face Liens
> By Gillian Cormier
> AllNovaScotia.com
> 13 November 2009
>
> One of SkyPower's creditors is looking to put liens on properties owned
> by people who planned to lease land for a wind farm in Digby.
>
> The Terrain Group Inc, based in Dartmouth, filed a statement of claim
> this week against SkyPower and 17 landowners, representing 14 plots of
> land in Gulliver's Cove, Digby county.
>
> The Terrain Group claims it is owed $42,950 for professional surveying
> services on the lands.
>
> However, with a third party sale of SkyPower's assets looming, the
> problem may soon be resolved.
>
> SkyPower, a 50-50 partner with Scotian Windfields in the 30 megawatt
> Digby Neck wind project, filed for creditor protection earlier this year
> following the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, its principal shareholder.
>
> Barry Zwicker, ceo of community-funded organization partner Scotian
> Windfields, says his understanding is the matter will be cleared up by
> the end of this week.
>
> "A number of individuals and companies that have been working on this
> project have not been paid for all of the work they have completed",
> said Zwicker.
>
> Zwicker says the tentative closing date for the sale of SkyPower's
> assets is November 30. The identity of the third-party buyer has not
> been made public.
>
> The Toronto outfit says it has already raised US $15 million as part of
> a creditor protection filing that will enable it to ensure there is a
> quick and efficient sales process.
>
> Zwicker says because SkyPower is under creditor protection, liens are
> the only mechanism available. He says Terrain Group will not perfect
> the lien and is not sure if lien is possible under CCAA protection.
>
> He also says the liens are not a hardship to the property owners until
> they go to sell their properties.
>
> "Before that ever happens, the project will be underway, the lien
> removed, companies will be paid", he said.
>
> He spoke to many of the property owners and says they understand the
> situation.
>
> The defendants have not yet filed a defence. Statements have not been
> proved in court.
>
> The Digby Neck partners have one of the half-dozen long-term supply
> contracts that were signed by NS Power with independent power producers
> in 2008, for delivery in late 2009.
>
> Kevin Downie is solicitor for Terrain Group Inc. Stephen Wallace is
> listed as principal of the company.
>

Dan Mills re: Study on Transportation

Subject: Study on Transportation


Dear Editor:

I attended Monday's ACOA sponsored meeting relating to transportation and the Digby Ferry in Digby.

It didn't take too long to realize that the ferry is but one facet of a multi-sided issue that concerns the Annapolis-Digby area in a concrete way as it does all South West Nova.

Often times communities are further divided when one group alone stands up for a bread and butter issue for them which overall does not impact upon all the rest. I was pleased to hear from the outset the generic," transportation", used rather than ferry alone. Transportation of course includes all ferries, but also every pot-holed, bumpy stretch of infrastructure that leads to home. And of course, our air facility.

And there's the rub! All the combined issues presented are about our home here, about our community, and all the people who live in it. The men and women of the generations who we celebrated this day (Remembrance Day) gave their very all to ensure that all of us, bar none, here for centuries or a year, have won the right for us to call this our home."No greater love than one should lay down his life for his friends...."

The primary question then is not about a ferry, new or old; it's not about paving highway 1 from here to Weymouth and calling it 101, or any other of the many issues on our plate like Hospital, Wharves, or Health Care. We each can get on our soap box and pick the one that we like best and effectively in so doing say: "To heck with all the rest!" That pits one against the other, and so against any chance at real community.

I think our governments at every level love it when we do that to each other! They don't divide and conquer; we do it to ourselves! And they chuckle to themselves and muse:"They don't know what they want! Forget them!"

The primary issue is this: We are a people who belong here. This is our home. We are Canadians and Nova Scotians. We have as much right to all the basic services (and even amenities) as do Haligonians- by any other name.

We need the very best of transportation by land and sea and air in order to enable those who live here to welcome others and move themselves and their products expeditiously. Half measures will not do. We need a hospital and medical professionals to help us and show us how to stay healthy so that we can live productive lives for the good of our community. We need institutions of education which build caring people and so enhance the community's well-being.

Reading between the lines on Monday night, I could here "a united voice" crying not from the wilderness but from one beating communal heart. It was a cry for justice and fairness. Our needs are clear. If our political leaders cannot recognize our basic right to fundamental needs, they should not con us any longer.Do the job we elected you to do or move over and we'll find someone who say's what he means and means what he says.

Everybody speak now or you may well have to forever hold your peace.

Daniel Mills
9396 Waterford
RR 4, Digby NS
BOV 1AO

1-902-245-5171

Wind Turbine Tax

From the Daily Globe


Turbine tax named No. 1 priority
WORTHINGTON — The Rural Minnesota Energy Board and the Association of Minnesota Counties have identified the wind turbine production tax as their No. 1 priority to be resolved in the upcoming legislative session.
By: Julie Buntjer, Worthington Daily Globe


Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of stories about wind turbines and their impact on the rural landscape.

WORTHINGTON — The Rural Minnesota Energy Board and the Association of Minnesota Counties have identified the wind turbine production tax as their No. 1 priority to be resolved in the upcoming legislative session. What they want is for the state to reverse its 2008 action that calculated production tax payments into a county’s maximum levy. The move limited a county’s ability to finance projects.

Both Nobles and Jackson counties have a keen eye on the outcome of the production tax issue, as major wind farm projects are planned for construction in each county in 2010.

In Nobles County, enXco is planning a 201-megawatt Nobles Wind Farm to consist of 134 turbines. The wind farm will be concentrated in Olney, Dewald, Larkin and Summit Lake townships.

In neighboring Jackson County, two projects are being developed for 2010 construction. Iberdrola Renewables will erect 58 turbines in Enterprise and Wisconsin townships near Jackson, while enXco plans to construct 134 turbines in Heron Lake and Hunter townships near Lakefield.

Nobles County Commissioner David Benson, who is also former chairman of the Rural Minnesota Energy Board (RMEB), said he was among those that fought hard to get the wind energy production tax in place. Now the counties are back where they started.

Initially when wind turbines began cropping up in rural Minnesota, counties were only collecting a tax on the base and the tower — a mere 10 percent of the value of the turbine, said Benson.

“We, on the Rural Minnesota Energy Board, said that’s ridiculous — there’s not enough income to the local entities,” he added.

Eventually, RMEB backed a plan in which counties would collect property taxes on 30 percent of the assessed value of the entire tower — including the nacelle, which is the turbine’s generator. Benson said the nacelle is 90 percent of a turbine’s overall value.

Not long after the state changed the tax formula, one of the major wind energy companies took Lincoln County to tax court on the issue. Benson said the legal fight lasted for about 18 months and ended in a settlement. Still, the county was left with a legal bill of more than $100,000.

“We saw that as just not fair,” said Benson.

The next year, RMEB convinced the state that the Minnesota Department of Revenue needed to do the assessments on wind towers and defend that assessment in a court of law if necessary.

As time went on and towers depreciated in value — at least on paper — the Sustainable Energy for Economic Development (SEED) Coalition went to work to developing a tax that would be collected based on the amount of energy production from each turbine.

The wind energy production tax went into effect in 2003.

“This was something that was supposed to be in addition to what the normal state aid is,” said Benson.

It was extra money until it was taken away by the Minnesota Legislature in 2008.

“Two years ago, this was all gravy for the counties,” said Nobles County Assessor Byron Swart. “Lincoln, Murray and Pipestone (counties) had big (wind turbine developments), so they got the most money.”

Swart said those counties could do special projects with the additional money coming in through the production tax — projects in which the county didn’t have to go to the taxpayers with either bonding projects or property tax increases.

“With the money (Nobles County) could build a library,” said Swart.

That would certainly be an option, agreed Benson. However, if the state does reverse its decision on the disbursement of production tax revenue, he said he would like to see the money spent on things like roads and bridges, or programs that reduce crimes and benefit families.

“Transporting these large loads has an impact on our roads,” said Benson. “We have so many needs. We may lose our program aid, and I would like to put (the tax revenue) into preventive work.”

He specifically mentioned more funding for Community Correction’s Circle Sentencing program, early intervention with mental health and addressing the rising number of out of home placements managed by the county’s family services department.

“This would be something that we wouldn’t have to tap into reserves or raise the property taxes (to fund),” Benson said.

Rising revenues

In 2009, Nobles County collected approximately $125,000 in wind energy production tax dollars from 37 turbines. That money, in essence, reduced what the county could levy in property taxes. Residents see a slight tax break as a result of the state’s change, but it has ramifications for counties already struggling to keep within their budgets.

It will only get worse if changes aren’t made to the formula before the 2010 wind farm developments are completed.

Swart said Nobles County anticipates property tax revenues from turbines to jump to more than $1 million by the time the turbines are fully online and producing energy in 2012.

In Jackson County, Auditor-Treasurer Kevin Nordquist said the county collected $219,000 in wind energy production tax revenue in 2009. Of that, the county retained $175,000, while $31,000 went to the townships where wind turbines are located, and $13,000 was paid to the school districts.

In 2010, with school districts taken out of the funding formula for wind energy production tax revenue, 80 percent of the tax stays with the county and the remaining 20 percent goes to the township. Nordquist said Jackson County will collect $350,000 and the townships will get $90,000. The county currently has 114 wind turbines in production.

“We do not expect to see full production revenues from the new towers until payable 2013,” Nordquist said. By then, the county will have approximately 306 towers in operation, generating an estimated $1.34 million in wind energy production tax revenue for the county and townships.

The hope now is that before those new turbines come on line, the state will no longer tie production tax revenues to levy limits.

“Wind development is occurring in areas where we didn’t think it ever would,” said Benson, adding that with more counties realizing the tax formula needs to change, more support is being gathered to present to the legislature.

Benson said areas of the state that initially didn’t seem conducive to wind energy production are now looking to wind turbines as a source of revenue — including counties in northwest and west-central Minnesota, southeast Minnesota near Rochester and even along the state’s North Shore.

Wind energy development projects will continue to crop up as long as it’s profitable and, according to Benson, it is the major U.S. companies and international players that are reaping the benefits.

“We want wind energy for the benefit of the planet, but we should all be able to benefit,” Benson said. “The individual landowner that has a tower (contract) gets a good payment, but that’s just a miniscule of the profit these companies are getting.”


See Friday’s edition of the Daily Globe to read about the weighty issues of wind energy development in southwest Minnesota, in particular the impact wind farm construction has on the region’s roads and bridges.