From Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The New Arms Race

from the Huffington Post
Hobbled by opposition from the carbon incumbents and their short-sighted allies on Capitol Hill the Obama administration acknowledged this week that it would not return from Copenhagen with any groundbreaking commitment to control green house gases. Meanwhile, Congress is backsliding on the administration's wise commitment to impose a rational price on carbon. Behind the logjam, a treacherous U.S. Chamber of Commerce, always willing to put its obsequious scraping to Big Oil and King Coal ahead of its duty to our country, has battled every effort to accelerate America's transition to a market-based de-carbonized economy.

The Chamber has continued to argue, idiotically, that energy efficiency and independence will somehow put America at a competitive disadvantage with the Chinese. Meanwhile, the Chinese have shrewdly and strategically positioned themselves to steal America's once substantial lead in renewable power. China will soon make us as dependent on Chinese green technology for the next century as we have been on Saudi oil during the last.

Indeed, the Chinese are treating the energy technology competition if it were an arms race. China is spending as much or more on greentech as it does on its military, hundreds of billions of dollars annually on renewable energy and grid infrastructure improvements. Those investments, if not vigorously countered, will effectively erode America's greentech industry leadership and secure China's dominance. China's economic stimulus package, targeted 38% of spending on greentech, as compared to a miserly 12% of the U.S. stimulus program. By 2013, greentech will account for 15 percent of the Chinese GDP. While the United States is projected to roughly triple its wind generation by 2020, China will increase its capacity twelvefold to a wind generating capability more than twice that of America's. And, while the United States is projected to increase its installed solar generation a modest 33% by 2020, China's solar generation is projected to increase 20,000%.

China's investments in solar technology have so powerfully stimulated the growth of a Chinese solar market that Chinese solar panel manufacturers now far outnumber American ones, and they are achieving low-cost production much faster than their American counterparts. Chinese companies are now flooding the American market with cheap Chinese solar panels and devastating the American manufacturing sector that was gearing up to create tens of thousands of U.S. jobs for our own ailing economy. Hundreds of U.S. solar manufacturers now see their prospects as grim. BP Solar, Evergreen, and General Electric have already announced the closing of American-based solar panel factories and outsourcing, primarily to China. America's leading solar manufacturer, Applied Materials, has opened the largest non-government solar energy research facility in the world in China. Of today's ten leading solar panel manufacturers, only one is American. The largest solar panel installation in the United States is a 70,000 panel, 14.2 megawatt array on Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. The array provides more than 25% of the base's power needs, and saves the Pentagon a million dollars annually in energy costs, but the panels' manufacturer was China's Suntech Power Holdings. Even in the thin film solar market, among the last redoubts of American dominance Chinese businesses are squeezing profit.

Last year, America achieved a milestone, building more wind power generation than all new oil and coal generation combined. We have led the world in wind installations for several years, and the wind industry already accounts for more American jobs than coal mining. At one point the U.S. enjoyed global domination of wind turbine manufacturing with great prospects for job creation. Yet today, of the five leading wind turbine manufacturers, only one is American. While Congress dawdles, China is clobbering us. Shenyang Power Group recently inked a deal to be the exclusive supplier of turbines to the largest wind project in the United States, a 36,000 acre, 600 megawatt development in west Texas. The project will create 2,800 new jobs -- 2,400 in China, but only 400 in the United States. As Lu Jinxiang, chief executive of Shenyang's controlling shareholder noted, "This is just the beginning ... [the United States] is an ideal target." China is likewise poised to take away our lead in batteries and electric cars, and has already pulled far ahead of America in automobile fuel efficiency.

Capitol Hill Republicans will soon recognize that the arms race of the 21st century is already in progress with a totalitarian nation that they not long ago called "Red China." But America will not win with more warheads and better rockets. We can only prevail with robust investment in and support of U.S.-based greentech innovation.

Hydra Quebec?

From the Chronicle Herald
Is ‘Hydra’-Quebec eyeing NSP?

By RICHARD SANDERS
Thu. Nov 19 - 4:46 AM
The purchase of New Brunswick Power by Hydro-Quebec, now being debated in the New Brunswick legislature, has implications for electricity security in Nova Scotia, where a similar transaction would complete the transformation of the electricity industry from a publicly-owned utility to a regional monopoly owned by a multinational corporation, headquartered in another jurisdiction.

In Nova Scotia, this metamorphosis from local to absentee control has proceeded without adequate public representation during any of its component transactions, starting with the 1992 sale of publicly-owned Nova Scotia Power Corporation to the private sector through secret negotiations by provincial politicians.

Today, I am concerned that Nova Scotia Power Incorporated’s refusal to deny rumours of private discussions with Hydro-Quebec may mean that private negotiations are currently in play to bring the assets of NSPI’s parent company, Emera, including both NSPI and Bangor Hydro, under the control of Hydro-Quebec. It is not difficult to imagine how such a transaction, coupled with the acquisition of New Brunswick Power, would facilitate Hydro-Quebec’s expansion into U.S. electricity markets.

In this regard, I am not comforted by reports of a provincial law (the 1992 Nova Scotia Power Privatization Act, I assume) which, if not changed, might restrict "non resident" ownership of Nova Scotia Power Incorporated. NSPI is presently owned by the multinational Emera, a fact partially camouflaged by the multinational Emera’s "head office" location in Halifax. If Nova Scotia Power Incorporated can be owned by Emera, why can NSPI not be owned by Hydro-Quebec?

The purchase of Nova Scotia Power Incorporated by Hydro-Quebec, if combined with the planned purchase of New Brunswick Power by Hydro-Quebec, would result in a tectonic shift westward in the control of Nova Scotia’s electrical assets. Like the single immortal head of the nine-headed Hydra in Greek mythology, permanent and ultimate control of all assets of Hydro-(or better Hydra-) Quebec would reside in its (immortal) "head office" in Montreal, even if there were a (mortal, nominal) "head office" in Halifax.

Politicians’ ultimate duty is to represent the public interest, not their own self-interest, not the interests of their family, not even the interests of their cronies and supporters, if the interest of the greater public is damaged. A minimal component of that ultimate duty is to inform the public of government transactions affecting the public interest.

In terms of energy, an informed public is likely to seek electricity security through local control of indigenous renewable generation. Doubly so since Nova Scotia may eventually become an exporter of tidal power.

Few informed citizens would have chosen to convert Nova Scotia’s public electricity utility to a private sector monopoly and fewer still would choose to become gobbelized [sic] by Hydra-Quebec.

Richard Sanders runs Sanders Resource Management, Inc. in Halifax.

Nantitoke Wind Farm

TCI Renewables only has 2 projects in Ontario, the one here in
Adelaide (40 wind Turbines) and a monster one in Nanticoke (133 Wind
Turbines).



The Adelaide one has been quiet since they were shoved back to the GEA
because they didn’t have an agreement with the OPA. Since then,
another project (in Bornish, by FPLE) has resurfaced and they may be
using up the current capacity on the grid for this area, for now, with
that project.



The Nanticoke project on the other hand just released that it will be
having a public meeting on December 21st. This wind farm isn’t really
in the area of any of our existing groups. Hopefully somebody from
there will start one.

http://www.tcirenewables.com/downloads/notice_of_engagement_nanticoke.pdf

Emera Makes Turbine Offer

From the Chronicle Herald

Emera makes turbine offer
Firm wants 50 per cent of wind park
By JUDY MYRDEN Business Reporter
Fri. Nov 20 - 4:46 AM
Nova Scotia Power’s parent company has made an offer to buy a stake in a proposed 20-turbine wind farm in Digby Neck.

Emera Inc. of Halifax has made an undisclosed offer to buy the 50 per cent interest held by Scotian Windfields’ partner SkyPower Corp., which entered into creditor protection when owner Lehman Brothers went bankrupt.

"This presents an opportunity for us as a company to possibly move a project forward and we think it’s a viable project and we would like to see that happen," Emera spokeswoman Sasha Irving said Thursday.

Documents filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice shows a numbered company owned by Emera put the offer in to buy the assets in November and the deal is expected to be finalized Nov. 30.

Earlier this year, Nova Scotia Power purchased the Nuttby Mountain wind farm project in Colchester County from EarthFirst Inc. of Calgary. The project had stalled due to the global credit crisis and NSP’s proposal to develop it is currently before government regulators for approval.

The utility, which is a regula-ted monopoly, is asking the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board to approve the $120-million wind project by Dec. 1.

Ms. Irving said it was easier for Emera to make the purchase than Nova Scotia Power, which would require regulatory approval.

"Emera has more flexibility to move quickly in this type of situation . . . (and) we made the decision that we thought it was best that Emera move forward with this one," she said.

Development costs on the Digby wind project were approximately $19.1 million at the time of SkyPower’s filing for creditor protection in August.

The company had also made purchase deposit payments of approximately US$16.2 million to General Electric for the 20 wind turbines.

The total commitment under the GE contract was approximately US$41.1 million, according to court documents.

Barry Zwicker, president and CEO of Scotian Windfields, said the project can now move forward and expects construction to begin in January and have the turbines generating electricity by November 2010.

"We’ve got a partner that is a solid company, and I don’t think there is any fear of Emera going into any creditor protection or bankruptcy process. From our perspective we’re looking forward to working with them and getting the project complete," said Mr. Zwicker Thursday.

The 30-megawatt development has a purchase power agreement, signed in May 2008, with Nova Scotia Power. Thirty megawatts of electricity can power 10,000 homes.

The Digby wind park is key for the utility to meet the government’s renewable energy target of generating 25 per cent of electricity from green sources by 2015.

Ontario wind farm health effects

MOE pledges ongoing research on turbines, health
Thursday November 19 2009
By Richard Vivian


SPECIAL REPORT:
Conclusion of the three-part series

Provincial plans to create a streamlined approval process for
renewable energy projects have been met with a bevy of objections —
from proponents, municipal leaders, and those who believe wind
turbines negatively impact human health — and a court challenge.

The government introduced its Green Energy Act earlier this year.
Officials tout it as a means of creating “green” jobs and helping the
government live up to its oft-delayed promise of eliminating
coal-fired power plants.

Many stakeholders, however, aren’t entirely pleased with what’s on the table.

Wind energy proponents feel it takes away their flexibility in placing
turbines; municipal councils abhor losing their ability to negotiate
with project owners; and some people feel the act doesn’t go far
enough to protect residents.

Perhaps the most significant hot-button issue is the 550-metre minimum
separation between renewable energy projects and residences..
Previously, host municipalities are responsible for negotiating
setbacks using their planning authority, which can be — and, in some
cases, has been — overruled by the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).

“It’s inadequate. We have evidence people living as far away as 1,500
metres are experiencing serious side effects from wind turbines,”
insists Beth Harrington of Wind Concerns Ontario, a grassroots
organization formed to raise the profile of reported health impacts
associated with industrial wind turbines. “It’s very serious what’s
going on.”

Some people who live near turbines, including several in Dufferin, say
they suffer headaches, fatigue, a ringing in the ears and more. No one
contacted by The Banner has documented evidence to draw a direct
connection between their symptoms and the turbines, but they say the
symptoms didn’t appear until the turbines were turned on.

An application was filed Oct. 19 seeking a judicial review of the Act
based on the precautionary principal, which suggests if something
can’t be proven safe, it shouldn’t be used.

The application, filed by a Prince Edward County man, claims there is
more than sufficient uncertainty surrounding wind development for the
court to strike down portions of the legislation until “proper” health
studies are conducted.

“The actions of this government have turned the precautionary
principle on its head,” says Dr. Robert McMurtry, former dean of
medicine at the University of Western Ontario, who has repeatedly
asked the provincial government to stop approving wind power projects
until a full epidemiological study has been completed.

“People are leaving their homes. Some people have had to be admitted
to hospital with hypertensive episodes,” McMurtry says.

“All the victims have one thing in common. When they go back home, or
near the wind farms, they’re worse and when they get away, they’re
better.”

Canadian Hydro Developers, which operates a 133-turbine wind farm in
the county, acknowledges it purchased the homes of at least two
residents who reported health problems related to the turbines;
however, the majority of residents around the turbines have not
reported any health problems or filed noise complaints.

“We did a jurisdictional comparison of what other countries in Europe
are doing and what they’re doing in the [United] States,” Kate Jordan,
Ministry of the Environment (MOE) spokesperson says of how the
550-metre setback was determined. “We based that framework both on
that jurisdictional scan and the science and the modelling work that
our staff did here.

“That is a protective and progressive approach that we have taken.”

Previously, setbacks were largely determined based on the MOE noise
guideline — a 40-decibel limit at the point of reception.

“We felt that was a very evidence-based process in terms of
determining setbacks. ... We have expressed concern [with the Green
Energy Act] because it does seem somewhat arbitrary, the selection of
the number,” says Robert Hornung, president of the Canadian Wind
Energy Association (CanWEA).

“We feel we’ve actually had a very effective regulatory framework in
Ontario that has helped to determine setbacks. The use of that has
determined that some turbines can be built closer than 550 metres and
some turbines cannot be built that close and have to be built further
away,” he says, noting setbacks across the province “generally” range
between 400 and 700 metres.
Municipalities across the province passed resolutions opposing the
Act’s setbacks, including many local communities.

Conscious of reported negative health impacts, the province will fund
an academic research chair to keep on top of the latest science and
technology associated with renewable energy projects, especially wind
turbines, explains Jordan.

“That chair’s role will be to research potential public health effects
of renewable energy projects as new information and new science
emerges. That will ensure that our approvals continue to be protective
of public health and the environment. That work will be ongoing,” she
says.

“There are more details to come on that this fall. We’re just looking
at the options right now for establishing the chair.”

Currently, the MOE doesn’t have any regulatory standards regarding
low-frequency noise — something the chair will be charged with
considering. Any recommendations brought forward by the chair are to
be reviewed by ministry staff for potential implementation.

“We intend to participate in the public process, as well as respond to
the various ministries involved,” Harrington says in reference to the
research chair’s work. “We don’t think the government should proceed
any further until these things have been looked into very closely.”

At 550, the new provincial setback is 100 metres farther than exists
today in Amaranth and part of Melancthon, home to Canadian Hydro’s
EcoPower Centre. Amaranth Mayor Don MacIver believes the increased
separation is a step in the right direction, but he questions whether
it’s enough.

“We’ve had quite a bit of concern over the current wind farm — the
transformer noise and the turbine noise,” he says.

“What I see with the Green Energy Act ... it’s going to open up the
township to a lot more wind turbine development in all sorts of
different areas. And we won’t have any power to help make
adjustments,” the mayor adds.

Through the act, a one-stop shop for renewable energy projects will be
created to help initiatives get off the ground more quickly. As part
of that streamlined process, several regulatory processes have been
amalgamated.

In doing so, the province has taken away municipal involvement.
Planning approvals, environmental assessments, certificates of
approval and other authorizations are now handled by a single
provincial body.

“We fought for everything to try to protect residents,” MacIver says,
referring to an OMB challenge initiated by Canadian Hydro. “The Green
Energy Act takes that away. Our issue was always proper planning —
that any development that comes into the town is subject to proper
planning. It’s not a question of whether you like turbines or not,
it’s a question ... of planning it and putting it in properly.”

Someone in Melancthon loves turbines

Sound of turbines very soothing
Thursday November 19 2009

Dear editor,


I am a resident of Melancthon, one of those many residents who are “surrounded by” wind generators. When I walk almost under a windidmill on a windy day, I can hear them wooshing quietly as they turn — a very constant and, I find, soothing sound. Remember, in this windy part of the province, the wind itself is pretty noisy and, like the windmills, intermittent.


While opposition to the windmills is very vocal, it is hard to gauge the real “mood” of residents in general. Satisfied people just go about their own business and rarely take the time to tell you they are “not bothered” by the windmills — likely they rarely think about them at all. (But politicians have to worry about those vocal few, don't they?)


To balance the generally negative bias of the article, I thought I'd tell you about one person who is very positively impacted by the windmills — me..


First, they add to my daily enjoyment. As I look out my windows or work in my garden, I find the gentle, constant turning of the blades to be restful, giving a feeling of serene movement to this otherwise pretty flat and boring landscape.


Second, the windmills reduce my anxiety. Ever since I was a child and the world was still reeling from the use of the nuclear bomb, I have been anxious about the dangers of nuclear power, including the potential harm from Ontario's (now aging) nuclear generating stations. Coal-fired electrical generating plants are also a danger to my environment, whether I live near them or not.


Since Ontarians continue to use more and more energy each year, the electricity has to come from somewhere. I was thrilled when Ontario began (at last) to invest in wind power as have other, more environmentally conscious countries. And pleased that I could look out my back window and see the evidence of that. Thus, Richard [Vivian], you could record one household where the turbines lower anxiety!


Barbara Herring, Melancthon

Dufferin County Wind Farm Health Effects

Selling their home isn’t something Helen and Bruce Fraser wanted to do, but they felt they had no choice. They’d bought the County Road 17 Melancthon property from Bruce’s father, included stonework from Helen’s parents in the design of the house as they built it, and spent 32 years making it their home.


It’s also where they raised their four children.


When talk of a Dufferin county wind farm first started, the Frasers thought it was a great idea. They threw their support behind anything intended to better the environment. But soon after an industrial turbine — about as tall as a 25-storey building (80 metres) — started spinning nearby, they decided they had no choice but to move away.


They’re one of six Dufferin property owners to sell their land to Canadian Hydro Developers (CHD), proponents of the Melancthon EcoPower Centre, the very same operation Fraser is convinced caused their health problems.


“I’d have such a headache I’d be holding my head thinking the top was going to come off my head — that’s how bad it was,” Helen Fraser says.


“We had no idea how they would impact us until they were put up. Basically, we were all for them because we’re for anything that’s green, until [the turbines] started running. Then we started getting the symptoms.”


The Frasers lived near the first phase of the wind farm, which started operation in 2006. Not long after, she says she started to experience headaches, muscle pain, fatigue and a ringing in her ears. Bruce, she says, began having problems with his blood sugar and when the turbine faced a specific direction, their dog would urinate inside the house at night.


They didn’t connect their troubles to the turbines at first. Fraser says that came after they went away on a couple vacations and their symptoms disappeared ... until soon after they returned home.


At the time, Fraser says they lived about 420 metres from the nearest turbine. They now live in Shelburne, several kilometres away from the turbines, where Helen says they’re doing “amazing.”


“I don’t have any of the symptoms that I had before. It’s like day and night. ... We just couldn’t go on living, for health reasons, the way we were living.”


Of the six properties purchased by CHD, Scott Hossie, the company’s Ontario environmental manager, says two were purchased as a result of residents’ health complaints.


“That’s not the preferred outcome for Canadian Hydro. We prefer to find a solution that allows us to continue operating and our neighbours to continue enjoying Melancthon and Amaranth townships. By and large, we’ve been successful in doing so,” he says.


“Really, the concerns about effects on health, or concerns raised by our neighbours of wind turbines with respect to health, are very much the exception.”


CHD purchased the other four properties, Hossie says, for storage and to house construction workers as the turbines were going up.


“It’s my understanding that all these houses, if they’re not needed by Canadian Hydro, will presumably go back onto the market,” he notes.


Hossie declined to talk about which properties were purchased because of residents’ health concerns, explaining CHD and the sellers signed contracts not to discuss their deal.


Fraser says she signed such a contract.


“I can’t discuss the sale,” she says, suggesting CHD could “come back” at her if she did. “I can discuss the turbines, but we can’t discuss the sale of the property.”


Former Seventh Line of Amaranth resident Barbara Ashbee-Lormand says she too signed a similar contract with CHD, which purchased her home.


“At this point, we can state that we and Canadian Hydro Developers Inc. are pleased that we have reached a comprehensive settlement which addresses, to the satisfaction of all parties, the issues that had arisen between us regarding the performance of the General Electric wind turbines at the Melancthon EcoPower Centre,” she wrote in a statement emailed to The Banner. “The parties have all agreed that the specific terms of the settlement will remain confidential.”


Prior to the settlement, she complained vibrations from low frequency noise kept her and her husband, Dennis, up at night. She said they worked “diligently and openly” with CHD to resolve the issue without success, before they hired a lawyer to take up their case, which resulted in a settlement being reached.


The majority of people living near the local turbines don’t appear to suffer the symptoms experienced by some nearby residents.


“We’re having no problems at all,” says Melancthon’s Randy Nielsen, speaking for his wife and two teenage children. “We’re surrounded by turbines.


“We’ve had people come to visit and they all like them.”


Of about 300 neighbours, the Ministry of the Environment has received complaints from 17 regarding the Melancthon EcoPower Centre.


“If you have problems with wind turbines in your home, and you’re really having difficulty, the wind industry will eventually settle with you,” suggests Dr. Bob McMurtry, a former member of the Health Council of Canada and former dean of medicine at the University of Western Ontario.


“It’s worked out best for (the wind industry) if they keep those things quiet. There’s no requirement by the government for the wind industry to report settlements.”


McMurtry acknowledges he has spoken on behalf of Wind Concerns Ontario (WCO) — a grassroots group dedicated to raising the profile of health complaints from people living near turbines — but maintains he has no formal affiliation with the group.

Like WCO, McMurtry is convinced of a link between wind turbines and public health problems — a link other health professionals, government officials and wind industry leaders insist has never been proven.


“Despite individual concerns on occasion, peer-reviewed literature has never indicated any trend associated with health effects coming from wind turbines,” says Hossie. “From Canadian Hydro’s perspective, if anybody has a concern, we deal with it proactively on a case-by-case basis. We certainly do take those very seriously.”


Most of the time, he says, noise complaints are mitigated through routine maintenance and upkeep of the turbines.


“In North America, we now have more than 10,000 wind turbines operating. Concerns that have been expressed with respect to health impacts across that entire fleet are few and far between,” adds Robert Hornung, president of the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA). “Our common understanding is that the overwhelming majority of people who live near wind turbines actually have a quite positive experience and are living productively and harmoniously with those turbines.”


McMurtry takes a different perspective on the existing literature.


“It’s remarkable. [Turbines] been around [in Canada] for over 20 years and no one’s done an adequate study to demonstrate their safety,” the doctor says.


He believes a “proper” study of the issue would take about five years to complete, with a budget of at least $1 million to complete the work.


“The only people with the resources to do that kind of thing ... is either the industry, which won’t happen I imagine, and certainly the government is responsible too, and haven’t done so.”