Winnipeg Free Press
Nova Scotia says it's setting most aggressive renewable power targets in Canada
By: Michael Macdonald, THE CANADIAN PRESS
23/04/2010 6:32 PM
PICTOU, N.S. - It may be Canada's second-smallest province, but Nova Scotia is planning to become a green giant when it comes to renewable energy.
The province's NDP government introduced a bold plan Friday that commits the province to getting 40 per cent of its electricity from renewable resources by 2020.
Premier Darrell Dexter said the plan is one of the most aggressive in North America in terms of growing the green energy sector.
"This is the transformation of a province that currently has an electricity supply that's based almost 90 per cent on fossil fuels," he said, referring to the fact Nova Scotia gets most of its energy from coal-fired generating plants.
"We will increase the amount of renewable energy by four-fold by 2020."
California, a green leader in the United States, has committed to getting only 33 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030.
But the premier was quick to note that Nova Scotia can't compare itself with provinces like Quebec, Manitoba and British Columbia, where hydroelectric dams already provide more than 80 per cent of each province's electricity.
Still, Nova Scotia has set a significant challenge for itself. Today only 11 per cent of its electricity comes from renewable sources.
"We are so heavily dependent on fossil fuels that, if we do not make the conversion, we run the real risk ... that our economy will become uncompetitive (and) that ordinary homeowners will see rapidly increasing prices of electricity," Dexter said.
Electricity rates have already jumped 30 per cent in the past five years in Nova Scotia.
Standing atop Dalhousie Mountain in northern Nova Scotia, surrounded by 34 huge wind turbines, the premier said the plan will create hundreds of jobs, but it requires about $1.5 billion in investment from the public and private sector.
Government sources also confirmed the province will need a new transmission line to New Brunswick.
To be sure, the green plan won't come cheap.
Consumers can expect to pay between $10 and $20 more for electricity every year between now and 2015, officials said during a technical briefing. There were no cost estimates beyond that date.
The province has said it wants to get at least 25 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2015, which the NDP government says it will now enshrine in legislation.
"Consumers can look forward to more stable electricity prices and a more secure supply of energy," Dexter told a crowd of about 100 who gathered in the shadow of a massive turbine that whirred in the background.
The Pictou County wind farm, the largest in Nova Scotia, was completed last year at a cost of $130 million. At its peak, the RMSenergy LP site can supply about 17,000 homes with 51 megawatts of electricity.
The province's plan is calling for an additional 300 megawatts of electricity, most of that coming from privately owned Nova Scotia Power Inc. That's enough power to feed 500,000 homes.
Reuben Burge, president of the RMSenergy, said the plan sets a high target but that doesn't bother him.
"With a plan in place, it gives us something to work toward," he said.
By 2020, the province expects wind farms will become Nova Scotia's single-largest source of renewable energy. But the province is also looking to boost investment in tidal power in the Bay of Fundy, while enhancing other sources.
Other initiatives include:
-encouraging community-based electricity projects by offering a fixed price for power at a rate that will help cover costs and provide a small profit;
-expanding the use of net-metering, which credits consumers for the energy they produce from wind, solar and other renewable sources;
-putting a cap on the use biomass, which involves the burning of wood waste from the forestry industry;
-and encouraging the use of locally produced natural gas.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Public Inquiry: Wind turbines, nature and landscape
from the BBC news
Matlock Moor wind farm plan rejected
The planned turbines would have been up to 125m (410ft) high
Plans to build a wind farm in Derbyshire have been rejected following a public inquiry into the scheme.
West Coast Energy wanted to build five wind turbines up to 125m (410 ft) high on Matlock Moor.
But the Planning Inspector ruled the planned turbines would "create a major adverse change" to the local landscape and wildlife.
Both North East Derbyshire District Council and the Derbyshire Dales District Council opposed the plans.
Some residents had objected to the turbines, three of which were proposed within north-east Derbyshire and two within Derbyshire Dales.
Opponents argued they would be unsightly and noisy.
'Environmental benefits'
Planning Inspector Ruth MacKenzie, said: "From certain viewpoints, I consider that the five turbines would create a major adverse change in a highly sensitive landscape.
"In reaching this decision, I have taken into account all other matters raised, but none is sufficient to outweigh the considerations that have led me to my conclusion that both appeals should be dismissed and planning permission refused."
West Coast Energy said it was disappointed with the decision.
In a statement, the company said: "This development would have provided significant environmental and economic benefits and would have made a major contribution to renewable energy generation in Derbyshire and the East Midlands.
"We are still of the opinion that Matlock Moor is an appropriate location for renewable energy generation and we will be examining the decision of the inspector in order to review our future options."
Matlock Moor wind farm plan rejected
The planned turbines would have been up to 125m (410ft) high
Plans to build a wind farm in Derbyshire have been rejected following a public inquiry into the scheme.
West Coast Energy wanted to build five wind turbines up to 125m (410 ft) high on Matlock Moor.
But the Planning Inspector ruled the planned turbines would "create a major adverse change" to the local landscape and wildlife.
Both North East Derbyshire District Council and the Derbyshire Dales District Council opposed the plans.
Some residents had objected to the turbines, three of which were proposed within north-east Derbyshire and two within Derbyshire Dales.
Opponents argued they would be unsightly and noisy.
'Environmental benefits'
Planning Inspector Ruth MacKenzie, said: "From certain viewpoints, I consider that the five turbines would create a major adverse change in a highly sensitive landscape.
"In reaching this decision, I have taken into account all other matters raised, but none is sufficient to outweigh the considerations that have led me to my conclusion that both appeals should be dismissed and planning permission refused."
West Coast Energy said it was disappointed with the decision.
In a statement, the company said: "This development would have provided significant environmental and economic benefits and would have made a major contribution to renewable energy generation in Derbyshire and the East Midlands.
"We are still of the opinion that Matlock Moor is an appropriate location for renewable energy generation and we will be examining the decision of the inspector in order to review our future options."
Labels:
wind turbines BBC Matlock Moor
Washington Post Opinion
By Robert Bryce
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Americans are being inundated with claims about renewable and alternative energy. Advocates for these technologies say that if we jettison fossil fuels, we'll breathe easier, stop global warming and revolutionize our economy. Yes, "green" energy has great emotional and political appeal. But before we wrap all our hopes -- and subsidies -- in it, let's take a hard look at some common misconceptions about what "green" means.
This Story
Myths about green energy
Sparking an energy revolution
1. Solar and wind power are the greenest of them all.
Unfortunately, solar and wind technologies require huge amounts of land to deliver relatively small amounts of energy, disrupting natural habitats. Even an aging natural gas well producing 60,000 cubic feet per day generates more than 20 times the watts per square meter of a wind turbine. A nuclear power plant cranks out about 56 watts per square meter, eight times as much as is derived from solar photovoltaic installations. The real estate that wind and solar energy demand led the Nature Conservancy to issue a report last year critical of "energy sprawl," including tens of thousands of miles of high-voltage transmission lines needed to carry electricity from wind and solar installations to distant cities.
Nor does wind energy substantially reduce CO2 emissions. Since the wind doesn't always blow, utilities must use gas- or coal-fired generators to offset wind's unreliability. The result is minimal -- or no -- carbon dioxide reduction.
Denmark, the poster child for wind energy boosters, more than doubled its production of wind energy between 1999 and 2007. Yet data from Energinet.dk, the operator of Denmark's natural gas and electricity grids, show that carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation in 2007 were at about the same level as they were back in 1990, before the country began its frenzied construction of turbines. Denmark has done a good job of keeping its overall carbon dioxide emissions flat, but that is in large part because of near-zero population growth and exorbitant energy taxes, not wind energy. And through 2017, the Danes foresee no decrease in carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Americans are being inundated with claims about renewable and alternative energy. Advocates for these technologies say that if we jettison fossil fuels, we'll breathe easier, stop global warming and revolutionize our economy. Yes, "green" energy has great emotional and political appeal. But before we wrap all our hopes -- and subsidies -- in it, let's take a hard look at some common misconceptions about what "green" means.
This Story
Myths about green energy
Sparking an energy revolution
1. Solar and wind power are the greenest of them all.
Unfortunately, solar and wind technologies require huge amounts of land to deliver relatively small amounts of energy, disrupting natural habitats. Even an aging natural gas well producing 60,000 cubic feet per day generates more than 20 times the watts per square meter of a wind turbine. A nuclear power plant cranks out about 56 watts per square meter, eight times as much as is derived from solar photovoltaic installations. The real estate that wind and solar energy demand led the Nature Conservancy to issue a report last year critical of "energy sprawl," including tens of thousands of miles of high-voltage transmission lines needed to carry electricity from wind and solar installations to distant cities.
Nor does wind energy substantially reduce CO2 emissions. Since the wind doesn't always blow, utilities must use gas- or coal-fired generators to offset wind's unreliability. The result is minimal -- or no -- carbon dioxide reduction.
Denmark, the poster child for wind energy boosters, more than doubled its production of wind energy between 1999 and 2007. Yet data from Energinet.dk, the operator of Denmark's natural gas and electricity grids, show that carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation in 2007 were at about the same level as they were back in 1990, before the country began its frenzied construction of turbines. Denmark has done a good job of keeping its overall carbon dioxide emissions flat, but that is in large part because of near-zero population growth and exorbitant energy taxes, not wind energy. And through 2017, the Danes foresee no decrease in carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation.
Labels:
wind turbines
A Whale's Tail of Good News
Right whales off Block Island largest pod ever counted there
By Judy Benson
Publication: The Day
Published 04/24/2010 12:00 AMUpdated 04/24/2010 12:57 AM NOAAThis photo from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Northeast Fisheries Science Center shows a mother North Atlantic right whale with her calf, submerged left, in Block Island Sound off the coast of Rhode Island, part of a record number of the rare mammals counted during an aerial survey. NOAAThis photo from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Northeast Fisheries Science Center shows a mother North Atlantic right whale with her calf, submerged left, in Block Island Sound off the coast of Rhode Island, part of a record number of the rare mammals counted during an aerial survey.
1
1
COMMENTS ( 1 )
NOAA records about 100 animals, says gathering in waters leading to Martha's Vineyard highly unusual
One quarter of the world's entire population of right whales is congregating in waters between Block Island and Martha's Vineyard.
That's an unusually large grouping in an area rarely visited by these endangered mammals.
Among the group of about 100 whales are at least two mothers with calves, David Gouveia, marine mammal program coordinator for the northeastern regional office of the National Marine Fisheries Service, said Friday. There are only about 400 right whales left in the world, he noted, and they normally travel in pods of about 15 to 40 each.
This is the largest group of whales ever recorded in these waters, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the parent agency of the marine fisheries service.
The whales are heading north on their annual spring migration, but they normally stay in waters further to the east, off Nantucket and Cape Cod, Gouveia said. There are no predictions about how long they will stay in the Block Island-Martha's Vineyard area.
"It could be a week, it could be a day," Gouveia said.
To protect the whales from being struck by passing vessels, a slow-speed zone has been established in the area through May 5. Vessels 65 feet and larger are asked to travel at no more than 10 knots, or about 11.5 mph, in the waters in a defined region between the two islands.
"They're close to one of the major shipping lanes into New York City," Gouveia said of the whales.
So-called ship strikes are a major cause of injury and mortality for right whales, which can measure 55 feet in length and weigh 70 tons. In 2008, NOAA established a system of notifying mariners where right whales are traveling and setting temporary speed restrictions in those areas, as well as seasonal speed restrictions along their typical migration path. NOAA, the Coast Guard and other groups are doing aerial monitoring to keep track of whales.
The whales are migrating north along the East Coast after calving in waters off Georgia this winter. They follow currents carrying the tiny marine zooplankton called copepods, feeding as they travel, Gouveia said.
"The currents must have dipped into that area" between Block Island and Martha's Vineyard, he said. "That's why the whales are there."
After they leave the area, they will continue north, stopping to feed along the way, until they reach the Bay of Fundy off Nova Scotia in the fall.
j.benson@theday.com
By Judy Benson
Publication: The Day
Published 04/24/2010 12:00 AMUpdated 04/24/2010 12:57 AM NOAAThis photo from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Northeast Fisheries Science Center shows a mother North Atlantic right whale with her calf, submerged left, in Block Island Sound off the coast of Rhode Island, part of a record number of the rare mammals counted during an aerial survey. NOAAThis photo from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Northeast Fisheries Science Center shows a mother North Atlantic right whale with her calf, submerged left, in Block Island Sound off the coast of Rhode Island, part of a record number of the rare mammals counted during an aerial survey.
1
1
COMMENTS ( 1 )
NOAA records about 100 animals, says gathering in waters leading to Martha's Vineyard highly unusual
One quarter of the world's entire population of right whales is congregating in waters between Block Island and Martha's Vineyard.
That's an unusually large grouping in an area rarely visited by these endangered mammals.
Among the group of about 100 whales are at least two mothers with calves, David Gouveia, marine mammal program coordinator for the northeastern regional office of the National Marine Fisheries Service, said Friday. There are only about 400 right whales left in the world, he noted, and they normally travel in pods of about 15 to 40 each.
This is the largest group of whales ever recorded in these waters, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the parent agency of the marine fisheries service.
The whales are heading north on their annual spring migration, but they normally stay in waters further to the east, off Nantucket and Cape Cod, Gouveia said. There are no predictions about how long they will stay in the Block Island-Martha's Vineyard area.
"It could be a week, it could be a day," Gouveia said.
To protect the whales from being struck by passing vessels, a slow-speed zone has been established in the area through May 5. Vessels 65 feet and larger are asked to travel at no more than 10 knots, or about 11.5 mph, in the waters in a defined region between the two islands.
"They're close to one of the major shipping lanes into New York City," Gouveia said of the whales.
So-called ship strikes are a major cause of injury and mortality for right whales, which can measure 55 feet in length and weigh 70 tons. In 2008, NOAA established a system of notifying mariners where right whales are traveling and setting temporary speed restrictions in those areas, as well as seasonal speed restrictions along their typical migration path. NOAA, the Coast Guard and other groups are doing aerial monitoring to keep track of whales.
The whales are migrating north along the East Coast after calving in waters off Georgia this winter. They follow currents carrying the tiny marine zooplankton called copepods, feeding as they travel, Gouveia said.
"The currents must have dipped into that area" between Block Island and Martha's Vineyard, he said. "That's why the whales are there."
After they leave the area, they will continue north, stopping to feed along the way, until they reach the Bay of Fundy off Nova Scotia in the fall.
j.benson@theday.com
Friday, April 23, 2010
An Earth Day Quiz from Yesterday
Earth Day Energy Quiz
April 22, 2010
How much do you know about energy in Canada? Take the test and check back for the answers on Monday.
The most fuel-efficient car sold in Canada today is
a) a hybrid
b) a clean diesel
c) a three-cylinder conventional gasoline-powered internal combustion powered Smart car
d) a plug-in electric
Which provides more electricity in Canada?
a) wind power
b) solar power
c) biomass thermal power
d) tidal power
What uses the most energy in a typical Canadian house?
a) space heating
b) water heating
c) appliances
d) lighting
In terms of daylight hours per year, where is the best place in Canada to install solar panels?
a) Calgary, Alberta
b) Alert, Nunavut
c) Leamington, Ontario
d) Churchill Manitoba
Tidal power is unique to which province?
a) British Columbia
b) Manitoba
c) New Brunswick
d) Nova Scotia
Which province or territory generates the largest portion of electricity from wind power?
a) Yukon
b) Alberta
c) Saskatchewan
d) Prince Edward Island
In Canada, RSI Values relate to:
a) effectiveness of home insulation
b) radioactivity of nuclear waste
c) air resistance across the rotors of a wind turbine
d) refractive qualities of solar panels
In which province is it least advantageous to generate your own electricity?
a) Alberta
b) Ontario
c) British Columbia
d) New Brunswick
How much more efficient than a conventional incandescent light bulb is a compact fluorescent light bulb?
a) 65%
b) 75%
c) 85%
d) 90%
Which of these vehicles doesn’t come in a hybrid version?
a) car
b) pickup truck
c) motorcycle
d) transit bus
April 22, 2010
How much do you know about energy in Canada? Take the test and check back for the answers on Monday.
The most fuel-efficient car sold in Canada today is
a) a hybrid
b) a clean diesel
c) a three-cylinder conventional gasoline-powered internal combustion powered Smart car
d) a plug-in electric
Which provides more electricity in Canada?
a) wind power
b) solar power
c) biomass thermal power
d) tidal power
What uses the most energy in a typical Canadian house?
a) space heating
b) water heating
c) appliances
d) lighting
In terms of daylight hours per year, where is the best place in Canada to install solar panels?
a) Calgary, Alberta
b) Alert, Nunavut
c) Leamington, Ontario
d) Churchill Manitoba
Tidal power is unique to which province?
a) British Columbia
b) Manitoba
c) New Brunswick
d) Nova Scotia
Which province or territory generates the largest portion of electricity from wind power?
a) Yukon
b) Alberta
c) Saskatchewan
d) Prince Edward Island
In Canada, RSI Values relate to:
a) effectiveness of home insulation
b) radioactivity of nuclear waste
c) air resistance across the rotors of a wind turbine
d) refractive qualities of solar panels
In which province is it least advantageous to generate your own electricity?
a) Alberta
b) Ontario
c) British Columbia
d) New Brunswick
How much more efficient than a conventional incandescent light bulb is a compact fluorescent light bulb?
a) 65%
b) 75%
c) 85%
d) 90%
Which of these vehicles doesn’t come in a hybrid version?
a) car
b) pickup truck
c) motorcycle
d) transit bus
Labels:
Earth Day
Destination SW Nova AGM, Conference
Destination Southwest Nova Association
AGM & Conference, May 12 & 13, 2010
White Point Beach Resort
DSWNA Board of Directors Call for Nominations!
Conference Program & Schedule
Registration Form - deadline Friday May 7th
Southwest Award Nominations
Award Criteria
Nomination Form
DSWNA By-laws
Minutes from 2009 AGM
Silent Auction
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AGM & Conference
This years Annual General Meeting and Conference will take place on May 12 & 13 at White Point Beach Resort. The conference program features a municipal tourism summit, marketing update and Nova Scotia partnership opportunities as well as several educational sessions such as Events Nova Scotia, Canada Games 2011, Adventures in Taste, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, New7Wonders of Nature and more. The Annual General Meeting will be important to attend as there will be proposed changes to Association By-laws and the 2010/2011 DSWNA Board of Directors will be selected. To register for the DSWNA AGM and Conference please complete and return this form by Friday May 7th.
Southwest Award Nominations
Nominate a deserving business in Southwest Nova Scotia for an award that will be presented on Wednesday May 12th, 2010 as part of the DSWNA Annual Meeting and Conference. Award categories include: Regional Awards, Partnership Award and Sustainable Practices Award. Submit your nomination form by Friday April 30th, click here for the award criteria.
Silent Auction
As part of the conference, we will be holding an silent auction and a live auction; anyone wishing to donate an item(s), please contact the office at (902) 634-8844 or email jjoudrey@destinationsouthwestnova.com or item submission by May 7th, 2010.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Call for Nominations, 2010/2011 DSWNA Board of Directors
The nominating committee is seeking Nomination/Applications for partners to serve on the Volunteer Board of Directors for Destination Southwest Nova Association. The Board of Directors criteria and information is listed here for your information.
Additional inquires and comments should be made directly to the Nominating Chair person, Rick Welsford at nominations@destinationsouthwestnova.com or by fax at (902) 634-8056. Deadline for nominations is Friday May 7th.
AGM & Conference, May 12 & 13, 2010
White Point Beach Resort
DSWNA Board of Directors Call for Nominations!
Conference Program & Schedule
Registration Form - deadline Friday May 7th
Southwest Award Nominations
Award Criteria
Nomination Form
DSWNA By-laws
Minutes from 2009 AGM
Silent Auction
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AGM & Conference
This years Annual General Meeting and Conference will take place on May 12 & 13 at White Point Beach Resort. The conference program features a municipal tourism summit, marketing update and Nova Scotia partnership opportunities as well as several educational sessions such as Events Nova Scotia, Canada Games 2011, Adventures in Taste, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, New7Wonders of Nature and more. The Annual General Meeting will be important to attend as there will be proposed changes to Association By-laws and the 2010/2011 DSWNA Board of Directors will be selected. To register for the DSWNA AGM and Conference please complete and return this form by Friday May 7th.
Southwest Award Nominations
Nominate a deserving business in Southwest Nova Scotia for an award that will be presented on Wednesday May 12th, 2010 as part of the DSWNA Annual Meeting and Conference. Award categories include: Regional Awards, Partnership Award and Sustainable Practices Award. Submit your nomination form by Friday April 30th, click here for the award criteria.
Silent Auction
As part of the conference, we will be holding an silent auction and a live auction; anyone wishing to donate an item(s), please contact the office at (902) 634-8844 or email jjoudrey@destinationsouthwestnova.com or item submission by May 7th, 2010.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Call for Nominations, 2010/2011 DSWNA Board of Directors
The nominating committee is seeking Nomination/Applications for partners to serve on the Volunteer Board of Directors for Destination Southwest Nova Association. The Board of Directors criteria and information is listed here for your information.
Additional inquires and comments should be made directly to the Nominating Chair person, Rick Welsford at nominations@destinationsouthwestnova.com or by fax at (902) 634-8056. Deadline for nominations is Friday May 7th.
Labels:
DSWNA
Pot Luck Supper
Rossway Baptist Church Friday April 30th. Bring your favourite dish and a neighbour or friend!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
