Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Ontario Moving ahead with Green Energy
McGuinty Government Takes Steps to Ensure Successful Renewable Energy Program
Ontario is moving ahead with its clean energy program, taking immediate steps to ensure the long-term sustainability of renewable energy while creating more jobs, lowering prices and giving communities a greater say.
Following the first review of Ontario's signature Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) Program, the government will act quickly to implement all the recommendations, which include:
Creating more jobs sooner by streamlining the regulatory approvals process for projects while maintaining the highest environmental protection standards.
Reducing prices - for solar projects by more than 20 per cent and wind projects by approximately 15 per cent.
Encouraging greater community and Aboriginal participation through a new priority point system, which will also prioritize projects with municipal support.
Reserving 10 per cent of remaining capacity for projects with significant participation from local or Aboriginal communities.
Developing a Clean Energy Economic Development Strategy to leverage Ontario's significant expertise and strengths to become a global leader in the sector.
Ontario's clean energy strategy has attracted significant renewable energy development, leveraging more than $27 billion in new investment and economic opportunities. More than 20,000 clean energy jobs have been created and the province is on track to create 50,000 jobs, while helping build a healthier future for all Ontarians.
Ontario is moving ahead with its clean energy program, taking immediate steps to ensure the long-term sustainability of renewable energy while creating more jobs, lowering prices and giving communities a greater say.
Following the first review of Ontario's signature Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) Program, the government will act quickly to implement all the recommendations, which include:
Creating more jobs sooner by streamlining the regulatory approvals process for projects while maintaining the highest environmental protection standards.
Reducing prices - for solar projects by more than 20 per cent and wind projects by approximately 15 per cent.
Encouraging greater community and Aboriginal participation through a new priority point system, which will also prioritize projects with municipal support.
Reserving 10 per cent of remaining capacity for projects with significant participation from local or Aboriginal communities.
Developing a Clean Energy Economic Development Strategy to leverage Ontario's significant expertise and strengths to become a global leader in the sector.
Ontario's clean energy strategy has attracted significant renewable energy development, leveraging more than $27 billion in new investment and economic opportunities. More than 20,000 clean energy jobs have been created and the province is on track to create 50,000 jobs, while helping build a healthier future for all Ontarians.
Monday, 26 March 2012
March 22nd: Building Community Power Co-operatively Workshop
Forming, managing and promoting your renewable energy co-operative.
A dynamic group, we learned the principles behind the internal structure of the co-op, including building the steering committee and the board of directors, and the role of members.
Shane Mulligan,(Community Power Consultant; Project Manager for LIFE Co-op; President of Community Renewable Energy Waterloo) lead this part of the workshop.
Shane had participants create a mock board of Directors- which was really useful as we discussed what were some of the qualities that make for a director.
Graham Flint, HHEAT Specialist talked about how to sustain your community power Co-op, how to devise a marketing plan for your co-op and maintaining your co-op’s momentum and progress over time.
A dynamic group, we learned the principles behind the internal structure of the co-op, including building the steering committee and the board of directors, and the role of members.
Shane Mulligan,(Community Power Consultant; Project Manager for LIFE Co-op; President of Community Renewable Energy Waterloo) lead this part of the workshop.
Shane had participants create a mock board of Directors- which was really useful as we discussed what were some of the qualities that make for a director.
Graham Flint, HHEAT Specialist talked about how to sustain your community power Co-op, how to devise a marketing plan for your co-op and maintaining your co-op’s momentum and progress over time.
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Ontario Sustainable Energy Association welcomes FIT Review decision expected this week
Interview Opportunity - Kristopher Stevens, Executive Director, Ontario Sustainable Energy Association
Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) is neither surprised nor concerned that electricity prices from renewable sources under the Feed-in tariff (FIT) are expected to drop by at least 25%.
The Government of Ontario has demonstrated leadership by passing the Green Energy and Green Economy Act (GEA) and should aggressively leverage its smart investment, maximizing ratepayer benefit while strengthening the emerging green economy.
The prices paid for renewable energy under the FIT are based on a "cost plus a reasonable return on investment" model. The scheduled two-year review of the FIT program was always intended to transparently adjust prices as costs fell.
By 2014, Ontario will phase out all of its remaining coal and by 2016, 25.62 TerraWatt hours (25,620,000,000 kWh) of power will need to be replaced as four of the province's 20 nuclear reactors come to the end of their lives. There are options for replacing this power generation and almost all are cheaper than rebuilding Darlington nuclear facilities.[i]
A portfolio of sustainable energy, options including: conservation, FIT procured renewables, combined heat and power (CHP) and potentially water power imports from Quebec, represents a real bargain both environmentally and economically.
The two-year review and revitalization of the FIT program has always been in the cards. It shouldn't be delayed - it is time for Ontarians to move forward and seize the opportunity!
Mr. Stevens can address questions such as:
How can renewables contribute to making our electricity grid more distributed, scalable, agile, reliable and smart?
How can we get the biggest bang for our electricity buck as we invest in the future of Ontario?
How can we maximize local control and benefits and address legitimate local concerns about development in their back yards?
How can OSEA's Community Power tools and resources help accelerate community and First Nations participation under the FIT?
How can a portfolio of sustainable energy mitigate high costs associated with other alternatives like nuclear?
Are there really new manufacturing and development jobs in solar, wind, water power and bio-energy?
How can we mitigate the cost of electricity bills for homeowners, businesses and industry with the new generation of nuclear plants costing much more than the supply we are replacing?
Background - How and Why Renewable Energy is critical to affordable energy
Contrary to rhetoric espoused by some, a portfolio of sustainable energy (conservation, CHP, water power imports and FIT procured renewables) is the cheapest option as we rebuild and reinvest in our long neglected electricity grid and replace our retiring coal and nuclear. For electricity buying Ontarians, more important than the FIT review is challenging the assumption that an expensive rebuild of our nuclear plants is necessary.
In just over two years Ontario's FIT, combined with growing global demand for renewable energy has driven down the cost of renewable energy generating technology.
Renewable power under the FIT program with its fixed twenty-year contract will keep the average price of power lower in Ontario as we begin to invest and to pay for fuel costs associated with new natural gas and nuclear power.
To ensure this investment in the future is not burdensome, Ontarians need to continue building upon their conservation efforts - after all the lowest cost power is the power we don't use. A renewed focus on energy conservation will lead to businesses, homeowners and industry consuming less and saving on their bills.
Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) is neither surprised nor concerned that electricity prices from renewable sources under the Feed-in tariff (FIT) are expected to drop by at least 25%.
The Government of Ontario has demonstrated leadership by passing the Green Energy and Green Economy Act (GEA) and should aggressively leverage its smart investment, maximizing ratepayer benefit while strengthening the emerging green economy.
The prices paid for renewable energy under the FIT are based on a "cost plus a reasonable return on investment" model. The scheduled two-year review of the FIT program was always intended to transparently adjust prices as costs fell.
By 2014, Ontario will phase out all of its remaining coal and by 2016, 25.62 TerraWatt hours (25,620,000,000 kWh) of power will need to be replaced as four of the province's 20 nuclear reactors come to the end of their lives. There are options for replacing this power generation and almost all are cheaper than rebuilding Darlington nuclear facilities.[i]
A portfolio of sustainable energy, options including: conservation, FIT procured renewables, combined heat and power (CHP) and potentially water power imports from Quebec, represents a real bargain both environmentally and economically.
The two-year review and revitalization of the FIT program has always been in the cards. It shouldn't be delayed - it is time for Ontarians to move forward and seize the opportunity!
Mr. Stevens can address questions such as:
How can renewables contribute to making our electricity grid more distributed, scalable, agile, reliable and smart?
How can we get the biggest bang for our electricity buck as we invest in the future of Ontario?
How can we maximize local control and benefits and address legitimate local concerns about development in their back yards?
How can OSEA's Community Power tools and resources help accelerate community and First Nations participation under the FIT?
How can a portfolio of sustainable energy mitigate high costs associated with other alternatives like nuclear?
Are there really new manufacturing and development jobs in solar, wind, water power and bio-energy?
How can we mitigate the cost of electricity bills for homeowners, businesses and industry with the new generation of nuclear plants costing much more than the supply we are replacing?
Background - How and Why Renewable Energy is critical to affordable energy
Contrary to rhetoric espoused by some, a portfolio of sustainable energy (conservation, CHP, water power imports and FIT procured renewables) is the cheapest option as we rebuild and reinvest in our long neglected electricity grid and replace our retiring coal and nuclear. For electricity buying Ontarians, more important than the FIT review is challenging the assumption that an expensive rebuild of our nuclear plants is necessary.
In just over two years Ontario's FIT, combined with growing global demand for renewable energy has driven down the cost of renewable energy generating technology.
Renewable power under the FIT program with its fixed twenty-year contract will keep the average price of power lower in Ontario as we begin to invest and to pay for fuel costs associated with new natural gas and nuclear power.
To ensure this investment in the future is not burdensome, Ontarians need to continue building upon their conservation efforts - after all the lowest cost power is the power we don't use. A renewed focus on energy conservation will lead to businesses, homeowners and industry consuming less and saving on their bills.
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Renewable Energy in Halton and Hamilton
This HHEAT presentation put together by speaker Martin Ince discusses Renewable Energy in Halton and Hamilton as well as Opportunities for Co-Operatives Technology and Site Selection. It has been split into two parts to accommodate size. In Part 1 you can gain an overview of the electricity market as well as take a look at renewable wind energy technologies. In Part 2 you can take a further look at other renewable technologies. You will also be exposed to provincial programs and the basics of Ontario's Feed-In-Tariff.
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