Ontario Green Energy Act

Some cool renewable power ontario images:

A modern day windmill in Ontario

We had been driving by and noticed the new energy savings program they’ve put in place, great job Canada, now if we all jumped on the turbine band wagon, what a great planet this could be. I actually did not believe this photo would get so significantly attention, but it is the sign of the times. Power is a crisis and speaking of power today’s gas price here in Vancouver is .22/litre (lowest grade) as of Apr/08, how considerably is it over there?

The most modern generations of windmills are more properly called wind turbines, or wind generators, and are primarily used to generate electricity. Contemporary windmills are created to convert the energy of the wind into electricity. The largest wind turbines can generate up to 6MW of power (for comparison a contemporary fossil fuel power plant generates among 500 and 1,300MW).

With increasing environmental concern, and approaching limits to fossil fuel consumption, wind power has regained interest as a renewable energy source. It is increasingly becoming far more helpful and sufficient in offering power for many locations of the planet.

One region in which it is becoming rather common is about the midwest of the United States where, due to excellent amounts of wind, turbines have grow to be quite valuable.

Clothesline: environmentally friendly clothes dryer

Image by Peter Blanchard
Everywhere in Ontario it is now legal to hang out your laundry! Awesome! Personally, I discover climate change, energy expenses and the several other effects of wasting resources considerably more shocking than the sight of somebody’s undies! Related news and links: Ontario Clothesline Bans Banned (since April 2008).

Some cool wind energy ontario images:

What’s New With Wind?


Image by mars_discovery_district

Ogilvy Renault presents Cleantech in Canada Breakfast Seminar – What’s New With Wind? Humans have been using windmills since the 8th century AD. As the ‘elder brother’ of renewable energy, wind power is seen as stable, reliable and maybe just a little bit dull. We have assembled an expert panel to find out just how wrong that perception is. Hear about: new technologies that are transforming the wind business challenges and opportunities in building and operating wind energy facilities the impact that Ontario’s new FIT program has on wind power in Ontario and around the world how large global manufacturers view the Canadian wind industry. Industry experts will share their thoughts on key emerging opportunities for cleantech entrepreneurs, investors and government.This seminar series is offered in partnership by industry leaders Deloitte and Ogilvy Renault.

Wind Turbine – CNE Grounds, Toronto


Image by Gemma Grace

Although perhaps not evident here, this 750-kilowatt wind turbine, erected in 1992, is 30-stories tall (1/7th the height of Toronto’s famed CN Tower). With 24-metre-long blades at 27 revolutions per minute it can generate enough power to supply 250 average homes.

It’s a lengthy read, but it’s worth it…

Ontarios Electricity Subsidy Undercuts Conservation

Ontario’s Electricity Subsidy Undercuts Conservation

Toronto, June 14, 2011 – Ontario’s Environmental
Commissioner says the Ontario Clean Power
Benefit (OCEB) is a perverse incentive that could
endanger the energy conservation savings the government is hoping to achieve.

In his Annual Energy Conservation Progress Report
- 2010 (Volume One): Managing a Complex Power
System, released right now, Gord Miller says “The 10
per cent rebate on electricity bills is an
artificial subsidy on the price of electricity so
it encourages buyers to use far more.” A study by
energy analysts estimated that the OCEB could
wipe out a third of the planned conservation savings over the subsequent 4 years.

Miller praises the government for introducing
time-of-use pricing that encourages households
and companies to shift their consumption away
from periods of high demand, but noted that cost
subsidies undercut this development. Costs will
necessarily rise since of a backlog of
transmission investments and new generation
projects. “Unfortunately, the government hasn’t
addressed the problem of rising prices in a way
that prioritizes conservation,”says Miller.
“Instead it has continued the failed policy
approach of the past where the government’s only
answer to greater electricity rates is to
artificially lower electricity prices.”

If the government feels the require to aid
customers with the greater energy costs it could
make the benefit a fixed amount, rather of tying
it to consumption levels. “That way,” says
Miller, “the Clean Power Benefit would be less
of a disincentive to electricity conservation.”

Miller is also concerned about delays in rolling
out Ontario’s critical Conservation and Demand
Management (CDM) programs. Among now and 2014,
electric utilities, supported by the Ontario
Power Authority, are supposed to minimize overall
electricity use, as nicely as peak demand.
“Province-wide conservation programs had been all
supposed to begin in January 2011, says the
Commissioner, but the delays mean we will miss opportunities this year.

The Environmental Commissioner is also
questioning a recent choice by the Ontario
Energy Board to freeze conservation budgets for
Union Gas and Enbridge Gas Distribution,
especially at a time when the government has
cancelled its own conservation programs for gas
shoppers. “The Board has too narrow a view about
the advantages that will come with increased
conservation. It is ignoring the avoided
infrastructure costs and decreased greenhouse gas
emissions that will come with reductions in consumption of natural gas.”

To watch the Commissioner’s pre-recorded comments, please pay a visit to:
www.youtube.com/user/EcoComms

For more information, get in touch with:
Maria Leung
Communications and Outreach Coordinator
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario
416-325-3371 / 416-819-1673
1-800-701-6454
Maria.leung@eco.on.ca

For French language release and bilingual support, please get in touch with:
Jean-Marc Filion, 705-492-6997

The report is accessible for download at www.eco.on.ca