Renewable Energy for Ontario How we got into this and where we are going…

Renewable Energy for Ontario

How we got into this and where we are going…

How It All Started……2008• George Smitherman was the energy Minister.• David Suzuki showed Ontario Government how

Germany was producing Green Energy.• Green Energy Act will create 50,000 jobs and will

only raise hydro rates 1% per year.

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/climate-change/science/energy/wind-energy/

Green Energy Act. 2009• “Help attract investment and jobs in renewable

energy, promote energy conservation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions”.

• Ministry of Energy superseded many of the Governments usual planning processes.

• Develop a “Feed in Tariff” system to provide guaranteed prices for renewable energy projects.

http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2009/05/ontario-legislature-passes-green-energy-act.html

Feed in Tariff Program - FIT

• Ontario’s FIT program is North America’s first comprehensive guaranteed pricing structure for renewable electricity production

• 13.5 cents for wind and 44.3 cents for solar/kWh.• Wanted to boost economic activity and technologies

and create new green industries and jobs

http://fit.powerauthority.on.ca/

The Sweetheart Samsung Deal, 2010• Secret “Sole Sourced” deal with Korean giant.• We get $7 Billion investment, 4 new plants,

16,000 jobs and 2,500 Megawatts.• Ontario gives them transmission capacity.• Could raise hydro rates 7%/year.

http://tomadamsenergy.com/?p=1178

The Ontario Gold Rush Begins..

• Wind farms from Wolfe Island to Ripley, Stayner to Kincardine, Chatham to Port Dover, and along Lake Erie, go up like overnight!

http://www.ieso.ca/imoweb/siteshared/windtracker.asp

Rural Ontario Speaks Up!

• Ontario Wind Resistance comes alive from Lambton to Algoma, Lanark to Chatham.

• Liberals almost lose Ontario election over this.

http://ontario-wind-resistance.org/

Wind Turbines Affect People and More

• For rural people in Ontario there is no safe place from IWT. Dr Robert McMurtry, Member of Order of Canada

• Wind Turbine Syndrome. People are getting sick. Dr Nina Pierpoint, MD, PhD

http://blip.tv/windturbinesyndrome

Wind Turbines Threaten Swans• Dr. Scott Petrie, UWO professor and waterfowl

specialist, says putting IWT along the Great Lakes shoreline may adversely affect waterfowl migration routes and habitat.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/02/21/wdr-tundra-swans-wind-turbines-lambton.html

“Dirty” Electricity Making People Sick

• Dairy Farmer David Colling from Ripley, says Wind Turbines generate electromagnetic waves and pressure waves, that may adversely affect human and animal health.

http://www.electricalpollution.com/windturbines.html

Neighbours vs. Neighbours• Stayner resident Sylvia and John Wiggins are

suing the wind developer and their neighbour for devaluation of property. In April 2012, 20 more landowners have joined the fight, for $17 million.

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1117715--neighbours-sue-farmers-for-offering-land-to-wind-turbine-development

Property Values Decrease

• A 2009 Wind Turbine Impact Study by Appraisal Group One in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin found that “within 3 miles of the turbines” values decreased a minimum of 20%, double the days on the market and substantially less sales.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/09/30/ontario-wind-power-property-values.html

Ontario Federation of Agriculture

• The OFA makes a statement regarding Industrial Wind Turbines proliferation across rural Ontario and wants FIT contracts suspended until review.

• Wind company leases are eroding Property Rights in rural Ontario and are complex.

http://www.ofa.on.ca/uploads/userfiles/files/ofa%20position%20statement%20on%20industrial%20wind%20turbines.pdf

Ontario Engineers Recommendations

• Ontario Society of Professional Engineers report of Mar. 2012 says Energy Ministry should do more studies first.

• “Apart from the health and safety concerns of nearby residents, wind generation is intermittent, it has a low capacity factor and it delivers its energy when nature provides it rather than when consumers want it. These weaknesses make wind generation one of the most technically challenging and costly energy sources to integrate into the electrical grid”

http://www.ospe.on.ca/

Auditor General’s Report Dec. 2011• Power rates will be significantly increased. • Wind and Solar energy sources are not reliable.• Feed-In-Tariff program leads to higher prices.• Samsung Deal had no economic business case. • Most jobs are temporary and for each job created,

2-4 jobs are lost with Renewable Energy Initiatives.

http://www.auditor.on.ca/en/reports_en/en11/303en11.pdf

Quality of Life Values Attacked

• Economic Vitality: not with industry leaving due to higher electrical rates.

• Environment: migration routes and habitat.

• Property Values: Being affected in areas.

• Communities: Rural vs. Urban infighting.

http://www.orea.com/~/media/Files/Government%20Relations/Publications/REALTORS-Improving-Quality-of-Life-Brochure.pdf

What can we do now!

• Educate our Members and our community.

• Get support from OREA to lobby for a Wind Turbine Moratorium.

• Get involved with and understand the impact of Renewable Energy for Ontario.

http://www.remonline.com/home/?p=7686