Malcolm Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 Ontario plans major nuclear refurbishment to meet growing electricity demand Story by The Canadian Press • 34m Ontario plans major nuclear refurbishment to meet growing electricity demand© Provided by The Canadian Press PICKERING, Ont. — Ontario Power Generation is moving ahead with a plan to extend the life of the aging Pickering Nuclear Generating Station by decades, as the province tries to secure more electricity supply in the face of increasing demand. Energy Minister Todd Smith had asked OPG in 2022 to study the feasibility of refurbishing four of the units at the nuclear plant, which have been operating since the 1980s. That refurbishment will proceed, Smith said. "Our province still needs this station and its workers," he said Tuesday outside the nuclear plant. "And this refurbishment, effectively a major overhaul of four of the generators, is going to have a huge impact once completely refurbished." OPG plans to spend $2 billion on engineering and design work and securing key components for the project that is expected to be completed in the mid-2030s. Pickering produces about 14 per cent of the province's electricity but its current licence to operate the four units in question expires at the end of this year. OPG has asked the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to extend that to 2026, but a public hearing for that application has not yet been scheduled. The refurbished generating station will provide enough power to supply two million homes, Smith said. The construction phase will create about 11,000 jobs, he said and provide about 6,000 jobs for decades. Related video: Pickering nuclear plant expected to be fully refurbished by mid-2030s: Energy minister (cbc.ca) Today, I'm pleased to announce that our government is supporting Loaded: 37.31% Play Current Time 0:02 / Duration 1:36 Quality Settings Captions Fullscreen cbc.ca Pickering nuclear plant expected to be fully refurbished by mid-2030s: Energy minister Unmute 0 View on Watch "It's the start of something truly momentous for this station, which remains a vital clean energy asset for Ontario," said Ken Hartwick, CEO of OPG. He pointed to refurbishments at Darlington Nuclear Generating Station and Bruce Power as examples that will help guide the Pickering life extension. "We have learned a lot about what it takes to refurbish a nuclear station the right way with thousands of lessons learned from Darlington and Bruce Power that we will apply to Pickering," Hartwick said. The nuclear safety commission would have to approve the refurbishment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2024. The Canadian Press 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deicer Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 Those who are predicting doom and gloom need to do more research. https://www.iea.org/news/clean-energy-investment-is-extending-its-lead-over-fossil-fuels-boosted-by-energy-security-strengths Investment in clean energy technologies is significantly outpacing spending on fossil fuels as affordability and security concerns triggered by the global energy crisis strengthen the momentum behind more sustainable options, according to a new IEA report. About USD 2.8 trillion is set to be invested globally in energy in 2023, of which more than USD 1.7 trillion is expected to go to clean technologies – including renewables, electric vehicles, nuclear power, grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, efficiency improvements and heat pumps – according to the IEA’s latest World Energy Investment report. The remainder, slightly more than USD 1 trillion, is going to coal, gas and oil. Annual clean energy investment is expected to rise by 24% between 2021 and 2023, driven by renewables and electric vehicles, compared with a 15% rise in fossil fuel investment over the same period. But more than 90% of this increase comes from advanced economies and China, presenting a serious risk of new dividing lines in global energy if clean energy transitions don’t pick up elsewhere. “Clean energy is moving fast – faster than many people realise. This is clear in the investment trends, where clean technologies are pulling away from fossil fuels,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. “For every dollar invested in fossil fuels, about 1.7 dollars are now going into clean energy. Five years ago, this ratio was one-to-one. One shining example is investment in solar, which is set to overtake the amount of investment going into oil production for the first time.” Led by solar, low-emissions electricity technologies are expected to account for almost 90% of investment in power generation. Consumers are also investing in more electrified end-uses. Global heat pump sales have seen double-digit annual growth since 2021. Electric vehicle sales are expected to leap by a third this year after already surging in 2022. Clean energy investments have been boosted by a variety of factors in recent years, including periods of strong economic growth and volatile fossil fuel prices that raised concerns about energy security, especially following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Enhanced policy support through major actions like the US Inflation Reduction Act and initiatives in Europe, Japan, China and elsewhere have also played a role. Spending on upstream oil and gas is expected to rise by 7% in 2023, taking it back to 2019 levels. The few oil companies that are investing more than before the Covid-19 pandemic are mostly large national oil companies in the Middle East. Many fossil fuel producers made record profits last year because of higher fuel prices, but the majority of this cash flow has gone to dividends, share buybacks and debt repayment – rather than back into traditional supply. Nonetheless, the expected rebound in fossil fuel investment means it is set to rise in 2023 to more than double the levels needed in 2030 in the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario. Global coal demand reached an all-time high in 2022, and coal investment this year is on course to reach nearly six times the levels envisaged in 2030 in the Net Zero Scenario. The oil and gas industry’s capital spending on low-emissions alternatives such as clean electricity, clean fuels and carbon capture technologies was less than 5% of its upstream spending in 2022. That level was little changed from last year – though the share is higher for some of the larger European companies. The biggest shortfalls in clean energy investment are in emerging and developing economies. There are some bright spots, such as dynamic investments in solar in India and in renewables in Brazil and parts of the Middle East. However, investment in many countries is being held back by factors including higher interest rates, unclear policy frameworks and market designs, weak grid infrastructure, financially strained utilities, and a high cost of capital. Much more needs to be done by the international community, especially to drive investment in lower-income economies, where the private sector has been reluctant to venture. To help address this, the IEA and the IFC will on 22 June release a new special report on Scaling Up Private Finance for Clean Energy in Emerging and Developing Economies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deicer Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 And the oil and gas companies are quietly transitioning while trying to maximize oil and gas profits while they can. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1269798/clean-energy-investments-major-oil-gas-companies/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted January 30 Author Share Posted January 30 2 hours ago, deicer said: Those who are predicting doom and gloom need to do more research. https://www.iea.org/news/clean-energy-investment-is-extending-its-lead-over-fossil-fuels-boosted-by-energy-security-strengths Yet to see any actual numbers re energy being produced by the ideas and the amount of carbon that has been reduced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deicer Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 (edited) 15 hours ago, Malcolm said: Yet to see any actual numbers re energy being produced by the ideas and the amount of carbon that has been reduced. https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2021/04/28/how-green-is-wind-power-really-a-new-report-tallies-up-the-carbon-cost-of-renewables/?sh=570447ba73cd https://www.pembina.org/media-release/significant-decarbonization-albertas-electricity-grid-affordable-and-achievable-2035 https://prism.ucalgary.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/e67857a0-d009-4d5a-a85a-bf13b22b615a/content Edited January 31 by deicer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 4 hours ago, deicer said: https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2021/04/28/how-green-is-wind-power-really-a-new-report-tallies-up-the-carbon-cost-of-renewables/?sh=570447ba73cd https://www.pembina.org/media-release/significant-decarbonization-albertas-electricity-grid-affordable-and-achievable-2035 https://prism.ucalgary.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/e67857a0-d009-4d5a-a85a-bf13b22b615a/content no real $$$$$ just best guess . / estimates...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deicer Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 4 hours ago, Malcolm said: no real $$$$$ just best guess . / estimates...... For now. Infrastucture needs to be built, then numbers will be available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 2 hours ago, deicer said: For now. Infrastucture needs to be built, then numbers will be available. Pie in the sky for now. Remember the proof that was used to prove we needed to disconnect our computers at Midnight 1999 (event of the year 2000), and then of course the Global Warming scare ( In 2009, Al Gore loosely cited researchers and said there was a “75% chance” the ice could be gone during at least some summer months within five to seven years. He made similar statements multiple other times in the late 2000s.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted February 1 Author Share Posted February 1 America's lithium boom could spark a water crisis in the US: report America's lithium boom could spark a water crisis in the US: report©Provided by Daily Mail America's lithium boom is underway with 72 proposed mines in the nation, but a new report has revealed that the 'white gold rush' could cause a water crisis in the US. A team of students at Arizona University conducted a 'groundbreaking' investigation that found a majority of the operators plan to pull water from already stressed sources like the Colorado River. Most of the mines, located in the western region, will need billions of gallons of water to operate at a time when the region is experiencing the worst mega-drought in 1,200 years. The only mine in operation, Silver Peak, has drained four billion gallons of water a year in Nevada since 2020 and scientists determined 'underground water sources are dwindling and even disappearing altogether.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 On 1/31/2024 at 1:38 PM, deicer said: For now. Infrastucture needs to be built, then numbers will be available. Seems that will be hard for some to accomplish within the current proposed time lines. For example UK . UK 'on brink of being plunged into darkness with widespread blackouts' Story by Craig Munro • 10h The UK may have to get used to blackouts in less than five years as a series of power stations close their doors, according to new research. Think tank Public First has warned the country does not have sufficient means to generate enough power to make up for the loss. Under current plans, four British nuclear power plants will be decommissioned by April 2028: Hartlepool in County Durham, Heysham I and II in Lancashire, and Torness in East Lothian. The last remaining coal-fired power station in the country, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, is scheduled to shut down in September this year. Public First’s report, titled Mind the Gap: Exploring Britain’s energy crunch, was commissioned by Drax Power, the operator of biomass-fuelled Drax power station in North Yorkshire. It says delays to the delivery of Hinkley Point C, which began construction in 2016, could add to the shortfall while demand grows due to the rise in electric vehicles and heat pumps. The new nuclear power station was originally intended to start generating next year – but now it is not expected to come online until at least 2031. At the same time, the anticipated cost of building the facility in Somerset has risen from £18 billion when it was first given the green light to £35 billion. Hinkley Point C will be the first new nuclear power station built in the UK in a generation (Picture: PA)© Provided by Metro According to the Telegraph, Public First has forecast that the UK’s demand for power will exceed baseload capacity by 7.5GW at peak times by 2028. Gas was still the biggest source of electricity generation in the country last year, although National Grid statistics show wind power overtook it in January, October and December. Despite the reliance on natural gas, the amount of electricity generated from fossil fuels last year fell to the lowest level since 1957. Low-carbon sources made up 56% of the UK’s supplies, according to analysis by Carbon Brief – still a long way off the government’s ambition of 95% by 2030. French energy company EDF, which manages all eight nuclear power stations in Britain, said last month it would make a decision on whether to extend the lifespans of Hartlepool, Torness, and Heysham I and II by the end of this year. This morning, BBC Panorama reported that Drax, the power company behind the Public First report, has been burning wood from rare ‘old-growth’ Canadian forests. The business has received £6 billion in green subsidies even as its wood pellet-burning station emits around 12 million tonnes of carbon a year, the BBC said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 Quote he province will bar renewable generation projects on land it deems has excellent or good irrigation capability and will set up buffer zones of a minimum of 35 km (22 miles) around protected areas or what the government considers pristine views. New wind turbine projects will no longer be permitted within those buffer zones. "We must grow our renewable energy industry in well-defined and responsible ways," Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said in a statement. Smith says Ottawa's drive to cut carbon emissions could wreck the provincial oil and gas industry. Alberta to ban renewables projects on prime agricultural land Story by David Ljunggren • 2h OTTAWA (Reuters) -Alberta, which produces most of Canada's crude oil, will ban renewable power projects on prime agricultural land and erect buffer zones to ensure wind turbines do not spoil scenic views, the provincial government said on Wednesday. Last year, Alberta temporarily halted approvals of major new projects amid concerns over renewables' reliability and land use, cooling investment in the rapidly growing industry and challenging the federal government's clean energy ambitions. The western province has led the country in building renewable capacity and is on track to eliminate combustion of coal for power this year, six years ahead of plan. Alberta's right-of-center government said the pause on approvals would be lifted on Thursday but it would from now on take an "agriculture first" approach with proposed projects. Quote The province will bar renewable generation projects on land it deems has excellent or good irrigation capability and will set up buffer zones of a minimum of 35 km (22 miles) around protected areas or what the government considers pristine views. New wind turbine projects will no longer be permitted within those buffer zones. "We must grow our renewable energy industry in well-defined and responsible ways," Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said in a statement. Smith says Ottawa's drive to cut carbon emissions could wreck the provincial oil and gas industry. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announces end of ban on renewable energy projects Alberta generates most of its electricity from natural gas and produces more than 82% of the country's crude oil. The government, citing concerns about the cost of cleaning up renewables projects once they have shut down, says developers will have to put up a bond or security. In a note to clients, RBC Dominion Securities analyst Nelson Ng said the new rules could slow the pace of development. The Business Renewables Centre Canada environmental group said the announcement had few specific details and would provoke uncertainty among investors. "Taken at face value, an unprecedented 35-km buffer zone around all protected areas in southern Alberta would eliminate large sections of the province and would create a backdoor land ban," director Jorden Dye said in a statement. The pause on project approvals, which was announced last August, prompted four major international companies at various development stages to stop work on their plans, an industry official said at the time. (Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Additional reporting by Ashitha Shivaprasad in Bengaluru;Editing by Bernadette Baum and Nia Williams) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deicer Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 There is always a 'crisis' on the burner. It's how they can jack up prices to increase profits. Is there a shortage of food driving up prices? Did Europe go into the dark when Russia cut off gas? Did they hook up a towtruck to Greece and repo it when they had their debt crisis? It's all spin to pull more money out of wallets. Progress will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted February 29 Author Share Posted February 29 Exclusive-Canada to expedite approval of new nuclear projects, energy minister says Story by Steve Scherer and Rod Nickel • 1h FILE PHOTO: General view at the Pickering Nuclear Power Generating Station near Toronto, Ontario, Canada April 17, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio/File Photo© Thomson Reuters By Steve Scherer and Rod Nickel OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada will expedite the approval process for new nuclear projects, but will not exclude them from the federal environmental review as requested by the province of Ontario, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said. All new major projects in Canada, including nuclear reactors, have to be reviewed under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), which the government has promised to revise this spring after the Supreme Court last year ruled it overstepped into provincial jurisdiction. Wilkinson said the legislative revisions to the IAA will be limited to addressing the concerns of the court because if the government does more than that, it would "have to open up large scale consultations that will take significant time." "That being said, we do have some ideas that as to how we can make the process more efficient and respond to the thoughts and aspirations of the provinces," Wilkinson told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday, adding that accelerating the process will not come at the cost of addressing environmental concerns. Canada is the world's second-largest uranium producer, but regulatory delays have resulted in miners like NexGen Energy having to wait seven years and counting to build the world's largest uranium mine in Saskatchewan. "It's a very long process," said NexGen CEO Leigh Curyer. "Government and industry working together to bring these projects online more expeditiously, that is absolutely key." Nuclear energy enjoys broad public support, employing more than 70,000 people, yet Canada's newest reactor came on line more than two decades ago and no nuclear project has been approved since the IAA was introduced in 2019. If the approval timeline is cut, it could help Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government meet its goals of reducing the country's electricity grid to net-zero carbon emissions by 2035, part of an overall goal to net-zero by 2050. Climate groups and researchers have warned Canada risks missing its climate targets. Nuclear expansion faces opposition, however, over charges it already doesn't adequately review risks. The Sierra Club environmental group opposes development of nuclear fuels because of dangerous waste, high cost and links to weapons, said Sierra's Canada programs director Gretchen Fitzgerald. "Canada again and again has failed to create valid environmental assessment processes and arms-length regulation of the nuclear power industry - leaving communities at risk," Fitzgerald said.under our plan to power Ontario's growth, Ontario plans major nuclear refurbishment to meet growing electricity demand Last month, Ontario said would start work to refurbish aging nuclear reactors at Pickering, located about 45 km (28 miles) east of Toronto, to extend production by 30 years. Canada's 19 nuclear reactors produce 14% of the country's electricity, and it has also exported technology for more than 30 Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactors worldwide. Now Ontario, which derives 50% of its power needs from nuclear, wants to roll out more reactors in Canada's most populous province. "We've been asking for nuclear to be exempted" from the IAA, Ontario Energy Minister Todd Smith told Reuters in an interview this month. "If it's going to take another seven to 10 years to build" a new nuclear station in Ontario, "then there's absolutely no way" the federal government will hit its climate targets, Smith said. Wilkinson said he held a meeting late last year with provincial energy ministers from Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and New Brunswick in part to discuss how to accelerate assessments for new nuclear projects. Earlier on Thursday, Smith joined Wilkinson when he announced the federal government would contribute up to C$50 million ($36.8 million) to Bruce Power to conduct consultations and studies to add new nuclear reactors in Tiverton, Ontario. Bruce Power's plant is already the second-biggest in the world. One of the ways to expedite the process is to treat expansions of existing nuclear sites - brownfields - differently from new facilities - greenfields - Wilkinson said. Only Ontario and New Brunswick have existing reactors, so provinces that have none would "probably require a bit more of an assessment", he said. Ontario is developing what could be the first operating small modular reactor (SMR) in the Western world by the end of the decade, a technology that many countries are looking at as a way of replacing coal-fired plants, Wilkinson said. Wilkinson said SMRs are "sort of carbon copies of each other" and so should not require repetitive engineering assessments. The government is also reviewing its entire regulatory process to approve large industrial projects including nuclear by eliminating overlaps between the provincial and federal assessments, he said. The details of that review, which will have a particular impact on mining, will be released in the next few months, Wilkinson said. Canada's deep experience with nuclear means it can "leverage its experience and its technology to create jobs and economic opportunity," Wilkinson added. ($1 = 1.3573 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Steve Scherer and Rod Nickel, additional reporting by Nia Williams; Editing by Denny Thomas and Nick Zieminski) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 Rural municipalities pleased with new renewables rules, but critics say fewer new projects will result Rural municipalities pleased with new renewables rules, but critics say fewer new projects will result (msn.com) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted March 2 Author Share Posted March 2 I guess this will mean China will be moving away from coal for energy A crucial discovery for China, aiming to reduce its energy dependence, has come to light with the Chinese oil company China National Offshore Oil Corporation, better known as CNOOC, reportedly uncovering the world's largest oil deposit in the Bohai Sea. This is reported by Naftemporiki. The Bozhong 26-6 oil field, discovered in 2022, has now confirmed record levels of hydrocarbon reserves following a series of drilling operations, potentially exceeding 1.3 billion barrels (over 200 million cubic meters). The gigantic deposit was found in metamorphic rocks in the Bohai Sea, a small inland sea located at the northern tip of the East China Sea and northwest of the Yellow Sea, on the northeastern coast of China. Spanish geologist Jorge Navarro mentions that the giant deposit was found in an area known as "buried hills". The largest hydrogen deposit in the world has just been discovered Bulgaria Ends Russian Oil Imports Oil and gas are typically stored in sedimentary rocks, like sandstones, which normally do not undergo significant alterations or major losses in porosity and permeability due to burial and compression. However, some of these sedimentary rocks, if buried under high temperatures and pressures, undergo a series of physicochemical processes that destroy almost all their porosity and permeability. If these metamorphosed rocks are brought back to the surface by tectonic forces, their petrophysical properties improve. In such a way that, if buried again, they are capable of hosting hydrocarbons. An example of metamorphosed rocks is shale, from which shale oil is extracted in the USA. Shale oil is produced within the shale when subjected to high temperatures that can be used as fuel known as shale oil. New Production Record This discovery is of vital importance for a country like China, which seeks to reduce its energy dependence and maintain a huge current account surplus. China is the world's largest importer of many raw materials, including oil. China achieved a new record in oil and natural gas production at the end of last year. The national crude oil production averaged 4.16 million barrels per day, according to data from the Chinese government. In this way, the "Asian giant" continues to be the sixth-largest producer of crude oil in the world, approaching Iraq, which is the fifth-largest oil producer in the world, with 4.3 million barrels per day. China's crude oil production increased to 208 million metric tons in 2023, representing a 1.6% increase compared to the production levels of 2022. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deicer Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Looks like when they develop this the biggest loser will be Russia! https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/china-defies-sanctions-make-russia-its-biggest-oil-supplier-2023-2024-01-20/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted March 16 Author Share Posted March 16 Saskatchewan Research Council given full authority over microreactor operation Story by Brooke Kruger • 23h • 2 min read File image of a Westinghouse Electric Company microreactor. Saskatchewan is set to have a microreactor in the province by 2029.© Westinghouse Electric Company The Saskatchewan Research Council will be the primary organization for the province's microreactor development. It will be the only organization authorized to hold regulatory licenses and be the licensed operator in the early stages of commercial development. Video: Saskatchewan invests in microreactor to help develop the nuclear industry "The goal is to safely accelerate the commercial adoption of microreactors within the province over the next five to 10 years, positioning Saskatchewan as a global leader in the nuclear microreactor supply chain," said Jeremy Harrison, minister responsible for SRC. "These deployments will create economic development opportunities and jobs." In November 2023, $80 million was announced in funding for SRC to pursue the demonstration of a microreactor in the province. Now, the SRC will help reduce the risks and costs for industrial and commercial users and offer safety practices and public engagement opportunities for all microreactor users. "What we learn through the initial microreactor demonstration will help SRC provide a one-stop-shop for industrial companies and Indigenous communities looking to progress microreactor projects in the province, from early feasibility to full reactor operation," said SRC President and CEO Mike Crabtree in a government release.So I so I spoke extensively yesterday in yesterday's scrum "Microreactors will provide a custom solution as part of Saskatchewan's future energy needs and this sector has the opportunity to be transformative for our economy, industry and communities." In November, Crabtree explained that the microreactor will generate less than 20 megawatts of power, and is different than the small modular reactors slated for Saskatchewan, adding that an SMR can generate 300 megawatts of power. The microreactor is capable of creating five megawatts of electricity, over 13 megawatts of high-temperature heat, or can run in a combined heat and power mode. He said these microreactors can run for about eight to 10 years, at which point they need to be sent back to a factory and refueled so they can operate at full power again. At the end of that time period, the spent fuel needing to be put into long-term storage is equivalent to three 200-litre drums -- much less than a power source like diesel. The project is expected to be operational by 2029. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted March 26 Author Share Posted March 26 Drake Landing, a solar energy community south of Calgary, loses its sizzle as system starts to fail Next steps may be decommissioning system, relying on natural gas as heat source Bryan Labby · CBC News · Posted: Mar 22, 2024 6:36 PM MDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago Drake landing, a lauded alternative energy project, may be nearing the end of its life 15 hours ago Duration2:47 A groundbreaking solar heating community near Calgary is facing some big decisions. The future of the neighbourhood, once considered a world leader, is now in doubt. Drake Landing, once the leading solar heating community of its kind in North America, may have to rely on fossil fuels as the aging system is breaking down and may be too expensive or impossible to fix. The 52 homeowners in the small, tight-knit community in Okotoks, south of Calgary, at one point welcomed guests from around the world to show off the groundbreaking technology. The international visitors wanted to see first-hand how energy from the hot summer sun could be collected and stored and then released in a harsh Canadian winter to heat the community's houses. By all accounts, Drake Landing, established in 2006, exceeded the expectations and objectives set by the project's financial backers — which included the provincial and federal governments. Showcase a large-scale, seasonal, solar storage system capable of supplying over 90 per cent of the space heating requirements in a residential community? Check. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional houses? Check. Create a model that could represent the future of sustainable residential heating systems? Check. Win multiple national and international building, environment and sustainability awards? Check. Check. But now, the system is starting to fail, and it could be decommissioned — it's one outcome the community faces. System could be decommissioned ATCO's Tim Corboy is a spokesperson for the Drake Landing Company, which runs the community and is an equal partnership of ATCO, the Town of Okotoks, homebuilder Sterling Homes and property developer Anthem United. He declined an interview request but responded via email to a number of questions. Corboy said the company has been working hard over the past year and a half to find "affordable and reliable solutions to the growing system performance issues." He said this includes trying to find parts and experts to service the 20-year-old technology. He said the residents' health, safety and comfort "has always been and will continue to be the primary driver in all considerations and decisions." He said any decision will be communicated to the residents first. Corboy said the options include: New communal energy system. Individual systems. New solar technology. Individual heat exchangers. Installation of forced air natural gas furnaces. Decommission the communal solar heating system. Corboy said decommissioning would not mean the project was a failure. "It's important to note that we do not see this project as a failure at all. At the time, this system was revolutionary and caught attention from around the world. Much has been learned because of this community," he said. It's disappointing for some of the owners who expected to get at least 25-30 years out of the groundbreaking system. "I just thought it was a really good plan, something that I thought would be long-lasting," said Wayne Bonnar, who was standing outside the two-storey house he purchased in 2017. Drake Landing in Okotoks, Alta., includes 52 single-family homes that are part of a solar district energy community. (Monty Kruger/CBC) The 52 homes range in size from about 1,500 square feet to almost 1,700 square feet. They have higher insulation values, an air-tight building envelope and energy efficient windows. Each home has a stand-alone solar hot water heater with a conventional, high-efficiency, natural gas water heater as a backup. "It was very successful," said Jeff Ivan, one of Bonnar's neighbours. Wayne Bonnar purchased one of the solar district heating homes in Drake Landing in 2017. Bonnar and his neighbours have been told the old system needs major repairs. (Monty Kruger/CBC) Ivan, who is an original owner and runs the community's social media page, says many of the system's components were built specifically for Drake Landing, so finding replacement parts is difficult, if not impossible. The homeowners were first warned about system failures last fall. Groundbreaking, global-leading Along with the homes, the $14.6-million project includes the "energy centre," which sits next to 144 underground, thermal energy storage bore holes dug 37 metres deep. The holes are underneath a small green space in the community. That's where the solar energy is stored during the summer and then released in the winter to heat the homes via a community energy network. This kind of setup is often referred to as a district heating system. Detached garages at the back of each house are connected by a continuous roof where 800 solar heat collectors are located. The project received $3.4 million from the federal and provincial governments and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Along with funding for the project, Natural Resources Canada (NRC) provided technical support on the system's design and installation. It says the project was a success and, in fact, it was the first system in the world to achieve more than 90 per cent of the homes' required space heating — even reaching 100 per cent in 2015. It's unlikely that NRC will be involved in any type of refresh or refurbishment of the system. It said in an email to CBC News that it supported the project in its research, development and demonstration stages — not when it reaches the end of its life cycle. Jeff Ivan is one of the homeowners in Drake Landing. He's seen here explaining how his home's solar energy system operates. Residents are concerned the system is starting to deteriorate. (Monty Kruger/CBC) It was well-known among the owners that the system put in place in Okotoks was groundbreaking — that it had the potential to represent the future of sustainable residential heating. But, there was uncertainty — and a backup plan. Residents were told that if the system failed, their homes would be converted to natural gas. Pulling the plug on solar heat According to Bonnar, some of his neighbours have already pulled the plug on using the sun's energy to heat their homes and have opted for natural gas furnaces. "Things are starting to deteriorate a little bit," he said. He hopes the company won't give up on renewable energy as a heat source. "It would be nice if they could do something more in line with non-fossil fuels, another solar system to replace it. But I would imagine that means removing everything. The controls probably wouldn't be compatible to another more up-to-date, modern solar panel system" Ivan agrees. "Right now, we don't know a clear path regarding that. We have asked that they look at green energy, whether it be a heat pump with a natural gas backup — that would be a preferred type of system," he said. This illustration, courtesy of High Performance Buildings, shows how the district heating system captures solar energy during the summer and stores it for use in the winter. (High Performing Buildings) So Bonnar and Ivan and the 50 other owners now wait. In his email, Corboy said a final decision has not been made. "It is the board's intention to share it with the community as soon as possible, and particularly before next winter," he said. Bryan Labby is an enterprise reporter with CBC Calgary. If you have a good story idea or tip, you can reach him at bryan.labby@cbc.ca or on X at @CBCBryan. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bryan Labby Enterprise reporter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted April 3 Author Share Posted April 3 Federal minister says nuclear power is key part of renewable energy expansion Story by The Canadian Press • 5h • 4 min read VANCOUVER — The federal minister responsible for innovation and industry says Canada could be at risk of losing out on attracting green industries if it doesn't consider all options for renewable electricity, which he says include nuclear power. François-Philippe Champagne said in an interview with The Canadian Press that he considers nuclear power part of the renewable energy portfolio that needs to grow to support the country's lean into "the economy of the 21st century." "Nuclear, definitely," Champagne said on Friday. "For me, we have to look at hydro, we have to look at nuclear, we have to look at small modular reactors, we have to look at wind, we have to look at solar." Small modular reactors are a type of advanced nuclear power plant that the International Atomic Energy Agency says can be prefabricated and shipped to sites unsuited to larger conventional reactors. The federal government has previously said it wants to become "a global leader in SMR deployment." "I can tell you when investors are calling me, they are not looking for subsidies," said Champagne. "They are looking for renewable energy, they're looking for talent, they're looking for the right ecosystem, they're looking for access to market. So, I would say that today, renewable energy is key to attracting investment, and that's why we're going to be there.ns Canada has announced a number of new investments designed to integrate into global green supply chains in recent years. They include a billion-dollar battery plant expansion in Maple Ridge, B.C., that was unveiled last November and is aimed at producing up to 135 million batteries a year. Officials from battery maker E-One Moli said one of the reasons its Taiwanese parent company chose Canada for the expansion is the availability of sustainably produced electricity. Champagne said in a previous interview that Canada was reaching its renewable energy production limits, something he reiterated in Vancouver while pointing to nuclear technology as a key part of the solution. "I think you have to look at all the renewable sources of energy, and I think certainly British Columbia like Manitoba or like Quebec has been blessed with hydro power," he said. "Oftentimes, I say we live out of the dividend of people who came before us in terms of renewable energy. Now, for us, I think the dividend that we need to leave to the next generation is to make sure that we make the investments now so we will continue to have the power to develop our natural resources in a sustainable and responsible way. And obviously, renewable energy has become key." York University professor of environmental and urban change Mark Winfield said the federal government's recent inclusion of nuclear power among options for decarbonizing electricity production is troubling. "Yes, compared to fossil fuel sources (nuclear) is relatively low carbon, depending on certain assumptions," Winfield said. "But it carries with it a huge, a very serious range of negative trade-offs. It essentially fails every other test of sustainability." Among Winfield's concerns are typically high initial capital costs during construction of nuclear plants, which have previously included cost overruns and delays in Canada. He said he also worries about the management of nuclear waste "on time scales of a million years" as well as the impact of uranium mining. Industry proponents point to nuclear power's dependable nature, since it doesn't rely on weather conditions that can affect solar and wind generation. George Christidis of the Canadian Nuclear Association said the strength of nuclear power was its ability to provide "non-emitting base load power generation, which basically means that it provides a foundation in an energy system and an energy mix." "That means more clean energy generation that then helps to decarbonize other sectors," he said. Christidis said while nuclear plants have high initial capital costs, those costs are amortized over a longer period compared to other power plants, meaning more stable costs than facilities at the whim of fluctuating fossil fuel prices. He said the potential for small modular reactors is huge, as other countries will look to Canada to produce such reactors for decarbonizing power generation. Within Canada, smaller nuclear reactors of various sizes are being planned or explored in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta, and Christidis said they could be "fundamental to shifting away from the use of coal" in these provinces. "The applications (of SMRs) to widen the transition into these clean energy solutions in the small reactor space, they're very real," he said. Winfield, however, said people should be skeptical because the small modular nuclear reactors being discussed are designs that have not been realized. "Nobody has built an SMR anywhere," he said. "This is part of the problem; they don't exist, even as prototypes." Winfield said, even beyond the cost and waste management aspects, nuclear power presents too much risk to warrant consideration as part of Canada's bid to bring more green industry online. "You have catastrophic accidents, safety, security, weapons proliferations, risks that just don't exist in relation to any other energy technology … all of which would suggest that this technology would be an option of absolute last resort when all other options around decarbonization have been fully developed and optimized," he said. "I don't think we're anywhere near that in Canada at this stage." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 6, 2024. Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted April 18 Author Share Posted April 18 Bjorn Lomborg: Why solar and wind power aren’t winning Opinion by Special to Financial Post • 1d • 4 min read Solar panels at the Travers Solar Project with wind turbines behind them, west of Lomond, Alta.© Provided by Financial Post We are constantly being told that solar and wind are now the cheapest forms of electricity. Yet governments around the world felt they had to spend US$1.8 trillion on the green transition last year. Wind and solar only produce power when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing. When they are not, electricity from these sources is infinitely expensive and back-ups are needed. This is why fossil fuels still account for two-thirds of global electricity and why, on current trends, we are a century away from eliminating their use in electricity generation. Imagine if a solar-driven car were launched tomorrow, running cheaper than a gas vehicle. It sounds great, until you realize it won’t run at night or when it’s overcast. So if you did buy a solar car, you would still need a gas car as back-up. You would have to pay for two cars. Modern societies need power 24/7. Solar and wind power’s unreliable and intermittent operation involve large, often hidden costs. This is a smaller problem for wealthy countries that already have fossil-power plants and can simply use more of them as backup. But even in wealthy countries it makes electricity more expensive. In the world’s poorest, electricity-starved countries, however, there is little fossil fuel energy infrastructure to begin with. Hypocritically, wealthy countries refuse to fund sorely needed fossil fuel energy in the developing world. Instead, they insist the world’s poor cope with unreliable green energy supplies that can’t power the pumps or agricultural machinery needed to lift populations out of poverty. It Is often reported that emerging industrial powers like China, India, Indonesia and Bangladesh are getting more power from solar and wind. But these countries get much more additional power from coal. Last year, China got more additional power from coal than it did from solar and wind. India got three times more electricity from coal than from green energy sources, Bangladesh 13 times more and Indonesia an astonishing 90 times more. If solar and wind really were cheaper, why would these countries not use them? Because reliability matters. The usual way of measuring the cost of solar simply ignores its unreliability and tells us the price when the sun is shining. The same is true for wind energy. That does indeed make them slightly cheaper than other electricity sources: 3.6 US¢ per kWh for solar, just ahead of natural gas at 3.8 US¢, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration . But if you account for reliability, their real costs explode: in 2022, one peer-reviewed study showed an increase of 11-42 times, making solar by far the most expensive electricity source, followed by wind. The enormous additional cost is for storage. We need electricity whether or not the sun is shining or the wind blowing. But our battery capacity is woefully inadequate. Research shows that every winter, when solar is contributing very little, Germany has a “wind drought” of five days on average when wind turbines also deliver almost nothing. That suggests batteries will be needed for a minimum of 120 hours — although the actual need will be much longer, since droughts sometimes last much longer and recur before storage can be filled. A new study shows that to achieve 100 per cent solar or wind electricity with sufficient backup, the U.S. would need to be able to store almost three months’ worth of electricity every year. It currently has seven minutes of battery storage. The required batteries would cost the U.S. five times its current GDP. And it would have to replace them all when they expired after just 15 years. Globally, the cost just to have sufficient batteries would run to 10 times global GDP, with a new bill every 15 years. Current estimates of the cost of solar and wind also ignore the cost of recycling spent wind turbine blades and exhausted solar panels. Already, one small town in Texas is overflowing with thousands of enormous blades that cannot be recycled. In poor countries across Africa, solar panels and their batteries are being dumped, leaking toxic chemicals into the soil and water supplies. Because of pressure from the climate lobby for an enormous ramp-up in use, this will only get worse . One study shows that on its own this trash cost doubles the true cost of solar. Ottawa needs to let business do business California itemizes government failure on homelessness We should change how we evaluate cancer drugs If solar and wind really were cheaper, they would replace fossil fuels without need for a grand push from politicians and the renewables industry. The claim they are cheap is repeated incessantly, not because it is true, but because it is convenient. If we want to fix climate change, we must instead invest much more in research and development into low-CO₂ energy. Only a significant boost in such R&D can bring about the technological breakthroughs that are needed — in reducing trash, in improving battery storage and efficiency, but also in other technologies like modular nuclear — that will make low-CO₂ energy sources truly cheaper than fossil fuels. Until then, claims that fossil fuels are already being outcompeted are just wishful thinking. Bjorn Lomborg, president of the Copenhagen Consensus, is a visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. His latest books include “False Alarm” and “Best Things First.” Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the business news you need to know — add financialpost.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted April 18 Author Share Posted April 18 Scottish government scraps climate change targets 3 hours ago Share 1:05 Mairi McAllan told the Scottish Parliament that the government’s flagship 2030 climate change target is now "out of reach". The Scottish government has confirmed it will scrap its annual and interim targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. They will be replaced with a system measuring emissions every five years. Ministers have announced a raft of measures to cut planet-warming gases including a national integrated ticketing system for public transport. New legislation will be introduced similar to the carbon budgets used by the UK and Welsh governments. The Scottish government insists the long-term target to reach net zero by 2045 "steadfastly" remains. Scrapped climate target is global embarrassment - charities Scotland to ditch key climate change target In a statement to the Scottish parliament, Energy Secretary Mairi McAllan accepted that the 2030 net-zero target was out of reach. She said the government must act to chart a course to 2045 at a pace and scale which was feasible, fair and just. Ms McAllan confirmed the Scottish government would bring forward expedited legislation to address matters raised by the Climate Change Committee (CCC), and ensure the legislative framework better reflected the reality of long-term climate policymaking. More than a dozen flagship policies were wrapped around the announcement. Ms McAllan said the Scottish government would help people become less reliant on cars and publish a "route map" to help deliver a 20% reduction in car use. Getty Images The energy secretary confirmed plans to reduce car use by 20% In the statement, she said "small businesses and independent traders" would be at the heart of car-use reduction, and the government would also work with the farming community to continue producing food while lowering emissions. She said the government would also work to more than quadruple the number of electric vehicle charge points across Scotland, with 24,000 additional charge points planned by 2030. A previous Transport Scotland report cited an estimate by the CCC that the UK would need about 280,000 public charging points by 2030, implying a Scottish total of about 30,000. A consultation on carbon land tax on the largest estates will be launched over the summer, she confirmed. The energy secretary ended her statement by blaming UK budgetary restrictions for forcing the Scottish government to "try to deliver societal and economic transformation with one hand tied behind our back". 'Angry and disappointed' During the questions that followed her statement, Ms McAllan said she was "disappointed herself" in the news, but said it represented a "minor" adjustment to the government's overall plans. Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said he was "angry and disappointed that we are in this position" and it must be a "turning point". "We cannot undo decades of inaction and bad decision-making," he said. "But what we can do is ensure that Scotland goes further and faster in delivering the rapid and fundamental change that is so vital. "Ever since the first Climate Change Act, I've said that world-leading targets are not enough, especially if there aren't credible and robust plans in place to deliver them. "We have a responsibility not just to advocate for accelerated action, but to make it happen. Today's announcement is a big step towards delivering that." So, ministers have now confirmed what we've known since last night; that the Scottish government's annual targets have been scrapped. Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan calls it a "minor legislative change" but it will not be seen that way. There's no clarity on what any new targets might be and that leaves big questions around what both the Scottish and UK governments can achieve in the future. More than a dozen flagship policies were wrapped around the confirmation, most eye-catchingly a national integrated public transport ticketing system. But the whole package will be viewed as the start of a process which sees the first Green government in the world backing the scrapping of emissions targets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted Sunday at 02:39 PM Author Share Posted Sunday at 02:39 PM Lots of interest in our LNG but so far those who have expressed their interest have been told to pound sand. Hmmmm Of course, yes': Poland latest European country with interest in Canadian LNG Spencer Van Dyk CTV News Parliamentary Bureau Writer, Producer Follow |Contact Updated April 28, 2024 6:41 a.m. MDT Published April 28, 2024 5:00 a.m. MDT Share The President of Poland says his country would “of course” be interested in purchasing Canadian liquefied natural gas (LNG) if it were available, while the Canadian federal government has said it is “not interested” in subsidizing future projects. Andrzej Duda sat down for a wide-ranging exclusive interview with CTV’s Question Period host Vassy Kapelos during a trip to Edmonton this week. The interview will air Sunday. Duda spoke in Polish through a translator. When asked whether Poland would be interested in Canadian LNG, Duda said “of course, yes.” RELATED STORIES Greece would 'absolutely' be interested in purchasing Canadian LNG: Greek PM N.B. Premier Higgs tells Ottawa to replace carbon tax with LNG exports Feds 'not interested' in investing in LNG facilities: energy minister “If Canada is ready to supply LNG to Poland, we have got our LNG terminal … right now,” he said, adding there are already plans to expand the country’s existing infrastructure. Duda said Poland already purchases LNG from both American and Qatari companies, and it would be interested in Canadian product if it could be “bought at attractive prices.” “In the same way it would be ready to negotiate, to talk, and to accept Canadian gas as well,” he said. Duda is the latest European leader who has said they’d likely purchase Canadian LNG if it were available; Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also told Kapelos in an exclusive CTV’s Question Period interview last month that his country would “of course” be interested in the product. According to Natural Resources Canada, there are eight LNG projects “in various stages of development,” with the first export facility slated to begin operations next year, with shipments destined for some Asian countries. There has been political debate for years around whether Canada could or should plan to export to European countries, as well. More than two years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the issue has taken on a new sense of urgency, as many Western nations attempt to phase out the purchase of Russian oil. Germany and Japan have also voiced interest in purchasing Canada’s LNG. But in August 2022, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he wasn’t sold on the idea of LNG exports being part of Canada’s long-term plan when it comes to becoming a reliable supplier of clean energy to Europe. And in an interview on CTV’s Question Period last month, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said the federal government is “not interested” in subsidizing future liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, including the electrification of projects currently in the works. Duda said he discussed “energy issues” with Trudeau during the president’s most recent visit to Canada, but did not specify whether they broached the topic of LNG. In his interview, Duda also discussed Russia’s war on Ukraine and the risk of “insatiable” Russian imperialism, his relationship with former U.S. president Donald Trump, the NATO defence spending target, and Poland’s “readiness” to host nuclear weapons should NATO expand its nuclear sharing program. You can watch Duda’s full interview for CTV’s Question Period in the video player at the top of this article. With files from CTV’s Question Period Senior Producer Stephanie Ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted Monday at 05:58 PM Author Share Posted Monday at 05:58 PM A second new nuclear reactor is completed in Georgia. The carbon-free power comes at a high price Story by The Canadian Press • 1h • 3 min read A second new nuclear reactor is completed in Georgia. The carbon-free power comes at a high price© Provided by The Canadian Press ATLANTA (AP) — The second of two new nuclear reactors in Georgia has entered commercial operation, capping a project that cost billions more and took years longer than originally projected. Georgia Power Co. and fellow owners announced the milestone Monday for Plant Vogtle's Unit 4, which joins an earlier new reactor southeast of Augusta in splitting atoms to make carbon-free electricity. Unit 3 began commercial operation last summer, joining two older reactors that have stood on the site for decades. They're the first two nuclear reactors built in the United States in decades. The new Vogtle reactors are currently projected to cost Georgia Power and three other owners $31 billion, according to calculations by The Associated Press. Add in $3.7 billion that original contractor Westinghouse paid Vogtle owners to walk away from construction, and the total nears $35 billion. Electric customers in Georgia already have paid billions for what may be the most expensive power plant ever. The reactors were originally projected to cost $14 billion and be completed by 2017. Utilities and their political supporters on Monday hailed the plant's completion. Georgia Gov Brian Kemp proclaimed he was “thankful for this historic achievement by Georgia Power and its partners.” Chris Womack, CEO of Atlanta-based Southern Co., which owns Georgia Power, argues Vogtle will make the state's electrical grid more reliable and resilient and help the utility meet its goal of zeroing out carbon emissions by 2050.Lo “These new Vogtle units not only will support the economy within our communities now and in the future, they demonstrate our global nuclear leadership,” Womack said in a statement. Each of the two new reactors can power 500,000 homes and businesses without releasing any carbon. Even some opponents of Vogtle have said the United States can’t achieve carbon-free electricity without nuclear power. But Georgia Power, like other utilities, plans to build more fossil fuel generation in coming years, saying demand is rising sharply. That demand, driven by computer data centers, is being felt by multiple utilities across the country. Calculations show Vogtle’s electricity will never be cheaper than other sources the owners could have chosen, even after the federal government reduced borrowing costs by guaranteeing repayment of $12 billion in loans. “Hopefully, despite being seven years late and billions over budget, the two new units at Plant Vogtle will finally perform well for at least the next 80 years to justify the excessive cost,” said Liz Coyle, executive director of Georgia Watch, a consumer group that fought to limit rate increases. In Georgia, almost every electric customer will pay for Vogtle. Georgia Power owns 45.7% of the reactors. Smaller shares are owned by Oglethorpe Power Corp., which provides electricity to member-owned cooperatives, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and the city of Dalton. Utilities in Jacksonville, Florida, as well as in the Florida Panhandle and parts of Alabama also have contracted to buy Vogtle’s power. Regulators in December approved an additional 6% rate increase on Georgia Power’s 2.7 million customers to pay for $7.56 billion in remaining costs at Vogtle, with the company absorbing $2.6 billion in costs. That’s expected to cost the typical residential customer an additional $8.97 a month in May, on top of the $5.42 increase that took effect when Unit 3 began operating. Even as government officials and some utilities are looking to nuclear power to alleviate climate change, the cost of Vogtle could discourage utilities from pursuing nuclear power. American utilities have heeded Vogtle’s missteps, shelving plans for 24 other reactors proposed between 2007 and 2009. Two half-built reactors in South Carolina were abandoned. But Westinghouse is marketing the reactor design abroad. China has said it will build more reactors using the design, while Bulgaria, Poland and Ukraine also say they intend to build nuclear power stations using the Westinghouse reactor. Jeff Amy, The Associated Press Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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