facts, analysis, exposure of wind energy's real impacts Windaction http://www.windaction.org/articles/c52+59?theme=atom Xarayar 2006-06-12T02:16:27Z .38217 2013-04-27T16:41:24Z 2013-04-27T16:41:24Z

Earlier this month the Fraser Institute published a report sharply critical of one of the flagship policies of the Ontario government, the Green Energy Act (GEA). We found the Act is costing Ontario over $5 billion annually but yields negligible environmental benefits, and that equivalent or greater benefits could have been achieved using conventional pollution control measures at less than one-tenth the cost.

.37759 2013-03-17T13:15:30Z 2013-03-17T13:15:30Z

The Green Energy Act, with its goal of continuing to increase alternative energy as Ontario faces the need to update its power-generating and transmission infrastructure, is being hotly debated by members of the public, municipal councils, provincial politicians and those in the business of creating power. The following are two sides of the energy story.

.37615 2013-03-05T18:01:49Z 2013-03-05T18:01:49Z

Last year, Ontario spent millions of dollars paying other states and provinces to take our excess power, most of it from renewables. But the contracts between the province and wind companies gave wind power first dibs on the grid, meaning Ontario was paying other jurisdictions to take some of most expensive power, while spilling cheaper hydroelectric power at Niagara Falls.

.37597 2013-03-04T21:26:46Z 2013-03-04T21:26:46Z

The new rules will allow the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to switch off the flow of power from wind turbines if there's too little demand. Wind operators will be compensated.

.37530 2013-02-27T16:53:47Z 2013-02-27T16:53:47Z

Surplus wind power could cost Ontario ratepayers millions and compromise power system, says electricity system operator. It says renewable energy market rules must change. ...The IESO has drawn up new rules that will allow it to shut output from wind and solar operators ...The renewable power generators are fighting the new rules vigorously.

.12602 2013-02-20T23:03:05Z 2013-02-20T23:03:05Z

Wilson and the Ontario PC Party have been calling for a moratorium on industrial wind energy projects until third party health and environmental studies have been done. They have also committed to scrapping the feed-in tariff that is increasing hydro bills by rewarding energy developers up to fifteen times the average price of hydro to produce power no matter if it is needed or not.

.37272 2013-02-01T10:31:47Z 2013-02-01T10:31:47Z

The renewable energy firms say that's how much they'll lose if the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) restricts the flow of wind and solar power onto the electricity grid when the demand for power is low, but winds are high.

.36611 2012-11-23T22:38:39Z 2012-11-23T22:38:39Z

Pettapiece said his party isn't opposed to "green energy" but does feel that Ontario's current approach to wind power is not efficient. "We're not against green energy, but it's got to be affordable. This is not."

.36324 2012-10-16T18:33:54Z 2012-10-16T18:33:54Z

If the preliminary report stands, Ontario might have to dismantle parts of its controversial "feed-in-tariff" program that pays high prices to producers of wind and solar power, as long as they buy a certain proportion of their equipment in the province.

.35560 2012-07-20T11:08:14Z 2012-07-20T11:08:14Z

Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter says he is surprised Amherst's town council has asked him to delay the development of new wind turbines in the area.

.35446 2012-07-12T13:01:42Z 2012-07-12T13:01:42Z

The Harper government, an ardent defender of oil sands extraction, is taking a keen new interest in Ontario voters' concerns that wind power generation may be harmful to humans. ...Ontario's Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty has run into resistance from rural landowners over wind turbines - opposition that may have cost him his majority in the last election.

.35433 2012-07-11T11:53:35Z 2012-07-11T11:53:35Z

"The fact the federal government feels this study is necessary is reason enough to put a halt to any more wind turbines being built in Ontario right now.'' ..."The house vibrates, it becomes like a guitar. The noise and the vibration enters the home and it actually increases the effect.''

.35397 2012-07-07T03:08:34Z 2012-07-07T03:08:34Z

"There's a reduction in coal use from 2010, but it's not being replaced primarily by green-powered wind energy," Fedeli said. "That hole is being filled mostly by power from other sources. For example, the output increase from natural gas plants was 36% greater than that of wind."

.34861 2012-04-29T11:39:53Z 2012-04-29T11:39:53Z

By the end of 2013, Ontario household power rates will be the second-highest in North America (after PEI), and they will continue to accelerate while they level off in most other jurisdictions. Even more alarming for Ontario's economic competitiveness, businesses and industrial customers will be hit by almost $12-billion in additional costs over the same period.

.34697 2012-04-02T17:33:49Z 2012-04-02T17:33:49Z

Under a review of the province's Feed-In Tariff program released March 22, wind farm developers - even those with projects in the pipeline for years - may have to reapply for the Feed-In Tariff contracts that guarantee them a market and price for their power.

.34618 2012-03-23T18:15:41Z 2012-03-23T18:15:41Z

He said by stripping the municipalities of power, they took away the peoples' only opportunity to express their concern or object to any wind or solar projects at public meetings or information sessions which would have been required prior to the Green Energy Act.

.34574 2012-03-18T12:21:42Z 2012-03-18T12:21:42Z

The Progressive Conservatives blame the "massive subsidies" for creating what they call a gold rush in Ontario's power system. "The feed-in-tariff, the green energy program, has created a huge economic bubble, and we know that all bubbles will one day burst," Hudak said. "You can't power a 21st century economy based on when the sun shines and the wind blows."

.34463 2012-02-29T13:08:02Z 2012-02-29T13:08:02Z

Shortly after the premier delivered his speech, he made a promise to give municipalities more say on green energy projects. He told reporters the province will "do a better job in terms of incorporating the local perspective on this" when it completes a review of its feed-in-tariff program for green energy projects by the end of March.

.34132 2012-01-20T15:12:24Z 2012-01-20T15:12:24Z

The Ministry of Energy says a provincial moratorium on wind projects enacted almost a year ago will remain in place until the province is satisfied such projects are safe. It is currently studying an offshore wind turbine development in Sweden and another planned pilot project in Ohio and will not approve any projects in Ontario until results are known.

.34104 2012-01-17T21:33:43Z 2012-01-17T21:33:43Z

"At this point the best science says you should be two kilometres away," McMurtry said. "I'm a clinician. The proponents have not engaged with people who have suffered." Health Canada says the draft guidelines will undergo a public consultation phase prior to their finalization.