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Livingston argues wind-driven power green and cost-effective
Livingston argues wind-driven power green and cost-effective
A Cape Breton wind developer disputes a senior energy department adviser’s claim that paying more for wind-generated electricity will hike power bills.
Black River Wind president Neal Livingston of Mabou said Saturday that paying higher prices for wind power will be "minor" on customers’ bills, given the skyrocketing prices of fuel facing the province’s largest electrical utility, Nova Scotia Power.
"Any time that you say renewable energy should be paid for properly (government tries) to scare the public by saying, ‘Your bill will go up.’ Well, first of all your bill is going up anyway. Second, if your bill went up a couple of cents a month, no one would care, and third, it’s green power," Mr. Livingston said.
"The incremental cost to the …
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Black River Wind president Neal Livingston of Mabou said Saturday that paying higher prices for wind power will be "minor" on customers’ bills, given the skyrocketing prices of fuel facing the province’s largest electrical utility, Nova Scotia Power.
"Any time that you say renewable energy should be paid for properly (government tries) to scare the public by saying, ‘Your bill will go up.’ Well, first of all your bill is going up anyway. Second, if your bill went up a couple of cents a month, no one would care, and third, it’s green power," Mr. Livingston said.
"The incremental cost to the …
A Cape Breton wind developer disputes a senior energy department adviser’s claim that paying more for wind-generated electricity will hike power bills.
Black River Wind president Neal Livingston of Mabou said Saturday that paying higher prices for wind power will be "minor" on customers’ bills, given the skyrocketing prices of fuel facing the province’s largest electrical utility, Nova Scotia Power.
"Any time that you say renewable energy should be paid for properly (government tries) to scare the public by saying, ‘Your bill will go up.’ Well, first of all your bill is going up anyway. Second, if your bill went up a couple of cents a month, no one would care, and third, it’s green power," Mr. Livingston said.
"The incremental cost to the consumer would be zero."
Mr. Livingston said Allan Crandlemire, director of energy management markets and climate change for the Nova Scotia Energy Department, was using "scare tactics" when he said Friday that paying almost five cents more for an additional 400 megawatts of new wind power over the next seven years would cost an extra $50 million annually.
In Nova Scotia, the government has targeted an additional 375 to 400 megawatts of new wind power, which would be the equivalent of 13 Pubnico Point wind farms. Pubnico Point is Atlantic Canada’s largest wind farm, with 17 wind turbines generating 30 megawatts of power — the equivalent to providing electricity for 10,000 to 13,000 homes.
In Nova Scotia, wind-power producers are paid 6.5 cents per kilowatt hour, compared with Ontario, which pays 11 cents per kilowatt hour, Mr. Livingston said.
Wind turbines now produce about 40 megawatts of power across the province, and by the end of 2007 there will be 100 megawatts of wind power installed in Nova Scotia.
Several wind-power developers, including Mr. Livingston, complained at a conference last week that wind power fetches a relatively low price in the province. They want the Nova Scotia government to establish a policy to make NSP pay more for wind energy, as Ontario has done.
Mr. Crandlemire has "essentially been leading renewable energy policy for that department for a number of years, and what’s been going on in the province relative to the policies is a complete disgrace," Mr. Livingston said. "You can tear his little calculation to shreds backwards and forwards in seconds."
Mr. Livingston said any new wind power will take years to come on the grid, and meanwhile fuel costs will probably rise another 50 per cent.
Black River Wind Ltd. is building three wind-power projects in this province, one in Pictou County and two in Inverness County. The electricity generated will be sold to Nova Scotia Power.
Mr. Livingston has been lobbying the provincial government to adopt the Ontario price chart within the next 90 days and asked that the policy be grandfathered for small private wind producers.
While upset with the Energy Department’s response to the Ontario prices for wind, Mr. Livingston said he has received a better reception at the office of Premier Rodney MacDonald’s, who is also his MLA.
"I think they are taking a serious look at (how) Nova Scotia is not up to snuff and how can you do it," he said.
( jmyrden@herald.ca)
Black River Wind president Neal Livingston of Mabou said Saturday that paying higher prices for wind power will be "minor" on customers’ bills, given the skyrocketing prices of fuel facing the province’s largest electrical utility, Nova Scotia Power.
"Any time that you say renewable energy should be paid for properly (government tries) to scare the public by saying, ‘Your bill will go up.’ Well, first of all your bill is going up anyway. Second, if your bill went up a couple of cents a month, no one would care, and third, it’s green power," Mr. Livingston said.
"The incremental cost to the consumer would be zero."
Mr. Livingston said Allan Crandlemire, director of energy management markets and climate change for the Nova Scotia Energy Department, was using "scare tactics" when he said Friday that paying almost five cents more for an additional 400 megawatts of new wind power over the next seven years would cost an extra $50 million annually.
In Nova Scotia, the government has targeted an additional 375 to 400 megawatts of new wind power, which would be the equivalent of 13 Pubnico Point wind farms. Pubnico Point is Atlantic Canada’s largest wind farm, with 17 wind turbines generating 30 megawatts of power — the equivalent to providing electricity for 10,000 to 13,000 homes.
In Nova Scotia, wind-power producers are paid 6.5 cents per kilowatt hour, compared with Ontario, which pays 11 cents per kilowatt hour, Mr. Livingston said.
Wind turbines now produce about 40 megawatts of power across the province, and by the end of 2007 there will be 100 megawatts of wind power installed in Nova Scotia.
Several wind-power developers, including Mr. Livingston, complained at a conference last week that wind power fetches a relatively low price in the province. They want the Nova Scotia government to establish a policy to make NSP pay more for wind energy, as Ontario has done.
Mr. Crandlemire has "essentially been leading renewable energy policy for that department for a number of years, and what’s been going on in the province relative to the policies is a complete disgrace," Mr. Livingston said. "You can tear his little calculation to shreds backwards and forwards in seconds."
Mr. Livingston said any new wind power will take years to come on the grid, and meanwhile fuel costs will probably rise another 50 per cent.
Black River Wind Ltd. is building three wind-power projects in this province, one in Pictou County and two in Inverness County. The electricity generated will be sold to Nova Scotia Power.
Mr. Livingston has been lobbying the provincial government to adopt the Ontario price chart within the next 90 days and asked that the policy be grandfathered for small private wind producers.
While upset with the Energy Department’s response to the Ontario prices for wind, Mr. Livingston said he has received a better reception at the office of Premier Rodney MacDonald’s, who is also his MLA.
"I think they are taking a serious look at (how) Nova Scotia is not up to snuff and how can you do it," he said.
( jmyrden@herald.ca)
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