Leveling the playing field

The New Context: Green Power Exceeding Expectations

Excerpts from http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/ontario-green-energy-report-august-web.pdf

“We may not need any [new coal or new
nuclear], ever… I think baseload capacity
is going to become an anachronism.”
— Jon Wellinghoff, Chair,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, April 21, 2009.5

Ontario’s ground breaking Green Energy Act has positioned
the province as North America’s leader in renewable power
development. In 2009, Ontario’s 1,000 MW of wind power
produced 2.3 terawatt hours4 of electricity – equivalent to the
power used in over 400,000 houses every year, while the output
from Ontario’s coal plants was down to 8.9 terawatt hours. In
the last six months, the province has contracted for an additional
4,800 MW of new renewable energy generation to be built within
the next five years under the Green Energy Act, which would
generate roughly 11.4 terawatt hours annually. At the same
time, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is proceeding with plans
to convert some of its coal burning units to produce 2 terawatt
hours annually from biomass.
In total, Ontario has already procured more green energy in 2010
than it expected to over the next 17 years.

Thanks in part to the success of the
government’s conservation programs,
electricity demand is now expected
to decrease over the next decade.
Instead of building additional electricity
supply, we can now focus on using
modern green energy options to
replace retiring nuclear stations.

The province has already made commendable progress in building
a green economy. Ontario is on track to phase out its coal stations
by 2014 and replace them with a mix of conservation, green energy,
and cleaner gas generation. Much of this progress, however, will
come to a halt if the government stays the nuclear course.
The Green Energy Plan 2.0, outlined below, presents an affordable
and forward-thinking option. It is less risky than buying a new
nuclear station. The 3,000 MW of capacity in the six reactors at
the Pickering plant currently provide about 15 per cent of Ontario’s
overall electricity when they are operating well. Instead of relying on
new untested nuclear plants, Ontario could replace the contribution
from these aging reactors to the province’s supply with a portfolio
of proven hydro, wind, solar, biomass, Combined Heat and Power
(CHP), conservation and efficiency options.

Ontario’s green energy legislation provides many of the right
conditions for conservation and renewable energy to thrive.
But if green energy is ever to reach its full potential, the
government must revise its 2006 commitment to maintaining
nuclear at 50 per cent of supply. Otherwise, the government
will cause clean energy to remain a marginal source of power
in Ontario, despite the innovative Green Energy Act.

A Green Energy Plan 2.0 would allow Ontario’s green workforce to continue growing and diversifying the province’s economy.

Ontario is already seeing progress being made on creating a
“green collar” workforce.

The growth in the green jobs sector can and should continue.
A recent study by Blue Green Alliance, a coalition of environmental
and labour groups, estimated that 90,000 jobs could be created
with green energy over the next decade  by replacing aging
nuclear stations with green energy as they retire.

The province’s domestic content requirements, for example, require
at least 25 per cent of wind project costs and 50 per cent of large
solar project costs to come from Ontario goods and labour. Along
with guarantees in prices for energy generated from renewable
sources, companies will have the confidence to invest in Ontario,
hire workers, and produce and sell green energy.

One of the major benefits of the Green Energy Act is that it allows
renewable energy producers across the province to connect to
the grid — not just those working in a nuclear facility. Aboriginal
communities, homeowners, farmers, schools, factories, co-ops, as
well as large-scale commercial generators will be able to boost local
economies and create jobs by selling green energy to the province’s
electricity grid. In the green energy future, everybody wins.

Unlike jobs in the nuclear industry, an upgraded green energy
plan will bring more diverse jobs to all corners of Ontario. The
province can expect to see jobs in wide-ranging sectors such
as manufacturing, industrial efficiency, clean generation, home
retrofitting, and offshore developments.

Building a 21st century energy system means that Ontario must
learn from its 20th century mistakes with nuclear power. Clean
energy sources must be given room to grow in order to realize
their potential. The Ontario government’s role is to provide
direction and guidance to encourage the province’s transition
to a green energy future.

In 2008, then-Minister of Energy and Infrastructure George
Smitherman stopped the Ontario Energy Board’s review of the
Ontario Power Authority’s 2007 long-term electricity plan and
instructed it to review and “enhance” its long-term targets for
renewables, conservation, and decentralized energy within six
months. At the time, the Minister insisted nuclear would still
remain at 50 per cent of supply, inadvertently limiting significant
enhancements to green targets.

Since that time, it has become clear that green energy can play
a more significant role in in Ontario’s energy plan.

Adopting a portfolio of renewable energy sources has numerous benefits:

Doable — All the energy options in the portfolio are proven to
work and can easily meet and surpass the green targets
established in 2006.

Diverse — Instead of risking billions of dollars on an untested
reactor, this green portfolio would provide power diversity from
proven sources: onshore and offshore wind; local, residential,
and industrial power stations; and efficiency programs.

Disperse — Combined Heat and Power (CHP) stations could provide
efficient baseload power to hospitals, schools, and industrial facilities
across Ontario instead of being centralized in a distant location.
Conservative — The OPA already intends to surpass its original
targets for wind power for 2014. The additional wind capacity
proposed here is less the OPA’s own deployment estimates for 2014.25
Cost effective — Feed-In Tariff rates are scheduled to be reviewed
and likely decline over time for new projects, while projects that are
already approved will remain fixed for 20 years. Meanwhile, nuclear
power costs have continued to escalate.

Highlights of Ontario’s

Green Energy Plan 2.0

Recommendations
1. Direct the Ontario Power Authority to replace the Pickering
reactors by increasing its mid-term baseline targets (between
the years 2015 and 2020) for renewables, conservation, and
Combined Heat and Power.

2. Forgo or delay  buying new reactors.

3. Follow through on commitments to establish a Feed-In-Tariff for
Combined Heat and Power generation in order to enable the
development of diversified baseload generation.

4. Instruct the Ontario Power Authority that aging nuclear facilities
can be replaced by cost effective green energy options.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ end of excerpts from the Report ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

< …and lets all get together and figure this out.. because the future of this Country and this Province really depends on what we do today>

If you have recommendations as to what we should be putting forth as the sustainable directions for future prosperity, security and well-being in all matters pertaining to energy, conservation, technology, food, shelter, transportation, environment and our overall economy please add your comments below. Recommendations only. The debate is being held elsewhere. Thank you all.

REN21 is pleased to release its annual publication – the Renewables 2010 Global Status Report together with its twin report, UNEP’s annual Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment 2010 report.

The year 2009 was unprecedented in the history of renewable energy, despite the headwinds posed by the global financial crisis, lower oil prices, and slow progress with climate policy. Indeed, as other economic sectors declined around the world, existing renewable capacity continued to grow at rates close to those in previous years, including grid-connected solar PV (53 %), wind power (32 %), solar hot water/heating (21 %), geothermal power (4 %), and hydropower (3 %). Annual production of ethanol and biodiesel increased 10 % and 9 %, respectively, despite layoffs and ethanol plant closures in the United States and Brazil.

Highlights of 2009 include:

* For the second year in a row, in both the United States and Europe, more renewable power capacity was added than conventional power capacity (coal, gas, nuclear). Renewables accounted for 60 % of newly installed power capacity in Europe in 2009, and nearly 20 % of annual power production.

* China added 37 GW of renewable power capacity, more than any other country in the world, to reach 226 GW of total renewables capacity. Globally, nearly 80 GW of renewable capacity was added, including 31 GW of hydro and 48 GW of non-hydro capacity.

* Wind power additions reached a record high of 38 GW. China was the top market, with 13.8 GW added, representing more than one-third of the world market — up from just a 2 % market share in 2004. The United States was second, with 10 GW added. The share of wind power generation in several countries reached record highs, including 6.5 % in Germany and 14 % in Spain.

* Solar PV additions reached a record high of 7 GW. Germany was the top market, with 3.8 GW added, or more than half the global market. Other large markets were Italy, Japan, the United States, Czech Republic, and Belgium. Spain, the world leader in 2008, saw installations plunge to a low level in 2009 after a policy cap was exceeded.

* Many countries saw record biomass use. Notable was Sweden, where biomass accounted for a larger share of energy supply than oil for the first time.

* Biofuels production contributed the energy equivalent of 5 % of world gasoline output.

* Almost all renewable energy industries experienced manufacturing growth in 2009, despite the continuing global economic crisis, although many capital expansion plans were scaled back or postponed. Impaired access to equity markets, difficulty in obtaining finance, and industry consolidations negatively affected almost all companies.

* Nearly 11 GW of solar PV was produced, a 50 % increase over 2008. First Solar (USA) became the first firm ever to produce over 1 GW in a single year. Major crystalline module price declines took place, by 50–60 % by some estimates, from highs of $3.50 per watt in 2008 to lows approaching $2 per watt.

* Wind power received more than 60 % of utility-scale renewables investment in 2009 (excluding small projects), due mostly to rapid expansion in China.

* Investment totals in utility-scale solar PV declined relative to 2008, partly an artifact of large drops in the costs of solar PV. However, this decline was offset by record investment in small-scale (rooftop) solar PV projects.

* Investment in new biofuels plants declined from 2008 rates, as corn ethanol production capacity was not fully utilized in the United States and several firms went bankrupt. The Brazilian sugar ethanol industry likewise faced economic troubles, with no growth despite ongoing expansion plans. Europe faced similar softening in biodiesel, with low production capacity utilization.

* “Green stimulus” efforts since late-2008 by many of the world’s major economies totaled close to $200 billion, although most stimulus was slow to start and less than 10 % of green stimulus funds was spent during 2009.

* By 2009, over 85 countries had some type of policy target, up from 45 countries in 2005. Many national targets are for shares of electricity production, typically 5–30 percent, but range as high as 90 percent. Other targets are for shares of total primary or final energy supply (typically 10–20 percent), specific installed capacities of various technologies, or total amounts of energy production from renewables. Most recent targets aim for 2020 and beyond. Many targets also exist at the state, provincial, and local levels.

* At least 83 countries have some type of policy to promote renewable power generation. The most common policy is the feed-in tariff, which has been enacted in many new countries and regions in recent years. By early 2010, at least 50 countries and 25 states/provinces had feed-in tariffs, more than half of these adopted only since 2005. Strong momentum for feed-in tariffs continues around the world as countries continue to establish or revise policies. States and provinces have been adopting feed-in tariffs in increasing numbers as well.

* Renewable energy has an important role in providing modern energy access to the billions of people in developing countries that continue to depend on more traditional sources of energy, both for households and small industries. The number of rural households served by renewable energy is difficult to estimate, but runs into the tens of millions considering all forms of renewables. Micro-hydro configured into village-scale or county-scale mini-grids serves many of these. More than 30 million households get lighting and cooking from biogas made in household-scale digesters. An estimated 3 million households get power from small solar PV systems. Biomass cookstoves are used by 40 percent of the world’s population.

JEJU/BONN/TORONTO, June 23, 2009:

WWEA and OSEA congratulate the Canadian parliament for its commitment made June 17^th to join the more than 100 countries to become a full member of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) of governments. IRENA’s mandate is to support knowledge transfer, policy development and the promotion of the rapid deployment of renewable energy worldwide. Renewable energy is abundant, can provide access to electricity to all citizens worldwide, drive economic development and can be generated by individuals, communities of all sizes and the corporate sector.

The second IRENA founding meeting will be in Sharm El Sheikh on June 29, 2009. At this crucial meeting the seat and the founding Director General will be determined and it is imperative that the Canadian Government without any delay implements the parliaments decision to join IRENA. In order to participate in the decision making, to be recognized as a founding nation including applying for the seat and the leadership position, Canada must declare its position and attend the meeting in Sharm El Sheikh June 29, 2009. The urgency and the limited time requires a flexible and immediate solution.

A solution is easily at hand. Currently the 8^th World Wind Energy Conference (WWEC) is being held on Jeju Island, South Korea following the spectacular success of last years conference held in Kingston Ontario Canada, where more than 900 delegates from around the world gathered and the idea of an Ontario Green Energy Act began.

Ontario Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure George Smitherman, architect of the newly passed Green Energy and Green Economy Act, is a keynote speaker at the WWEC in South Korea and could be requested to join or lead the Federal government’s delegation.

The other members of the Canadian contingency of renewable energy leaders presently participating in WWEC 2009 if mandated, are also prepared, to join participants from many others countries. This generous offer should not be denied and can together with the Canadian Embassy in Cairo support and guaranty a smooth and successful integration of other Canadian delegates and Minister.

Canadians country-wide are calling for change, joining the voices of citizens around the world in their demand for increased renewable energy to stimulate green jobs, green house gas emission reduction and increased energy security.

Volker Thomsen
Canadian Representative and Treasurer
World Wind Energy Association

Kristopher Stevens
Executive Director
Ontario Sustainable Energy Association

For more information, contact:

Volker Thomsen
Email: Volker.thomsen@gmail.com

Kristopher Stevens
Executive Director
Ontario Sustainable Energy Association
Email: Kristopher@ontario-sea.org

Phone: 82-10-4181-8885 (In Korea)

For background information please visit:

Background on Canadian Campaign for the International Renewable Energy Agency

http://VolkerThomsen.com/irena-the-international-renewable-energy-agency/

Official International Renewable Energy Agency website

http://www.irena.org

Campaign website for the Green Energy Act Alliance

http://www.greenenergyact.com

Ontario Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure

http://www.mei.gov.on.ca.wsd6.korax.net/english/energy/gea/

Official website for the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association

http://www.ontario-sea.org

Official website for the Canadian Renewable Energy Alliance

http://www.canrea.ca

“Global power capacity from new renewable energy sources (excluding large hydro) reached 280,000 megawatts (MW) in 2008 – a 16 percent rise from the 240,000 MW in 2007 and nearly three times the capacity of the United States nuclear sector.”

“During 2008, a number of governments enacted new policies, and many countries set ambitious targets. Today, at least 73 countries have renewable energy policy targets, up from 66 at the end of 2007. In response to the financial crisis, several governments have directed economic stimulus funding towards the new green jobs the renewable energy sector can provide, including the U.S. package that will invest $150 billion over ten years in renewable energy.”

For more information and to download the report go to:

http://www.ren21.net/globalstatusreport/g2009.asp