Transforming Toronto is telling the Ontario Power Authority to make sure it asks the right questions when the time comes to assess its Integrated Power System Plan (IPSP). In a written submission Wednesday, Transforming Toronto spokeperson David MacLeod called on the OPA to answer six key questions about its 20-year power plan for Ontario. MacLeod said the plan, which emphasizes nuclear energy and giant power lines, should be evaluated according to these criteria:
1. Could the OPA meet Ontario’s electricity requirements at a lower cost or lower risk (or both) by additional procurement from some or all of the following?
- Conservation, demand management, energy efficiency
- Renewable energy, including wind, solar, small run-of-river hydro, geothermal and biomass
- Combined heat and power
2. Does the IPSP sufficiently consider the social, environmental and health concerns of the proposed supply mix and associated infrastructure?
3. Has the IPSP fully pursued the potential for conservation and demand management as well as renewables beyond the minimum levels directed by the Minister?
4. Has the OPA’s analysis fully evaluated the potential for maximizing demand response resources, and does it provide for a process to facilitate such procurement?
5. Are the IPSP’s avoided cost estimates reasonable?
6. Does the IPSP properly account for the benefits of local distributed generation, both in terms of cost and system reliability/security?
To download the full submission, please click here.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
World rallies for action on global warming as UN climate talks begin
Transforming Toronto, a citizens’ group working on energy issues, is encouraging supporters to attend a rally, march and “eco-fair” in downtown Toronto this Saturday, Dec. 8.
The rally, sponsored by the Toronto Climate Campaign, begins at 12:00 noon at Yonge and Dundas Square. At 1:30 p.m. a “March for Clean Energy” will head over to Hart House at the University of Toronto. At 2:00 p.m. the “eco-fair,” with a complimentary hot meal, will allow visitors to connect with non-governmental organizations, volunteer groups, and green businesses.
Climate change events are taking place in 60 countries to send a message to the United Nations Climate Conference, which began talks Monday in Bali, Indonesia, and runs for two weeks.
For complete information on the Toronto events, visit www.torontoclimatecampaign.org.
The rally, sponsored by the Toronto Climate Campaign, begins at 12:00 noon at Yonge and Dundas Square. At 1:30 p.m. a “March for Clean Energy” will head over to Hart House at the University of Toronto. At 2:00 p.m. the “eco-fair,” with a complimentary hot meal, will allow visitors to connect with non-governmental organizations, volunteer groups, and green businesses.
Climate change events are taking place in 60 countries to send a message to the United Nations Climate Conference, which began talks Monday in Bali, Indonesia, and runs for two weeks.
For complete information on the Toronto events, visit www.torontoclimatecampaign.org.
Incentives work to cut peak power use
Incentives work! Thirty per cent of residential customers and 24 per cent of businesses in Toronto cut their year-over-year electricity use by more than 10 per cent this summer, the Toronto Star reports. All received rebates from a special Toronto Hydro program. Click here to read the Star article.
Berkeley breakthrough makes home energy projects affordable
A brilliant new financing idea is about to put solar panels and solar-thermal water heaters on thousands of residential roofs in Berkeley, California.
On Nov. 6, the City of Berkeley passed a plan to create a “Sustainable Energy Financing District.” Under the plan, homeowners who invest in green energy solutions will be able to pay for them on their property tax bills. The city pays the upfront cost of the installation which the homeowner then pays off over 20 years using the money saved – or earned – from the upgrade.
The cost is attached to the home, not the homeowner, so people who move before the 20 years are up do not pay for energy savings for the next owner.
“With Berkeley's financing plan in place, just about any home or business owner who can afford to pay their utility bill every month should be able to go solar,” according to Gary Gerber, president of a solar installation company in Berkeley.
Transforming Toronto spokesperson David MacLeod learned about the Berkeley option on a fact-finding trip to California last month.
“Right now, homeowners who want to go green face big up-front costs at a time when home prices, and household debt, are at near-record levels,” say MacLeod. “By taking debt out of the equation, Berkeley is removing the number one obstacle facing homeowners who want to use less energy or generate their own.
“This is an idea we should bring to Toronto as soon as possible.”
Randy Robinson, MacLeod’s Logan Ave. neighbour, says the Berkeley option could be used to finance home heating upgrades as well as solar electricity generation and hot water heating.
“If a version of the Berkeley option existed in Toronto, I would already have a high-efficiency gas boiler in my basement,” said Robinson. “That would cut my greenhouse gas emissions for home heating by at least 38 per cent, according to the home energy audit I had done. But even with $1,200 in government rebates, I am still looking at borrowing eight or ten thousand dollars. Right now I just can’t absorb that cost – especially when a new boiler adds little if anything to the resale value of our house.
“Obviously, home energy upgrades are even further out of reach for people with more debt. That’s why the Berkeley option is such a breakthrough.”
The City of Berkeley plans to cover the upfront costs of residential solar installations by issuing a municipal bond or taking out low-interest loans. City staff and consultants are working on the details of the program now, with a view to having the program up and running by the summer of 2008.
For more information on the breakthrough in Berkeley and how it will work, check the following sites:
San Francisco Chronicle article.
Interview with Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates
Renewableenergyaccess.com article.
City of Berkeley streaming video:
Footage of the Berkeley City Council meeting that passed the energy resolution is available at here. Click on the 3 hour, 20 minute video for 11/06/07. Then jump to Item 30 – Creation of Sustainable Energy Financing District – on the pulldown menu.
On Nov. 6, the City of Berkeley passed a plan to create a “Sustainable Energy Financing District.” Under the plan, homeowners who invest in green energy solutions will be able to pay for them on their property tax bills. The city pays the upfront cost of the installation which the homeowner then pays off over 20 years using the money saved – or earned – from the upgrade.
The cost is attached to the home, not the homeowner, so people who move before the 20 years are up do not pay for energy savings for the next owner.
“With Berkeley's financing plan in place, just about any home or business owner who can afford to pay their utility bill every month should be able to go solar,” according to Gary Gerber, president of a solar installation company in Berkeley.
Transforming Toronto spokesperson David MacLeod learned about the Berkeley option on a fact-finding trip to California last month.
“Right now, homeowners who want to go green face big up-front costs at a time when home prices, and household debt, are at near-record levels,” say MacLeod. “By taking debt out of the equation, Berkeley is removing the number one obstacle facing homeowners who want to use less energy or generate their own.
“This is an idea we should bring to Toronto as soon as possible.”
Randy Robinson, MacLeod’s Logan Ave. neighbour, says the Berkeley option could be used to finance home heating upgrades as well as solar electricity generation and hot water heating.
“If a version of the Berkeley option existed in Toronto, I would already have a high-efficiency gas boiler in my basement,” said Robinson. “That would cut my greenhouse gas emissions for home heating by at least 38 per cent, according to the home energy audit I had done. But even with $1,200 in government rebates, I am still looking at borrowing eight or ten thousand dollars. Right now I just can’t absorb that cost – especially when a new boiler adds little if anything to the resale value of our house.
“Obviously, home energy upgrades are even further out of reach for people with more debt. That’s why the Berkeley option is such a breakthrough.”
The City of Berkeley plans to cover the upfront costs of residential solar installations by issuing a municipal bond or taking out low-interest loans. City staff and consultants are working on the details of the program now, with a view to having the program up and running by the summer of 2008.
For more information on the breakthrough in Berkeley and how it will work, check the following sites:
San Francisco Chronicle article.
Interview with Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates
Renewableenergyaccess.com article.
City of Berkeley streaming video:
Footage of the Berkeley City Council meeting that passed the energy resolution is available at here. Click on the 3 hour, 20 minute video for 11/06/07. Then jump to Item 30 – Creation of Sustainable Energy Financing District – on the pulldown menu.
Funny climate video
The Alliance for Climate Protection (Al Gore is chair of their board) and Current TV have announce the winner of their “Sixty Seconds to Save the Earth” Ecospot Contest. The winner is Dave Schlafman for his video entitled Sky is Falling. Watch it now.
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