Sunday, April 12, 2009

Energy Strategy and Climate Change Action Plan

As part of the process to produce Provincial Energy Strategy and Climate Change Action Plan, Nova Scotia Department of Energy ran workshops in all parts of the Province in late '07 and early '08. The facilitator was Bob Fournier of Dalhousie University. These workshops ran for a couple of hours and as a follow-up, those attending were asked to send in their comments or suggestions.

I had meant to post this at that time. It is now reproduced below. Some of these suggestions have been addressed already and I have certainly thought of a few more since.

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To: Minister Hurlburt
Department of Energy

I was pleased to be able to attend the Amherst meeting December 17th. I was very impressed with the depth of knowledge of participants and was particularly impressed with Bob Fournier's handling of the meeting.

Following are a few of my thoughts that may be of interest or use as input towards the government's future energy strategy.

Responsible use and siting of renewable energy projects
We certainly need to produce energy to meet our needs from as green as sources can supply. We must not however, allow ourselves to be blindsided by energy companies who promise us the earth and outputs that are not possible nor feasible. Meanwhile, we have to make whatever investment it takes to clean up the fossil fuel power stations already in existence. The longer we wait to do this, the more expensive it will become to eventually clean up our act.

For as long as Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NSPI) remains a monopoly and continues to keep bidding for contracts competitive; short-cuts, rhetoric and spin will be much that we will see from renewable energy companies. NSPI must be encouraged or helped to improve infrastructure, so that (for example) wind energy project sites that may be perfect in all respects except availability of transmission lines can go ahead of other, less well sited projects.

Smaller companies selling their power locally should be encouraged, although still following all the rules as set out by Dept Environment and Labour in their Environmental Assessments (EA).

EAs for public review need to be better publicised and more time given to the public to respond.

All developments should automatically be also assessed by Departments for Energy, Tourism, Economic Development, Municipal Affairs and Natural Resources. There may be occasions where Departments of Aboriginal Affairs, Agriculture and Aquaculture should be involved too. Currently, there is the potential for developments meeting criteria for one Department to be at loggerheads with those of another. For example, a wind energy project may meet Dept of Energy criteria, but if located in a tourist or residentially developing area, may not fit in with what Depts of Tourism or Economic Development plan or require.

Crops grown for biofuels should not be allowed to displace essential food/fodder crops to the point that they then have to be imported.

Nova Scotia should be assured of being able to supply all its required energy before it is allowed to be sold elsewhere.

Conservation and Efficiency
As much as we need to use cleaner energy, we need to use all energy and resources efficiently. As a Nova Scotian who grew up in the UK, I notice the appalling waste in our (North American) society and something has to me done to discourage such waste.

We could have 100% renewable energy, but as long as our demand for power stays at current levels, we will continue to use resources that could have been otherwise saved for when really needed.

Germany has plugged the countryside full of turbines, producing about 30% of required power with surplus to sell off to neighbouring countries, but demand has increased. There is no room nor tolerance for more turbines - so what are they supposed to do now? Let's not get ourselves into the same mess. Let's reduce consumption - not just produce that power from green sources.

Conservation of energy and resources has to be stressed as imperative when addressing reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs).

This can be done by education and the Provincial government showing a good example. I believe the carrot works better than the stick and would like to see incentives used before relying on fines and prosecution for infringements.

Use all media to educate the public. This can be as simple as user-friendly five minute sections on the local TV news of ways electricity, water, food and other resources can be conserved or reused. Keep in mind that not everyone has internet access.

Make it easier to shop locally. We need to encourage people to shop locally, using less gasoline travelling to the nearest town, and supporting local producers and businesses.

Local producers need help to market their product locally. We should not be importing the same product that is also grown/produced right here in Nova Scotia. Bulk buying by (eg) Sobeys/Atlantic Superstore currently enables this. People are looking for more local food. Look how many people are now talking about the "100 mile diet"!

Make it easier to upgrade housing. Those who need to save money the most are often the same people who also need to upgrade their insulation, windows etc and can afford this least. Even the 50% cost for an energy audit is too much for many low income households.

Energy audits should be completed for all industry - from mines, to manufacturers, to farms to logging - energy is being wasted in ways that many people don't even realise.

Training to perform these audits needs to be introduced into community colleges or schools as soon as possible.

Make it easier to recycle. More drop off depots. Bulk pick-up by the Municipality more frequently.

Make it easier to re-use. For a while, Cumberland County local solid waste company had a ban on anyone removing items from the land fill. So much for re-using perfectly good, if old or a little worn item!

Make it easier to compost. Encourage more community compost drop off areas.

Make it easier for food stores to send food they currently throw away to food banks etc.

Many of these changes can be done at the Municipal level. However, it should be as uniform across the Province as possible. This saves confusion and allows for consolidation of resources when collecting items etc. Currently, for example, it seems as if there are as many different rules concerning garbage collection as there are Municipal regions!!

Wood burning appliances, properly installed and maintained use a renewable resource for heat, but these systems get wound up in so much red tape (particularly with insurance companies) that people find they cannot deal with the hassle and convert to oil/gas/electricity.

There should be a mechanism whereby any existing system or appliance can be inspected and recertified on a case-by-case basis. Every time an unnecessary conversion is performed or appliance replaced, resources are being used and wasted. Energy efficiency would, however, be integral to this recertification.

NSPI needs to change some of it's policies to encourage reduction of power use. For example, I am told by a customer, that it is currently cheaper to leave power pole mounted yard lights on all year than to turn them off when only required seasonally. NSPI is in the business of selling power. I have no sensible suggestions as to how to encourage NSPI to sell less of it's product!

Preparation for future climate change
Being almost completely surrounded by water, one of our concerns as Nova Scotians will be higher water levels and impact by increasingly severe winter storms.

Everyone wants to have their water views and access, but this should now be curtailed somewhat. All beaches to the high tide mark are commonly owned. The high tide mark is getting higher and we should change the rules to set back any development much further. I am told that in Costa Rica, the shore and the land 100' above the high tide mark are commonly owned. I would suggest the Government look at this model - perhaps
pushing that distance back even further, if required. This will preserve from property damage in future tidal surges or severe storms. It will also allow more access/wider vistas to the general public, and allow for more protection of coastal habitat for wildlife. Current property owners would have to be grandfathered in - or helped defray the cost if they want to physically move their home/cottage away from the shore.

Increased setbacks from other waterways should be looked at too.

Increased education levels for the general public and involvement in local EMO groups.

As temperatures increase, the demand for air conditioning will increase. Energy efficient or alternative mechanisms should be encouraged.

http://www.gov.ns.ca/energy/resources/spps/energy-strategy/submissions/Jan112008LisaBetts.pdf

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