Turbine tourism??

The Pugwash Chamber of Commerce invited Clair Peers to talk to the group for yesterday’s luncheon meeting a the Pugwash Village Commission Hall..

Clair turned up with Charles Demond, who also spoke.

Both Charles and Clair were offered lunch (very yummy sandwiches, veggie tray etc) several times but they refused. It was paid for, so I don’t know why they didn’t eat with us. Instead, after our meeting they rushed over to Hidden Jewel and ate there, making themselves late for another meeting (at the same venue they had just been at) with Councilors Langille and Langille. Very odd.

They came across somewhat subdued and a little nervous.

Clair spoke first for a short while. He spoke about how he originally came from this area and would like to bring something back, by bringing us a wind farm.

He spoke about how agreement logistics are much simpler if very few land owners are involved. He also mentioned that he and Charles were not going to be at the EA meeting that evening.

[At the time I was annoyed about that, I had a ton more awkward questions for Charles, but it turned out just as well that he wasn't there that evening. People spoke more freely.]

Charles then spoke, first suggesting what kind if questions we should ask later.

He told us about how NS Power has put out a “Request For Power” (RFP) for there to be 5% of power be generated by new renewable energy projects for the end of 2009 and 10% by 2013. When asked how many turbines it would take to generate 10% of Nova Scotia’s power, he eventually agreed it would be around a couple of hundred. He also explained that 10% would be the most NS Power could handle. If the wind suddenly drops, there must be some other source to immediately cut in.

[Wind levels can suddenly drop, typically in early evening when load requirements peak. This fickle nature of wind means that NS Power cannot risk “brown outs” by using too many wind turbines.]

His project could be a one or two phase construction depending on what tax breaks he could get.

Charles talked about employment during construction.

[Most local people are over employed at the time of year he wants to construct, so most labour and equipment would have to be imported.]

If there was the “skill set” found locally, there could be three maintenance people after the project is completed.

[Wow!]

When asked how many other wind energy companies there are in NS, he didn’t give any answer. To most questions he said he didn’t want to say anything and be quoted.

[Look at that, I've quoted him anyway!]

He said the County could realize over $300,000 in taxes from his project.

[Paying large sums in Municipal taxes makes the bottom line a little more difficult. That makes the industry even more competitive and cut throat. Proponents will say or do just about anything to secure their projects.]

It turns out that the mast behind my place is only 60m. When this was explained that this was thus only half the height of a turbine plus rotor, there was an audible intake of breath from those in the room.

[This is too big and imposing.]

I reminded Charles that he had said to me at the November Open House, to a group of us outside Council chambers and yet again to the 150 or so at the last Open House that he didn’t want to be a bad neighbour and that if he wasn’t wanted he’d leave. I asked him what it would take to understand he wasn’t wanted, how many people constitute a majority? He didn’t answer.

He addressed the tourism angle by claiming that they really think tourists would be attracted to the turbines.

Yeah, maybe once.

PEI had a bump in tourism numbers the year Confederation Bridge opened (1997). People drove across for the first time and have never come back. PEI has never seen tourist numbers like that again. Not even to view the turbines at North Cape!

We already have tourists. Destination tourists. People who come here and stay a while. Sometimes for a weekend or two, many for weeks or months at a time. Many retire here permanently. These people use and support our local businesses. It is their dollars that sustain our economy. We would rather not swap these very valuable people for a few day trippers. Thanks anyway.

They have the audacity to suggest we risk our incredibly important existing tourist, cottager, recreation and retirement industry for three maintenance jobs!! That would be IF we had the skill sets here. What an insult!

And don’t insult us further by suggesting what kind of questions we ask later on. Scared of the difficult questions? Certainly was pretty skippy about answering simple questions simply. We are not stupid. We can see what is going on.

What we do understand is that wind energy is a very competitive industry. There are way more wind energy companies out there proposing more power than NS Power wants or needs. They only need a couple of hundred turbines. Higgins Mountain, Fort Lawrence and Glendhu projects would more than accommodate NS Power. Those are at locations that are supported by the local people. There is no existing tourism or recreation industry that would be displaced at these locations.

These are good projects. Pugwash/Gulf Shore is not a good project.