Category: Wind Things

It is open!

Donna Cansfield, provincial energy minister, officially opened Kingsbridge Wind Farm today. We had cake.

02006-04-06
down on the ‘farm

The view from Golf Course Road …

02006-03-30
no standard offer goodness for WindShare

Tallking to the OPA today, it seems that WindShare doesn’t qualify for SOC because it’s behind ExPlace’s meter. Aargh!

Update: I got a call from the OPA; they were wrong. Grandfathered embedded generation such as the WindShare turbine will be eligible after all.

02006-03-24
Ontario SOC is here!

Standard Offer Renewable Energy contracts were announced in Ontario today. I’m reserving my third cheer for when I see the pricing and terms.

… Third cheer is definitely go. I’ve been having a think about this, and some words with the folks at the OSEA reception, and I think it’s good. Very good. There are still some details to work out, but this is pretty much exactly what I could hope for.

02006-03-21
This wind study brought to you by the Canadian Nuclear Association

So there’s a new report on wind integration in Canada, written by The Conference Board of Canada. People are picking up on it, and even the doughty Refocus quotes “… electricity from onshore wind is uneconomic in comparison with traditional alternatives“. Hmm.

So I read the report, and what do I find in the Preface?

As part of an ongoing initiative to investigate energy policy options and the future of the Canadian energy system, the Canadian Nuclear Association contracted The Conference Board of Canada to conduct a comparative study of various countriesâ€™ experiences with supporting and implementing large-scale wind projects.

So we’re expected to believe that the CNA would wish to have an objective and non-partisan report written on wind power, eh?

02006-03-17
Standard Offer is Go – March 21

From OSEA:

The moment we have all been waiting for has arrived! The Ministry of Energy, the Premier, David Suzuki and OSEA will be announcing the Standard Offer Program on March 21st. We are organizing a celebration and press event in partnership with the Ministry of Energy that will take place at 3 pm at Exhibition Place, Toronto, home to Ontario’s first community wind turbine.

Please mark this date in your calendar and watch for further notices (via email and at www.ontario-sea.org) on details regarding location, speakers and entertainment.

This is a celebratory event – please everyone, let us celebrate the positive role the Standard Offer Contract program will play in Ontario for renewables, for community power, for cost effective power, and for our air quality and health!

Thanks to everyone for their efforts!

If the province has got this right, we really will see a lot more wind power in Ontario.

02006-03-10
vawt der hey…?! wind-powered megabin

Something’s not right with the wind turbines on this megabin. The fact that they weren’t turning in a mild breeze made me worry. A close-up of one of the units is below:

(In both cases, clicking the thumbnail will get a full-sized image.)

02006-03-05
We have turbines running at Kingsbridge!

We have turbines running at Kingsbridge! Here’s the official news release.

(I had a picture here, but it wsn’t very good. Sorry.)

02006-03-03
Shell Linked to Takeover of Vestas

Could Shell be Linked to a Takeover of Vestas? This could get weird, ‘cos of the whole Boycott Shell thing.

02006-02-27
Photos of Toronto’s WindShare Coop AGM 2006

Paul Gipe posted pictures of the Toronto’s WindShare Coop AGM 2006.

02006-02-25
WindShare AGM 2006

WindShare is having their AGM tonight. I got a nice plaque for my years on the board.

02006-02-22
Ontario Government Giving Every Household a Say in Province’s Electricity Future

The Energy Minister wants your thoughts on the Supply Mix. Quick, do you know what the supply mix is? Do you care?

I’m guessing that, as long as the lights are still on, that you can read my blog, the fuel bills aren’t too high, and acide rain hasn’t caused the cat to rust, you don’t really care about the Supply Mix.

But Donna Cansfield wants you to care. She’s sending everyone a brochure Our Energy, Our Future (online here) to make you think that they’d give a one before they go build nukes anyway. And since you were consulted, it’s your fault when the cost overruns roll in.

02006-02-20
cleanairpass

cleanairpass claims to offset the emissions from your car. Hmm…

02006-02-15
powered up

I am now one of those annoyingly smug Bullfrog Power subscribers.

02006-02-12
little turbine on the desk

I’ve finally managed to snag a model wind turbine. Thanks to Jay Wilgar at AIM Powergen, I now have a GE Your Wind Turbine in a Box 1/265 scale turbine, complete with tiny plastic cow.

02006-02-04
deadly windows

Millions of birds perish every year from crashing into glass windows. And architects don’t need to do costly and time-consuming migration studies.

But us wind guys get it in the neck.

02006-01-28
part of the landscape

I see that wind turbines make it on to the recent 51 cent stamp series. I guess they’re part of the landscape now.
(Would it be astonishingly churlish of me to point out that the flag is flying one way, and the turbines facing the other?)

02006-01-23
first day new job

I had a good day. There was a lot of administrivia, setting up e-mail accounts, form filling, and learning about the network, but that’s all once off. The afternoon was mostly spent fighting with my new BlackBerry (a 7130e, you nerds), which works as a very nice phone, but the e-mail isn’t set up.

My cube has a view, and the transit is great. I’m happy.

02006-01-16
work prep on Ivor’s birthday

Getting ready for the new job; clothes have been bought, shoes polished, case packed.

And it’s Ivor Cutler’s birthday. No gruts for tea for me.

02006-01-15
last WindShare meeting

Last night was my last WindShare board meeting. I’ve been on the board ever since there was a board to be on. I hope I was useful.

02006-01-13