Wind and solar energy are far from new, but the recent growth of these industries means that many new players are doing wind and solar projects, some with better successes than others. THis presentation talks about how
Life in the Trenches: How Wind and Solar Projects Really Work (or Don't)
1. Life in the Trenches: How Wind and Solar
Projects Really Work (or Donât)
Construct Canada, Toronto, 2013-12-04
Derek Satnik, P.Eng., LEEDÂŽ AP
Managing Director & Chief Innovation Officer
and Bryan Taylor
Executive Partner & Chief Development Officer
Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
www.mi-group.ca
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
3. Agenda
A â101â style walk-through of
real-life project experiences:
â˘Context & Planning
â˘Challenges to Expect
â˘Pitfalls to Avoid
â˘Where to Find Help
â˘Lessons Learned
Picture from http://www.bcenergyblog.com/tags/ontario-windfarms/
4. Derek Satnik, P.Eng., LEED
AP
Managing Partner & Chief Innovation Officer
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Electrical Engineer, renewable energy / LEEDÂŽ specialist: Consulting
with Stantec / Enermodal since â99 (various capacities on facility design
teams), Managing Partner at Mindscape since Oct. 2006
Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC): LEED for Homes, Real
Estate, Neighbourhood Development, and Mid-Rise (sub-)Committees
Canadian Residential Energy Services Network, Founder & Advisor
Net-Zero Energy Housing Coalition, Technical Advisor
Built Green Canada, Technical Standards Committee Chair
Natural Resources Canadaâs âSolar Readyâ program, Advisor
Ontario Sustainable Energy Association, Past Vice-Chair
Ontario Clean Air Alliance, Board of Advisors
Green Energy Act Alliance, Management Committee
Community Renewable Energy Waterloo, Past-President
Conestoga College Program Advisory Committee helping create a
renewable energy trades program
Local Initiative for Future Energy Co-operative Inc., Founder
Sustainable Waterloo (regional carbon market), Advisory Board
Photo by K. Stevens, 2008 â UlsanÂ
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
5. Bryan Taylor
Executive Partner & Chief Development Officer
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Systems Design Engineer, business systems expert, professional
investor
Former Executive at RIM (now Blackberry): helped build RIM from 20
employees (when he was hired) to ~3500. Personal supervision of
RIMâs entrance into several overseas markets
35 Patents
Consulting with Mindscape since Oct. 2006
Presently supervising Mindscapeâs partnership and project
development efforts for PV, including direct investment negotiations
Photo by K. Stevens, 2008 â UlsanÂ
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
6. Conservation Roadmap & ROI Chart
From book Smart Power: An Urban Guide to Renewable Energy and Efficiency, Š William H. Kemp
Š Mindscape Innovations
7. Energy Efficiency 101
Step 1: Learn what youâre using (metering, watch bills)
Step 2: Identify opportunities to use less
Step 3: Identify applicable incentive programs
Step 4: Consider hiring an energy audit professional
Step 5: Retrofit â Start with the low-hanging fruit
Step 6: Use min 50% of the savings to finance further
efforts (build an increasing project budget year after
year)
Repeat!
Walmart, McKinney, Texas, with white roof, wind & solar:
http://www.elperfecto.com/wp-content/uploads/Bing_Maps_Wind_Turbine_Wal-Mart_McKinneyTX.jpg
Slide Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
8. Implementation of Renewable Energy Systems
Step 1: Scoping â determine technology options
Step 2: Feasibility assessment(s)
Step 3: Research permitting requirements
Step 4: Research grants and incentives
Step 5: Hire RE consultant or turn-key OEM/distributor
⢠Mindscape provides renewable energy resource
assessments to determine which forms of renewable
energy will best fit your needs and location
⢠Mindscape also has partners involved with many
different renewable energy technologies (check
www.mi-group.ca and OSEA members list)
Photo by K. Stevens, 2008 â Lions Head
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
9. Profitability Comparison for RE Technologies
Relative Cost
($/unit)
15
BIPVT
PVT
BIPV
Solar
PV
Solar DHW
walls
net
metered
Conservation
0
10
Payback (yrs)
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
25
12. Profitability Comparison for RE Technologies
Relative Cost
($/unit)
15
Geo
solar
Bio
Conservation
0
Wind
<30kW
Wind
>1MW
Hydro
10
Payback (yrs)
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
25
14. Myths & Misunderstandings About Wind Energy
( www.mi-group.ca/faq )
Myths
⢠Infrasound
⢠Bird / bat kill
Misunderstandings
⢠Land use
- farm up to tower base
- more likely to die from
a cat, car, or building
⢠Ground vibrations
⌠A long list of
unfounded and
unprovable silliness
⢠Audible noise
- quieter than the wind
⢠Intermittent (âblows when
it wants toâ)
- geographic diversity
- supply mix planning
- pair with PV / hydro / biogas
Picture from www.canhydro.com
Slide Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
15. The Truth about âAestheticsâ &
Wind TurbinesâŚ
⢠NIMBY (ânot in my backyardâ)
â General reaction from everybody that has to watch
you make money off their wind
⢠POOL (âplease on our landâ)
â General reaction from everybody that gets invited
to co-invest and own part of the wind project
⢠âYour own pigs donât stinkâŚâ
⢠Share the equity (even just 1%!)
Picture from www.canhydro.com
Slide Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
16. Micro-Hydro
⢠Uses turbines to
extract power from
the flow of a current
Vigor Clean Tech
Grolov Helical
Turbine
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
17. Geothermal Heat Pumps
⢠Take advantage of the
ground's heating and
cooling properties to heat
or cool entire buildings
⢠Heat 'exchange' between
the ground and the
building is accomplished
by using standard pump
and compressor
technology
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
18. Biogas
⢠Burn âbiogasâ as a fuel,
heat produced is used to
rotate a turbine
⢠E.g., gases (mostly
methane) produced by the
Erb Street Landfill in
Waterloo are used to
produce electricity
⢠On-farm biogas plants
are much larger
⢠Burn smell, make
heat, power, compost
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
Erb St. Landfill
3.7 MW Biogass Facility:
supplies ~2000 homes in Waterloo, ON
19. Profitability Comparison for RE Technologies
Relative Cost
($/unit)
15
Geo
solar
Bio
Conservation
0
Wind
<30kW
Wind
>1MW
Hydro
10
Payback (yrs)
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
25
20. Flashback to 2008âŚ
Things are steadily improving!
BIPV
15
Relative Cost
($/unit)
PV
Geo PV
PV w/ Wind
thermal trackers or <30kW
hybrid
Solar
conc.
walls
Solar DHW
Bio Wind
>1MW Hydro
Conservation
0
10
Payback (yrs)
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
25
21. Profitability Comparison for RE Technologies
âŚTo Fossil FuelsâŚ
Relative Cost
($/unit)
15
Geo
solar
Bio
Conservation
0
Wind
<30kW
Wind
>1MW
Hydro
10
Payback (yrs)
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
25
22. Challenges / Pitfalls
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Transmission/Distribution Constraints
Utilities adapting differently â CIA / CAE
OPA: politics, unaccountability, targets
Finances
â Industries maturing: costs improving, incentives maturing
â Markets still unstable: risks changing, lenders skittish
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Clear contract documents
CSA equipment certifications
ESA approval (plans review, arc fault, islanding)
Social friction & misinformationâŚ
Photo by K. Stevens, 2008 â Prescott-Russel
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
23. Managing Social Friction
Social friction is emotional: fear, uncertainty & doubt
⢠Be proactive: understand the likely issues
â Media, recent/current events, relevant science & myths
⢠Respect the people regardless of their concerns
⢠Have a process
â Share your plan
â Listen to concerns
⢠Choose your battles
â âWalk softly, and carry a big stickâ
â Be well informed, and boldly challenge mistruths
â Donât make mountains out of mole-hills
Š Mindscape Innovations
24. Know who Youâre Talking With
Respect for them, and for you
⢠70+% are Honest John & Confused Kathy: have
concerns, maybe heard rumours, need information
and to be heard and respected
⢠NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) â often resolvable
⢠BANANA (Built Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near
Anyone) â unrealistic and often selfish
⢠NOPE (Not On Planet Earth) â willfully ignorant
Know when to disagree and let go
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
25. Selling the Benefits of (Distributed)
Renewable Energy
⢠Local revenue & jobs: keep the farm, own energy
⢠Helps stabilize cost of electricity (assets only: no fuel)
⢠Distributed electricity generation increases grid
stability, reduces transmission losses, and dismantles
electricity monopolies â energy independence
⢠FIT = reduced risk for ratepayers (no yield, no cost)
⢠Electricity without emissions
⢠Tourism
⢠Remember: he who complains the loudest is always
a statistical minority. Get others heard.
Picture from www.canhydro.com
Slide Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
26. Where to Get Help
⢠REFO (advice)
www.energy.gov.on.ca/en/renewable-energy-facilitation-office
⢠OSEA (advice, resources)
www.ontario-sea.org
⢠CEPP ($10k-$200k grants for eligible co-ops)
www.communityenergyprogram.ca
⢠Tax Incentives (class 43.2 depreciation)
⢠Consultants (Mindscape or other)
www.mi-group.ca
Picture from http://www.julietschor.org/2010/05/welcome-to-plenitude/
Slide Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
27. Incentives That Make $ense
Energy Efficiency Measures (Conservation)
⢠Union Gas / Enbridge design assistance grants
⢠Federal ecoENERGY Incentives
⢠REDO (Renewable Energy Development in Ontario)
⢠saveONenergy (audits & retrofits)
Renewable Energy (Generation)
⢠Net-metering
⢠Feed-In Tariff (FIT)
⢠Taxes: Capital Cost Allowances
⢠CEPP / AREF
Photo from http://www.socalofficerealestateblog.com/wp-content/newuploads/2009/06/saddleback-church-solar-electric-panels-1-large.jpg
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
28. Are you fit for the FIT?
⢠Pricing designed to achieve 10% ROI
â Price declines every round: rooftop PV dropped >50%
⢠Why a Tariff?
â
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No payment made until energy delivered
All risk on the generator: protect the consumer
No secret deals or special favours
Create industry momentum: build volume, drop price
⢠Preferred groups and ranking points
⢠Four more years of FIT until not needed (ie: drop
procurement costs to market rate)
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
29. (Slide courtesy of Ontario Power Authority)
Mindscape Note:
18-36 moâs!
Š Mindscape Innovations
30. Lessons Learned
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Plan Early
Spend 1% on feasibility
Use available support
Ask lots of questions (early and often, especially of
approval agencies), and push for real answers
Talk to the neighbours and be willing to share
Expect delays
Have clear roles & bid documents
Donât neglect CSA / ESA / Conservation Authorities
Sometimes net metering is better than FIT
Photo from http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/04/img/solar_church_onpage.jpg
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
31. Key Points
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Energy is politics: be wary of what you hear
Conservation before generation
Green power is popular & feasible
Social friction is everybodyâs responsibility
Social friction is emotional: fear, uncertainty & doubt
Technical problems can always be solved: be
skeptical, but not cynical (ask real questions, and
expect and accept real answers)
Be active in policy: join OSEA / CanSIA / CanWEA
Turn enemies into allies
Have competent help
Plan ahead
Photo by K. Stevens, 2009 - Toronto
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
32. Mindscape Innovations Group
⢠In this new library of ideas, weâre the librarians.
⢠Turn-key full lifecycle solutions for
environmentally and technologically enhanced
homes, businesses, and communities.
⢠15 awards since â07, municipal through international
⢠Core enabling services to both the green building sector
and the renewable energy sector: policy and incentive
program development, Community Energy Plans /
Sustainability Plans, feasibility studies, renewable energy
system solutions, processing grants and incentives,
permits and approvals, managing public stakeholdering
and social friction, and much more...
Š Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
Slide time: <1 min.
Talking points:
Welcome!
Renewable energy is not new, but Ontarioâs Green Energy Act is.
Wind/solar have been in Canada for >50 yrs
Industry is mature - lots of experiences, both good and bad.
The media never tells the whole story, and often embelishes.
Today weâre here to talk about how real projects work⌠or donât.
Ontario is a problematic province, with a diversity of strengths and weaknesses, a huge provincial budget, a multimodal economy, and a voracious appetite for energy. The provincial energy system is one of the largest items on the Provincial budget, and is a growing concern. Ontario's Green Energy Act has begun the process of decentralizing Ontario's energy system, opening up opportunities for local communities and local individuals to generate energy for themselves.
Â
What Ontario's government and ENGO sector did not expect was the degree of opposition and localized social friction that locally owned renewable energy projects would face. That opposition has had mixed competence, but has become increasingly well organized, and has been very damaging to Ontario's nacent green energy economy.
Energy is changing around the world.
Nuclear is phasing out.
Coal is killing us.
Natural gas is fracked.
Renewables used to provide 100% of our power, and can again.
Slide time: <1 min.
Picture from http://www.bcenergyblog.com/tags/ontario-wind-farms/
Talking points:
First, weâll walk through some context about how to plan a project well
Then weâll talk about the rest of the items listed here: [read the agenda, comment on each item]
Slide time: <1 min.
Talking points:
Why should you listen to me?
Iâm proud to say that Iâve had some privileged opportunities
Iâm an energy consultant
My firm helps write the rules and teach others to use them
We helped write the Green Energy Act, LEED, ENERGY STAR, and many other similar programs
Weâve done hundreds of projects, and weâve seen the best and the worst
Hopefully our experience will help you avoid some of the problems weâve had, and build on the things weâve done well.
Slide time: <1 min.
Talking points:
Why should you listen to Bryan?
Heâs smart, and smart with money, and has learned a lot (good and bad) about how to tell if a project is worth investing in.
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
First things first: conservation before generation.
Wind and solar are fancy, exciting, visible⌠but expensive
Start cheap: conservation is less flashy, but 7-10 times more beneficial
Conservation done well will increase your budget
At Mindscape we have what we call our 50/50 plan:
do conservation;
free up money;
enjoy 50% of the savings as just that: savings. Put it back into your business;
put the other 50% of that money in a special account, and use it to finance more conservation projects.
As your savings grows, you will be able to afford more expensive projects.
Moral of the story: grab the low hanging fruit first.
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Image: Wind turbines and solar panels outside Wal-Mart in McKinney, Texas
Whether retrofitting buildings or street lighting, the same principles apply:
Use Less:
Know your turn-down ratio
âTurn-down ratioâ compares the amount of energy the bldg. is using when it is âoffâ to the amount it uses when âonâ. Most buildings never really turn fully off: they have emergency lighting, ventilation, heating, and other loads that are always on. The turn-down ratio is the percentage of âonâ power that is used when âoff.â
Eg: a turn-down ratio of 50% means that when all staff go home and the building is turned âoffâ, it is still using 50% of the energy it would be if it was turned âonâ.
(50-70% is not uncommon from what weâve seen and been told by our colleagues)
Consider controls to improve turn-down: lighting controls, PLC/BAS controls, etc.
BAS = Building Automation System: most commercial buildings have one.
PLC = Programmable Logic Controller: most industrial processes have one.
Turn-off stuff not in use (eg: motion sensors in bathrooms)
Turn-off stuff thatâs not required (eg: âsensors, moisture sensors on irrigation)
Eg: donât spend electricity on lighting when the sun is doing fine
Eg: donât spend water and electricity irrigating when itâs raining
Eg: economizers for fresh air
Recover the energy youâve already used: ERVâs, DWHR, steam flue heat exchangers, etc.
ERV = Energy (or Enthalpy) Recovery Ventilator (recoverâs energy in exhaust air)
DWHR = Drain Water Heat Recovery (recoverâs energy in drain water)
Steam flue heat exchangers â recover energy from steam that is being exhausted from industrial processes.
Incentives: (see later slides)
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Step 1: Scoping â determine technology options
Not every technology fits everywhere. There is no perfect solution. Understand what works in your situation.
Step 2: Feasibility assessment(s)
Rule of 1%: do some quick math (napkin math) to guesstimate your budget, and then before you start, spend 1% of that amount getting help to confirm that the budget and payback are what you expect.
Step 3: Research permitting requirements
Ask early and often! Do not let yourself be surprised! Unexpected permits can bankrupt or sabotage a project.
Talk to a minimum of:
Local building department (they will know if you need to talk to other city departments, eg: Heritage department)
Local utilities (electrical, gas, water, sewer)
Local conservation authority
Step 4: Research grants and incentives
Consider all levels of government and utilities: fed, prov, municipal, conservation authorities, utilities
Consider asking a consultant for help
Step 5: Hire RE consultant or turn-key OEM/distributor
Experience can be worth much more than itâs weight in gold
Mindscape provides renewable energy resource assessments to determine which forms of renewable energy will best fit your needs and location.
Mindscape also has partners involved with many different renewable energy technologies.
And Mindscape is not the only company that offers services and has good experience: we have many competitors. Make sure you check references, and check the internet: itâs amazing what you can learn about a company on the internet nowâŚ
(If you do a search on Mindscape or on Derek Satnik then youâll get a huge number of hits: try that for anyone before you consider hiring them, and see what you find outâŚ)
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
When considering different renewable energy technologies, keep in mind that they all suit different applications, and none of them is a âone size fits allâ: they all have different strengths and weaknesses.
There are only a couple general rules:
Conservation is always cheapest and best!
Donât size a generation system until you have conserved as much as possible first: then you can spend less to get a smaller generation system and it will serve you better (and stretch your money further)
Do a proper feasibility study first before you invest.
With that in mind, hereâs a rough comparison of the major technologies you can use to generate your own energy:
SOLAR
More types of solar than many people realize:
Solar walls: literally a wall, as simple as a sheet of metal, with many little holes in it. As the sun shines on the metal wall, it heats up. Air inside the wall also heats up, and naturally rises. If you suck air from inside that wall into the building, the sun will give you free (and very cheap) heat.
Solar Domestic Hot Water (DHW): panels on a wall or roof with fluid in them (glycol or water, sometimes even air): as the sun shines on the fluid, it heats up, and you can bring that heat into the building.
PV = photo (light) voltaic (electricity)
BIPV = Building Integrated PV: literally replace part of the building with PV, like shingles
trackers/concentrators: mechanical hardware that helps keep the PV pointing at the sun so that you get more energy from it
PV thermal hybrid: all solar panels not only generate electricity, but they also generate heat. If you can capture the heat, then it helps the panel run more efficiently, and it gives you free heat: up to two units of heat per unit of electricity with some products.
The next couple slides will show some examples of what this looks likeâŚ
Slide time: 1-3 mins.
Bottom to top:
Bottom left: solar DHW (vaccuum tube collectors)
Bottom right: typical PV (ROW Fleet Management Centre)
Top row: fancy hardware to help boost production
Top left: typical tracker on a farm
Top right: concentrator tracker (happens to also be a hybrid concept that produces PV & thermal): Power Spar, by Menova Energy Inc. (now bankrupt)
USEFUL ASIDES:
Q: We often get asked whether itâs better to use trackers/concentrators or to use more panels.
A: The answer depends on who you are. The payback for a system with trackers is almost the same as that for a system without, if youâre measuring % ROI or IRR. If youâre a company with permanent maintenance staff, then trackers may be better for you. If not, then just add more panels: same return, but with no maintenance.
Slide time: 1-3 mins.
Top: PV shingles of different types
Bottom left: solar wall
Bottom right: PV parking canopy
Others not shown:
PV art: flower shapes, shading structures for parkette sitting areas, signage (eg: PV cross on a church);
Thermal integration (tough to show without technical diagrams)
Slide time: 4-5 mins.
Recall our general rules:
Conservation is always cheapest and best!
Donât size a generation system until you have conserved as much as possible first: then you can spend less to get a smaller generation system and it will serve you better (and stretch your money further)
Do a proper feasibility study first before you invest.
With that in mind, hereâs a rough comparison of the major technologies you can use to generate your own energy:
SOLAR (which we just saw, so itâs shown faded in the background on this slide)
WIND (Small)
This is the noisy technology
Every motor is a generator, every generator is a motor: think of a lawnmower on a tower
WIND (Large)
Made with big industrial motors: typically quieter than the wind
HYDRO (water)
Aside: we are one of the only places in the world that people call electricity âhydroâ
Q: Why?
A: because 100% of Canadaâs electrical power once came from hydro (water)
We can be 100% powered by renewables again! Fossil fuels are the true âalternative energyâ: we need renewables, not alternatives!
GEOTHERMAL
âGeoâ means ground, âthermalâ means heat
BIO-ENERGY (biomass and biogas, or even landfill gas)
Next slides have sample photos againâŚ
Some reminders:
Best financial returns are on the commercial scale: if youâre looking to invest, put your money in a wind coop.
Biomass has some attractive opportunities, but âŚ
CREW focuses on mature technology thatâs ready for mass market
Debatable: Wind as only method of electricity generation that fully recovers embodied energy
Diversity in corporate revenue: eg John Deer
Other benefits:
-Land lease revenue for rural land owners (eg: wind)
Rural economic development (new jobs for design, construction, maintenance, âŚ)
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Bottom line:
There are some legitimate drawbacks to wind energy, but theyâre extremely minor compared to the alternatives, or even compared to the risks we take when we get into the car and drive to work every morning.
Note: wind is not unreliable â itâs intermittent. Important difference. Turbines are the most reliable generators around â far more so than nuclear.
âunfounded and unprovable sillinessâ:
Ask for recent reports based on recent data â note that the industry has advanced significantly over the last few decades, and every year counts. All of reports against wind that actually have valid concerns are very obsolete.
20 yrs. of reports in Europe, Canada (yes local), and around the globe that deal with all the concerns raised thus far.
âThere is nothing new under the sunâ, especially with wind energy antagonists.
Bird kill stats from CanWEA (per 10,000 avian fatalities):
<1 from wind turbines
50 from communication towers
710 from pesticides
850 from vehicles
1060 from cats
1370 from high tension lines
5820 from collisions with buildings / windows
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
POOL eg: coastal farm community in Germany whose gross revenue increased >40x after turbines arrived. They call the off-shore turbines beautiful.
NIMBY eg: certain rural farmers in Ontario that got bad land deals from large out-of-province developers.
Grand River
Lower image from http://www.host.nl/en/biogas/farm-scale-biogas/
Slide time: ~1 mins.
Some reminders:
Conservation first!
Choose technology that suits your application.
Best financial returns are on the commercial scale: if youâre looking to invest, put your money in a wind coop.
Biomass is best, but only works in special circumstances
Slide time: ~1 mins.
Some reminders:
Renewables are steadily getting more cost effective, especially PV
Slide time: ~1 mins.
For interestâs sake:
Gas/Coal/Oil are no longer cheaper than renewables. Costs vary by jurisdiction, but hereâs where they lie.
Gas @ ~$500 million for ~$500 MW => $1/W, not sure about paybacks but likely <10 yrs
Nuclear is >$7/W installed ($23 billion quote for ~3GW), and after 40 yrs, still hasnât paid off (we still owe $15 billion!)
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Transmission/Distribution Constraints
The grid was not designed for distributed generation, and is largely budgeted
Utilities adapting differently and with varying levels of supportiveness
Hydro One is terrible
Always need a CIA: Connection Impact Assessment
Sometimes can be âCapacity Allocation Exemptâ (CAE), but still get varying support
OPA is âspecialâ: highly political
75% rejection rate on FIT 2 (for âcompletenessâ and âeligibilityâ errors)
Never does a word more or less than directed by politicians
Finances
The market has changed frequently and swiftly over the last year. Check early and often to ensure your finances are in order. We know of several projects that died or were sold because the ownersâ financing changed or ran out.
Clear contract documents
Especially with a turn-key supplier. We know of a 250kW PV project where the owner pulled a significant portion of their retirement savings to fund the project. The contractor split up all the work and did a marvellous job of the installation, but nobody ever secured a contract with the utility to sell the electricity.
Make sure nothing falls through the cracks!
CSA equipment certifications
Donât underestimate this! Check in advance. Weâve had to tear a project out because it claimed to have certifications that it did not have
ESA approval
ESA inspectors are a mixed breed: some excel, some lag. Talk to yours early to avoid surprises.
Social friction & misinformation
Even when you do everything right, sometimes you still get into trouble
BIG DEAL! Two more slides on this nextâŚ
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Key points:
[Pretty much read this slide]
âWalk softly, and carry a big stickâ
The âbig stickâ is the facts: know the law, and know the truth (FAQ)
Donât back down on mistruths (eg: turbines do not make people sick), but donât make a mission of bringing up all the myths that need correcting (ie: donât look for trouble by bringing up things that people arenât asking about)
Look for the hidden concern. Most people speak about things that are really only symptoms that cover their real concerns, which are typically things like wanting to be involved, or simply greed (want to make money, not listen to / look at others making money)
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
[read slide]
For NOPEs:
Q: do you have a microwave at home?
A: If yes, then there are volumes of reports about how harmful microwave radiation is to humans. You have it because you like the convenience it offers you. It is far more dangerous to you than a wind turbine. Context pleaseâŚ
Slide time: 1-2 mins.
Diversity in corporate revenue: eg John Deer
Other benefits:
-Land lease revenue for rural land owners (eg: wind)
-farmer claims: energy is most reliable crop (over any agricultural crop)
Rural economic development (new jobs for design, construction, maintenance, âŚ)
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
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FIT price drops:
Rooftop PV: $0.713 drop to $0.329
Ground PV: $0.443 drop to $0.288
Wind: $0.13 drop to $0.115
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
This process is a royal pain! Get qualified help and check references. Experience is important.
Approvals to COD:
18 moâs for rooftop PV
36 moâs for ground/other
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Boundaries, Scope limitation, & Public Engagement
Know what youâre actually asking vs. sharing
Know that ppl can tell if your asking is genuine vs. selling
Encourage skepticism, not cynicism
Slide time: <1 min.
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If thereâs any one closing thought Iâd like to leave you with itâs this.
Renewable energy is not just about economics or doing good projects, although it is certainly about that. Renewables are a basic acceptance of the fact that we cannot continue burning fossil fuels the way we have been. Nature wonât tolerate it.
God bless the cockroach.
Slide time: >1 min.
Itâs up to me.
Itâs up to you.
Itâs up to all of us.
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