With the help of the government of Ontario and as directed by the Green Energy Act it is our desire to begin a meaningful conversation with the local community to gain early support for this project.
Well, good luck with that:
I am a supporter of wind power, and wind power along the shores of Lake Ontario, because of course that's where the wind is. I am not, however, confident that the provincial government has the stones to stand before the forces of NIMBYism that this project will unleash. Rob Ford will add it to his list of things to demagogue, and Tim Hudak will see it as a another way to crack the OLP's Toronto Fortress. On the SunWinCor site they say that the project "will be a tremendous way of showcasing Toronto as a willing host of sustainable, responsible Green Energy". I wonder if the people of T.O. are up to that challenge.
It isn't nimbyism that should kill this (although maybe it will), but the fact that there is massive generation surplus in Ontario at the moment. Why build new wind power plants when there is no demand locally, nor viable export markets? What's pushing this plant, and all others, is the fact that the GEA mandates purchasing power generated at guaranteed and expensive prices, whether the system needs the power or not. This a not a good system when demand is flat.
ReplyDeleteYou might support wind power, in general. But an uncritical friend is no friend at all. Ignoring the GEA problems, and not fixing them, will set it up to be all destroyed by Hudak. (By analogy, has the uncritical Stephen Harper been a true friend to Canada's oil industry, or has he actually increased that industry's long term risks?)
Interesting that this is part of Peter Tabuns riding.The Spit is sort of co-managed by the TRCA and the Toronto Port Authority. Board members include;
ReplyDeleteMark McQueen- CEO and Pres of Wellington Financial.
Board affiliates include John Varghese of Renewable Energy Developers Inc.
Colin Watson- A Director and Chair of a compensation committee at Louisiana-Pacific.
Board affiliates include Vernon Harder of Northland Power ,who would likely be supplying the 2.3mw turbines and Robert Korthals of Suncor Energy.
Wellington Financial (Mark McQueen) Board affiliate members include Greg Kiessling of Bullfrog Power, Hugh Segal of Just energy Group, Greg Ebel of Spectra Energy Group and John Varghese (as above).
Now , tell me with a straight face that all these guys have nothing but altruistic motives and truly care for the planet.