Canada’s wind power corporations are grateful for all your money

Big Wind is grateful to you for their success! You? Not so much...
Big Wind is grateful to you for their success! You? Not so much…

The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) had this greeting on their website over the holidays:The industry reached a milestone of over 10,000 megawatts of installed capacity this year, and during the holiday season more than ever, our thoughts turn gratefully to all of you who have made our progress possible.”
Ontario is home to almost 50% of those 10,000 megawatts (MW) of industrial wind turbines (IWT) and CanWEA is right: they should be grateful. They should be grateful to the ratepayers of the province who have no choice but to pay for intermittent and unreliable wind power as it gets “first to the grid” rights, ahead of reliable power sources like hydro, nuclear and gas.

The source of the problem

The reason for CanWEA’s gratitude is evident when one reviews the Independent Electricity System Operator’s (IESO) 18-month Outlook for January 2016 to June 2017.  Due to low demand for electricity in Ontario, particularly during the spring and fall, IESO frequently experiences “surplus baseload generation” or SBG.  They note this as follows:  “Ontario will continue to experience surplus baseload generation (SBG) conditions during this Outlook period. The magnitude of SBG is trending higher with the addition of new renewable generation and decline in grid demand due to conservation and distribution-connected generation. SBG is expected to be effectively managed through existing market mechanisms, which include inter-tie scheduling, nuclear maneuvering or shutdown and the dispatch of grid-connected renewable resources.”
So, an official admission: Ontario’s power surplus “is trending higher” due to renewables!
In 2014 6.8 terawatts1. (TWh) of power was generated from wind turbines, and during 2014 OPG was forced to “spill” 3.2 TWh of clean hydro, while Bruce Nuclear was forced to “steam-off” 1.3 TWh of clean CO2-free nuclear (September 2014 to October 2015). At the same time, the turbines were curtailed from producing about 500,000 megawatt hours. All of the generated, spilled, steamed-off and curtailed generation was paid for by Ontario’s ratepayers along with the losses on our exports of surplus generation.
The costs of the 6.8 TWh and the curtailed 500,000 MWh was approximately $930 million (7.3 TWh at an average price of $125/MWh); spilled hydro’s costs were $179 million (3.2 TWh at an average price of $56/MWh), and the 1.3 TWh of steamed-off nuclear added another $87 million to the bills of Ontario’s ratepayers. That brought the cost of those 6.8 TWh of production from IWTs to almost $1.3 billion.   That alone translates to a cost per kilowatt hour (kWh) of over 19 cents — before charges for transmission, delivery, the Debt Retirement Charge2. etc. and before picking up the losses for surplus export generation. In 2014 that cost ratepayers $1.2 billion, and will end up at close to $2 billion in 2015.

The poor get poorer in Ontario

By November 2015 end, wind had already exceeded 2014 generation, at 7.9 TWh. Add its costs to constrained, curtailed, spilled and steamed-off power and the cost of electricity will continue its climb despite the false claim made by Ontario’s Energy Minister reported in Maclean’s in December 2013: “Looking to the future, we expect that rates will continue to increase, but we have taken very significant steps to mitigate those rate increases.”
Mitigation of rate increases is not in the immediate or near future: we just got hit with an increase effective January 1st, 2016 of 10% with the removal of the Clean Energy Benefit and a new charge to support the almost 600,000 Ontario households living in “energy poverty.”  We can also expect a further increase May 1, 2016 to pay for the costs associated with more renewable energy coming on stream (700 MW of wind and 300 MW of solar) in the next 18 months, exacerbating SBG and the cost of dealing with it.
CanWEA’s members certainly had a merry Christmas, but all the Dom Perignon was on you.
©Parker Gallant.
January 7, 2016
 

  1. 6.8 TWh is equivalent to 6.8 billion kilowatt hours.
  2. Small businesses will continue to be charged for the DRC.
What's your reaction?
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26 Comments

  • Pat Cusack
    Posted January 11, 2016 1:57 pm 0Likes

    Is there some reason the mainstream media is not on this issue constantly or ever? Are those rural Ontario people affected by windmills the only people aware of what is taking Place?

    • Sommer
      Posted January 11, 2016 2:22 pm 0Likes

      You’re asking a very good question Pat.
      This issue not only affects people in rural Ontario who are being forced, against their will,l to live with the adverse health impacts and financial effects of these turbines and their infrastructure which has been placed too close to their homes, but as Parker has pointed out, there are now 600,000 throughout Ontario living with the nasty impacts of energy poverty.
      One has to wonder exactly what it will take to lurch journalists and editors in this province out of their ‘moral coma’.

    • Wind Concerns Ontario
      Posted January 11, 2016 3:40 pm 0Likes

      Parker Gallant will be on CJBK radio today at 5:05 PM

      • Theresa
        Posted January 11, 2016 6:37 pm 0Likes

        Was Parker rescheduled on CJBK

        • Wind Concerns Ontario
          Posted January 11, 2016 6:47 pm 0Likes

          Sorry! Apparently, there was some breaking news out of London and he has been pre-empted. We’ll advise of a new time when available, or post a podcast if there is one.

        • Theresa
          Posted January 11, 2016 7:00 pm 0Likes

          I just spoke with CJBK’s Andy Oudman regarding why Parker was not on today’s podcast.
          Andy said he did not get a response from Parker.
          Andy asked if he could get Parker on tomorrow’s show. I said he’d need to talk to Patker about that.

    • John
      Posted January 11, 2016 3:57 pm 0Likes

      Most of the main stream media are in bed with the Liberal’s catastrophic Green Energy program. Most think the world is going to fry because of global warming and the thought of critiquing the waste of time and money that is renewable energy is anathema to them.

      • Lynda
        Posted January 12, 2016 11:44 am 0Likes

        Most of them are in bed with the Liberals period.

  • Sommer
    Posted January 11, 2016 2:34 pm 0Likes

    Here’s an article worth reading if you have no idea what people in rural Ontario, who are adversely impacted are having to deal with. We’re having the same problems here as in Ireland.
    http://stopthesethings.com/2016/01/11/irish-wind-farm-neighbours-detail-unnecessary-daily-acoustic-misery/

    • Sommer
      Posted January 11, 2016 4:34 pm 0Likes

      Here’s a verbatim account written by a wind turbine victim. This took place during a wind storm on the night before Christmas eve, perhaps while the CanWEA were sipping their champagne.
      “Last night, I decided to try sleeping upstairs with my husband instead of in the basement – even though the noise was bad….that was a mistake. I tossed and turned – my neck started hurting due to the stress and anxiety from that horrible noise….then my head started pounding. I became nauseous. I ended up on the bathroom floor vomiting. When not on the bathroom floor with an ice pack, I was in the bathtub soaking my head. With my head in the water, the noise from the turbine seemed at LEAST 3 times louder!
      The intermittent screeching from the turbine noise made me nauseous (again) and I ended up on the bathroom floor vomiting (again)….when I would start shivering (wet/ naked and in a towel) – I’d go back to the bathtub. This went on for hours….cyclical like your turbines!
      I was exhausted. Eventually, I got enough willpower and assistance to walk to the basement. The noise was not letting up and it was almost daylight now – a big, nearly full Christmas moon was setting in the west. My husband helped me – he carried my vomit pail, ice pack and found a heating pad for my neck and shoulders. I was finally able to keep down some ibuprofen and I fell asleep”.
      This is part of what was sent to all who are responsible in Ontario for this dreadful situation.

  • Theresa
    Posted January 11, 2016 3:55 pm 0Likes

    Hi Pat,
    The main stream media e.g. CBC supports the Liberals. The Liberals want to keep people “in the dark” when it comes to the wind industry and government connections, money, and corruption.
    The Toronto population is oblivious to the world outside of their bubble. The majority doesn’t know, and doesn’t care.  
    We groom our children into a brain washed, dumb downed, controlled society. People have developed a sense of entitlement; an “all about me” society.  
    Think about where our kids spend the majority of the day? We now have a ‘conditioned as such’ generation teaching our kids! I have often seen a young generation lacking of values and incapable (often not required anyway) of higher level thinking. As well, an ignorance of the masses is a favorable state to getting away with what goes on. 
    _______________
    The assault by the wind industry has been going on in Ontario for nearly a decade; globally-even longer. Take a look at what has happened in Germany. We are about a decade behind them. Concerned about where we are going? You bet, and we should be. Again, see what goes on in Germany. There are many “energy poverished” people; people who cannot afford expensive electricity in their homes.  People are cold; some have died. We will be seeing more and more of this in the coming year, here in Ontario. Unbelievable isn’t it. 
    There are adult people in Ontario who are just becoming aware what has been going on with iwts and renewable energy. I read it time and time again on sites as this one. 
    People become concerned when it starts to effect them e.g. Impacting their pocket book, maybe feeling physical pain are triggers to awareness development. Those who have made fun and called me a NIMBY in the past, have themselves now joined the ranks lol! 
    After an awareness develops,  there is then an attempt to reinvent the wheel; been there too got the tshirt.
    While we continue on this treadmill, we exhaust our resources-time, energy, money while the government continues to pollute Ontario and keep us on the road  to bankruptcy, shoving iwts fast and dirty where ever they can. Their tool is Dalton McGuinty’s Green Energy Act.
    The government has future decades of “plans a and b” strategies worked out. (It will be interesting to see how the Green Energy Act plays into the grand scheme of Agenda 21.)
    We are merely pawns in the big game of the government. Unfortunately they destroy our lives in the process.
    We must be smarter, and pro active. Educating the people as to reality and facts is a start. There are good people in Ontario, who care, who have good values. We must gain support of the majority of the people to bring a stop to this absurdity. Go Parker Go!! (looking forward to hearing you on CJBK today, and a big thank you for your work.)
    For us to do nothing is degrading to the memory of those who built Ontario, into this place we call home. We are better than that. We have a Constitution to uphold, for our kids. Now is the time. 

    • Lynda
      Posted January 12, 2016 11:48 am 0Likes

      Right on the money Theresa.

  • Bill Laurence
    Posted January 11, 2016 5:33 pm 0Likes

    Hydro power projects have been rejected in favour of wind power.
    Why is this so? To answer this we should follow the money. Someone is greasing the skids..

  • Theresa
    Posted January 11, 2016 6:29 pm 0Likes

    Bingo!

  • Gord Schneider
    Posted January 11, 2016 6:50 pm 0Likes

    We’d better be on the ball come the next election. This has to be stopped. If the Liberals get in again, I’m leaving. I can’t take much more of this. Assuming (praying) that the Conservatives can form the next government, I wonder how they’ll deal with this. We need recall in this province in a big way. God help us…..we’re havin’ a little bit of trouble down here.

    • Theresa
      Posted January 11, 2016 7:49 pm 0Likes

      I’m sorry, I’ve been through eight years and a couple of elections and to put my hope in another….I’m not sure I have it in me. The fall is very very hard. It will take decades for Ontario to pull out of this mess created by the Liberals. No one to blame but ourselves.
      A change in government isn’t going to magically happen. We need to get on the ball now, inform people of the Liberal ridings of the negative health impact and the suffering the people of rural Ontario are forced iinto.
      Lord have mercy.

      • Wind Concerns Ontario
        Posted January 12, 2016 11:47 am 0Likes

        Thank you, it may seem like the next election provincially is a long way away, but it isn’t.

        • Sommer
          Posted January 12, 2016 12:10 pm 0Likes

          When one knows first hand how these turbines are harming people and one does not try to distract themselves from this reality or numb themselves somehow, the sense of urgency is very, very high. These turbines must be turned off.

        • Barbara
          Posted January 12, 2016 4:08 pm 0Likes

          In another 2 1/2 years the goals of those promoting renewable energy in Ontario will be largely accomplished.
          Rural Ontarians are not NIMBYS but rather VICTIMS !

  • Sommer
    Posted January 11, 2016 7:18 pm 0Likes

    We’l need to see necessary changes made a lot sooner than the next election. Real people’s lives are being seriously impacted. These people cannot wait any longer.

    • Barbara
      Posted January 11, 2016 10:47 pm 0Likes

      Ontario now has FIT-contracts, yieldcos, carbon trading/cap-and-trade.
      Any one of these is worth plenty of money. Taken together is a bonanza for owners and investors.
      Suggest that the misfeasance issues be considered straight away.

  • Charles
    Posted January 11, 2016 10:45 pm 0Likes

    I thought it was a crime to mislead the public and making them believe that which is not true. A lot of our leaders are responsible and should be made accountable..

  • Theresa
    Posted January 13, 2016 2:50 pm 0Likes

    May I suggest a non-violent, plain and simple, pain in the ass camp out/protest at Queen’s Park? This is possible. Bring in the tents, rv’s, tractors, generators; we can do this. Come on rural Ontario, let’s show them what we’re made of. We cannot wait any longer. People’s lives are at stake.
    Let’s go, build it; they will come. It will be a safe commune for us.

    • Theresa
      Posted January 14, 2016 8:56 pm 0Likes

      Well I guess that isn’t going to happen. Can’t do it myself :-/

  • Bob
    Posted January 13, 2016 11:31 pm 0Likes

    Stop complaining. Cancel subscriptions to Mainstream media. Ok, complain to your friends and get them to cancel subs too.

    • Wind Concerns Ontario
      Posted January 14, 2016 11:03 am 0Likes

      That won’t help. Comment on artices and news stories with the facts, write letters to the editor, and do what you can to demonstrate interest in this topic. Just disappearing doesn’t help.

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