Two Important Bills

Two weeks ago marked the long awaiting re-opening of the NS Legislature. Since that time, over 90 Bills have been tabled. Everything from amending the Trade Union Act to the mandatory reporting of gunshot wounds. However, lost in all the spin and publicity were two bills from the NDP, that were actually the most progressive Bills this province has ever seen regarding climate change and renewable energy. They were:

Bill No. 71 - Community-based Energy Development Act (C-BED)

and

Bill No. 89 - Carbon Offsets Fund Act


Both of these Bills were tabled as private member's bills. Bill 71 by the NDP Energy Critic, Frank Corbett, and Bill 89 by Graham Steele the NDP Environment Critic.

The C-BED Act brings forward two ideals that that have helped made places like Denmark and Germany world leaders in Renewable Energy: 1) Community Ownership and 2) Advanced Renewable Tariffs. This Bill would require the UARB to set rates for NS Power to purchase renewable energy from community based projects under 10MW. Setting rates allows smaller organizations develop projects while ensuring they get a good return for their investment. Community owned renewable energy, or Community Power as it tends to be called, has been proven to provide 5 to 10 times more economic benefits and employment than projects owned by out-of-town companies.

The Carbon Offset Fund Act is quite simple. It would establish a fund in which NS Companies that wish to go "carbon neutral" can invest. Those funds would then be used to promote renewable energy projects. It's a long way from project-based carbon trading markets, however, it helps companies become more carbon aware, helps encourage renewable energy, and helps all of Nova Scotia prepare for the inevitable carbon markets we will all have to work within.

While the Department of Energy is traveling around the province asking for public input for a revised Energy Strategy (to replace the strategy that they got public input on in 2001, but never acted on), kudos should go to the NDP, for actually trying to create real change in our coal-addicted province.

Solar growth in rainy Germany

From a province that is just catching up, to a country that has been doing it right for years. In Germany, it's not particularly sunny or windy, yet it is by far the worlds leader in renewable energy. (it's actually somewhat sunnier and much windier here in NS). What have they done to encourage this amazing growth despite not having the best of resources? a Feed-in-Tariff. As I've said before, a Feed-in-Tariff requires the utility to pay a guaranteed rate for a particular type of renewable power. In the example in the following story from the G&M about the solar industry, that rate is a whopping 49cent/kWh. Now a similar rate in NS wouldn't be that high, even for solar, because our overall electricity rates are much lower. In Ontario it's 42cents for solar and 11 for wind. With the abundance of wind we have in this province guaranteeing 9cents would work far better than the current lowest-price tendering methods of NS Power. Not only would it encourage more renewable growth, but it would also allow smaller groups and even individuals to participate, unlike only the biggest companies with the deepest pockets under our current system.
Despite all these numbers, the thing that must be taken from this article is the fact that the power to make huge progress in reducing our GHG emissions, and increasing renewable energies, is in the hands of our government. When Premier MacDonald is looking for "specific plans" he doesn't have to reinvent the wheel, he just has to take advise from those who do it best.
Here is the article:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070731.IBSOLAR31/TPStory/Business