Stay Clear, Stay Safe - Dam Safety

Always an important message when it comes to hydroelectric power.

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is urging the public to exercise extreme caution around waterways, and to be mindful of water safety especially near or around hydroelectric stations and dams.

"Stay clear, stay safe is a simple message," says Mike Martelli, OPG's Senior Vice President of Hydro-Thermal Operations. "Ontario's lakes and rivers are popular holiday weekend destinations but people need to keep themselves and their families safe by paying attention to the warnings signs, fences and booms around hydroelectric stations."

Most hydroelectric facilities are controlled remotely by operators located many kilometres away. As a result, dams can suddenly open at any time, creating rapid change to water levels and flows, while producing deadly undertows.
Additional water safety information can be found online at www.stayclearstaysafe.ca including links to OPG's water safety partners - the Ontario Provincial Police, and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

SOURCE Ontario Power Generation Inc.

 @opg Stay Clear, Stay Safe

Quebec-Ontario electricity trade is smart, but not simple - The Globe and Mail

Quebec-Ontario electricity trade is smart, but not simple - The Globe and Mail:

Last week, Quebec’s and Ontario’s premiers announced their desire to work together on crucial issues, including climate change, interprovincial trade and infrastructure. It is very positive for Canada when our two largest provinces recognize the benefits of co-operation. We should certainly hope they succeed, but let’s also be mindful of the obstacles in their way

Especially interesting is the prospect of greater interprovincial trade in electricity. This would be a game-changer in Canada, and a very positive one. Quebec has a great deal of low-cost hydroelectricity available to export, and its current U.S. markets are becoming less interested in purchasing long-distance hydro power because of their own development of low-price shale gas. At the same time, Ontario’s economy continues to grow but has few options for increasing its electricity capacity at costs anywhere close to Quebec’s. So the idea of Ontario buying electricity from Quebec is obviously sensible.

Any idea that is so obviously sensible must have serious problems, and there are at least three that come to mind.

The first will be the pressures from within Ontario to resist importing cheaper Quebec electricity. It will be argued that Ontario has built a world-class nuclear industry and that refurbishing existing nuclear plants and building new ones is necessary to keep this expertise at home. The fact that approximately nobody in the rest of the world wants to purchase this expertise or the associated technology will be ignored, or perhaps held up as an example of how government needs to do more to sell these products. Other “anti-importers” in Ontario will argue along the lines of securing jobs and economic development – that building electricity capacity (of any kind) within Ontario keeps the projects and associated construction jobs at home.

Though they may be dressed up and spun differently, these arguments are nothing more than simple protectionism. Hopefully Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne will see this and focus on the bigger picture: In a world where Ontario needs electricity and Quebec has it in spades, it can only be good for Ontario to purchase it.

This brings us to the second obstacle, and it will come from la belle province. Quebeckers have no problem with selling their surplus electricity to Vermont and New York at prices that exceed the internal Quebec ones. Except in a few small industries, Quebec firms do not see themselves as competing with American ones.

But many won't want to make the same offer to Ontario, as they will see it as giving an advantage to competing firms. Indeed, Ontario will argue that having access to Quebec’s cheaper power will improve the competitiveness of its firms; so it’s only to be expected that Quebeckers will view the same transaction as causing their own competitive decline.

Again, these arguments are nothing more than raw protectionism, and hopefully Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard will resist them strongly. Quebec as a whole will benefit by selling its surplus power to any jurisdiction prepared to pay the price; it will also benefit if the consequent greater development in Ontario leads to more trade in other products between the two provinces, which is very likely.

The third obstacle is the toughest. Suppose Ontario and Quebec enter into a long-term partnership in which Ontario’s electricity needs are increasingly satisfied by Quebec’s production. This would be great for both provinces. But increasing Quebec’s electricity capacity means the construction of more hydro generating stations, and this will require more development in Quebec’s northern regions. This will certainly require the close involvement of First Nations communities.

First Nations communities will demand genuine consultation at every step of the project, and that close attention be paid to the project’s impact on the environment and on traditional hunting and fishing grounds. They will also demand a share of the income generated. The Quebec government will need to recognize the legitimacy of these demands and partner with the First Nations in a genuine and transparent manner. All of this is possible, but it is not simple.

To any objective observer from far away, greater electricity trade between Ontario and Quebec would appear to be a no-brainer. And it is. But there are real obstacles. We should all celebrate the fact that Premiers Wynne and Couillard are starting this much-needed conversation, and we should wish them all the luck in the world. They will need it.

Hydroelectric Energy Advantages and Disadvantages « Green World Investor

Hydro Power is one of the largest sources of energy accounting for roughly 20% of the worldwide demand of electricity and for well resourced countries it accounts for majority of the energy.For Paraguay 100% of the electricity comes from hydro power and lot of it is exported as well.Compared to other sources of Energy, Hydroelectric Power is one of the cheapest,non Carbon Emitting,non Polluting,Mature Energy Sources.Hydro Power plants have been developed to almost full potential in developed countries because of their superior characteristics and many more are being constructed by developing countries like China and India.However Hydro Power like all other thins in life suffers from disadvantages as well.The failure of a Hydro Dam can result in massive losses of human life and cause widespread devastation.Large Dams have always been controversial leading to displacement of people and ecology.They have also been cited as the reason for earthquakes due to large land changes.Here is a list of the advantages and disadvantages of Hydro Power

Hydroelectric Energy Advantages

No Fuel Cost - Hydro Energy does not require any fuel like most other sources of energy.This is a huge advantage over other fossil fuels whose costs are increasing at a drastic rate every year.Electricity prices are increasingly rapidly in most parts of the world much faster than general inflation.Price shocks due to high fuel costs are a big risk with fossil fuel energy these days
Low Operating Costs and little Maintenance - Operating labor cost is also usually low, as plants are automated and have few personnel on site during normal operation.
Low Electricity Cost – The Electricity produced from Hydro Power is quite low making it very attractive to construct hydro plants.The payback period is estimated to be between 5-8 years for a normal hydro power plant.Hydro Plants also have long lives of between 50-100 years which means that they are extremely profitable
No Greenhouse Gas Emissions/Air Pollution – Hydroelectricity does not produce any GHG emissions or cause air pollution from the combustion of fossil fuels unlike coal,oil or gas.This makes them very attractive as a source of cheap,non carbon dioxide producing electricity.
Energy Storage – Pumped Hydro Storage is possible with most of the hydro power plants.This makes them ideal storage for wind and solar power which are intermittent in nature.Hydro Dams can be modified at low costs to allow pumped storage.
Small Size Possible - Hydroelectricity can be produced in almost any size from 1 MW to 10000 MW which makes it very versatile.Small Hydro Plants are being encouraged by government as they cause less ecological affects than large hydro plants.Even micro hydro plants are possible
Reliability - Hydro Power is much more reliable than wind and solar power though less than coal and nuclear as a baseload source of power.Hydroelectricity is more or less predictable much in advance though it can decrease in summer months when the water is low in the catchment areas.
High Load Factor - The Load Factor for Solar and Wind Energy ranges from 15-40% which is quite low compared to Fossil Fuel Energy.Hydroelectricity on the other hand has a load factor of almost 40-60% .
Long Life - Hydro Plants has a very long life of around 50- 100 years which is much longer than that of even Nuclear Power Plants.The long life implies that the lifecycle cost of a Hydel Power Plant becomes very low in the long term
Hydroelectric Energy DisAdvantages

1) Environmental, Dislocation and Tribal Rights - Large Dam construction especially in populated areas leads to massive Tribal Displacement,Loss of Livelihood and Religious Infringement as potentially sacred Land is occupied by the Government.

2) Wildlife and Fishes get Affected - The Fishes are the most affected species from Dam Construction as the normal flow of the river is completely changed form its river character to a lake one.Submergence of land also leads to ecological destruction of the habitat of land based wildlife.

3) Earthquake Vulnerability – Large Dam Construction has been linked to increased propensity of Earthquakes.Massive Earthquakes in China and Uttarakhand in India were linked to the building of Massive Dams in these countries

4) Siltation When water flows it has the ability to transport particles heavier than itself downstream. This has a negative effect on dams and subsequently their power stations, particularly those on rivers or within catchment areas with high siltation

5) Tail Risk,Dam Failure - Because large conventional dammed-hydro facilities hold back large volumes of water, a failure due to poor construction, terrorism, or other cause can be catastrophic to downriver settlements and infrastructure. Dam failures have been some of the largest man-made disasters in history.The Banqiao Dam Failure in Southern China directly resulted in the deaths of 26,000 people, and another 145,000 from epidemics.

6) Cannot be Built Anywhere - This disadvantage of Hdyro Energy is present with other forms of Energy as well.Some forms of Energy are just better suited to some places.For example you can’t build a nuclear plant on top of an earthquake prone region,you can’t build a wind farm near the Dead Sea etc.Hydro Energy can only be built in particular places though enough of those places exist globally

7) Long Gestation Time - The time to construct a large hydro power project can take between 5-10 years which leads to time and cost overruns.

When is it right to redevelop hydroelectric sites?

It is a question that many in the industry are familiar with. There are many concerns when developing renewable energy projects. The most important concern is the environmental impact. Ultimately, renewable energy's selling feature is that it provides greater environmental benefits than not doing it. In most scenarios, there are cost benefits to any new development. My feeling it that the redevelopment of already impacted areas provides an opportunity to maintain the existing impacts and the resulting adapted environment with the creation of renewed green energy production. Water is already the greatest form of renewable energy. Waterpower is commonly viewed as reliable, reactive and renewable. It has been described as a source of energy "more than renewable". I agree. So important to the energy mix is that hydro is used as the perfect and only large scale support system for the wind industry. Where we can dramatically curb the new environmental impacts and provide this source of energy, it is my feeling that we should take all means necessary to support the redevelopment and refurbishment of our heritage green energy assets.

Many of these sites are seen as too small, or too aged to attract large corporate investment. This has caused an environment of less than optimal usage of the flowing resource, and in some cases the abandonment and removal of these sites.

When we are promoting new renewable technologies, we need to also be supporting our proven suppliers and encourage their continuing operations. Support can come from local communities, government initiatives, school level education programs demonstrating its history and benefits, and supplying to an informative discussion so as to avoid broad generalizations on hydroelectric development that have tarnished the good.

Core Components of the Green Energy Act of Ontario

Ontario Green Energy Act

In 2006, Premier McGuinty set a precedent in North America by introducing the Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program - the most progressive green energy initiative in more than twenty years.

In that same year the Ontario Power Authority began work on the Integrated Power System Plan – a 20-year plan that will determine how Ontario’s electricity system will evolve.

A great start. But not enough to get us where we need to go.

We need the Ontario Green Energy Act to propel Ontario into a leadership position in renewable energy, to reduce our pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, to create meaningful jobs for Ontarians and to enhance community economic development for rural, remote and First Nations communities.

Ontario Bill 150, Green Energy and Green Economy Act, 2009

Bill 150 was tabled at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on February 23, 2009 and passed into law on May 14, 2009.

Official Liberal Party of Ontario Website for Ontario's Green Energy Act

Ontario's governing Liberal party has created a website providing explanation and information on their proposed Green Energy Act. Find it here.

Green Energy Act Introduction Testimonials - February 2009

Read what's being said about the tabling of the Green Energy Act by the Government of Ontario.

Green Energy Act Executive Summary

The Ontario Green Energy Act will make Ontario a global leader in the development of renewable energy, clean distributed energy and conservation - creating thousands of jobs, economic prosperity, energy security, and climate protection.

Proposed Green Energy Act

On December 10th at Queens Park in Toronto, a proposed draft of the Ontario green energy act was released titled: "An Act Granting Priority to Renewable Energy Sources to Manage Global Climate Change, Protect the Environment and Streamline Project Approvals". The draft will be under constant revision so please read it and send us your feedback.

Core Components of the Green Energy Act

The ten key points that define the goals of the Ontario Green Energy Act.

Sustainable energy unplugged: Making the connection

Getting connected to the electricity grid is proving a formidable problem for sustainable energy generators. A green energy act would oblige utilities to connect renewable energy.

Beyond the RESOP and the IPSP

Ontario’s Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program (RESOP) was the most progressive green energy initiative in North America for more than twenty years.

http://www.greenenergyact.ca/Page.asp?PageID=1224&SiteNodeID=202&BL_ExpandID=44

Ontario Waterpower Association's view

Renewable Energy

Waterpower: Ontario's primary source of renewable energy

Today, Ontario's waterpower resources comprise about 26% of the province's energy supply-with an installed capacity of 8,150 Megawatts. Nuclear power accounts for 41%, fossil fuels (coal, gas, oil) for 32%, and other renewables (wind, solar etc.) for 1%.

An Energy-efficient Source of Electricity

• The average facility converts energy to electric energy at a rate of between 75% and 95%.
• A typical waterpower generating facility has a long life cycle of between 75 and 100 years.
• The average energy payback ratio (energy required vs. energy produced) is by far the highest among all sources.
• Relative to other sources, the production of waterpower could be considered a form of energy conservation.

A Province Rich in Water Resources

• Ontario has more than 250,000 lakes and tens of thousands of kilometres of rivers and streams.
• About 50 systems support all of Ontario's waterpower production. Fewer than a dozen account for more than eighty percent.
• Niagara Falls comprises almost a quarter of the installed capacity.
• Waterpower facilities are located within 10 km of every major town and all cities in north-western Ontario.

Realizing the Potential for Clean, Renewable Waterpower

• An inventory of waterpower potential in Ontario identified 2,000 sites with basic hydraulic conditions (regularly flowing water and change in elevation) to produce waterpower energy.
• Just 200 sites have been developed in the last century.
• Distance to the transmission grid, other natural resource values, and the demand for renewable energy are important factors in realizing waterpower potential.

Sustainable Energy: an Asset for the Future

• Like other natural resources, Ontario's waterpower resources must be managed and developed to meet present needs and anticipate the requirements of future generations.
• The waterpower potential that remains in Ontario should be treated as an asset that can continue to contribute energy, now and in the future.
• Acknowledging and protecting this potential will increase our energy options for the future.

http://www.owa.ca/renew.html