All posts by Roy Hales

Energy

BC’s Solar Capacity Is Doubling

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By Roy L Hales

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There are slow pockets, but most of British Columbia’s solar contractors are busier than ever before. Riverside Energy Systems, in Kamloops, is finding it difficult to keep up. Rob Baxter, of Vancouver Renewable Energy Co-operative, thinks we may have reached a tipping point, “more people want to support solar energy.” Alevtina Akbulatova, Net Metering Specialist with BC Hydro, said 90 projects were connected to the grid during 2014. She added, “There are already 99 this year and I could approve a few more by the end of the day.” Add in the 1 megawatt of capacity from SunMine, the province’s first utility scale solar project, and BC’s Solar capacity Is doubling.

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Environment

Time For BC To Withdraw From The NEB Process

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An interview with Larissa Stendie, author of Sierra Club BC report “Credibility Crises: Major Flaws Threaten Credibility Of NEB Assessment Process For Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline And Tankers Proposal.” She maintains the province’s interests are not being looked after in the proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline hearings and it is time for BC to withdraw from the NEB Process

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Energy

Does Ernst & Young’s LNG Report Vindicate BC?

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By Roy L Hales

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There are credible experts who believe that, with proper regulation and enforcement, it is possible to have a trustworthy fracking industry. They also say this does not yet exist in North America. Personally, I think the industry is out of control and BC’s government is desperate to get in bed with it. Last week the government released a report from Ernst & Young (EY) which the Minister of Natural Gas Development says “British Columbians can have confidence they are benefiting from a clean, well regulated natural gas industry.” Does Ernst & Young’s LNG report vindicate BC?

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Energy

Renewables Supplied 32.9% of the EU’s Electricity

By Roy L Hales

Screen-shot-2014-03-18-at-3.43.47-PM1Aside from the cold winter of 2012, Europe’s electric consumption has been declining the past five years. A combination of milder winters, advances in  energy efficiency and some industry  relocations have brought the numbers down. It is against this background that the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) point to the marked growth of  wind and solar energy. According to their report Electricity in Europe 2014, renewables supplied 32.9% of the EU’s electricity.

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Environment

The US Has More Oil Spills Than We Thought

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By Roy L Hales

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There are an average of 5 oil, or gas, incidents a week; more than 3 million gallons are spilled in the US spilled every year. The US has more oil spills than we thought and the number doubled after production increased six years ago.

(The numbers are worse in Canada, see the bottom of the page).

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