Ontario implements plan to promote renewables.

 

Today, I ran across this article titled

"It pays to make your own power in Ontario"
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-acanenergy28oct28,0,4220011.story?coll=sfla-news-nationworld

" Starting in November, the 90 or so local utilities throughout Ontario
will begin paying anyone producing solar power 42 cents a kilowatt
hour. Wind, hydro- or bio-electric production will bring 11 to 14.5
cents a kilowatt hour.

  In addition to getting paid for making electricity, homeowners and
businesses slash their own electricity draw from the grid, where power
sells at an average of about 5.8 cents a kilowatt hour across the
province. "


Ontario isn't the best place for solar.. but this is a very positive
step in the right direction.
And another government now comprehends that their dependency on fossil
fuels has severe consequences.

 

wrote:


Why would you be paid a differant rate based on how the power is made.
Is solar electricty of higher quality than wind, hydro or bio mass?
Doesnt make sense.
If ppl make their own power and sell it into the grid , why does it
matter how they make it.

 

Mauried wrote:

Yes, solar electricity is better than coal, oil or biomass in that
it doesn't produce pollution. It's better than wind and hydro because
it doesn't kill birds or fish.

If it wasn't better, would people pay more for it?

Anthony

 



  In the late 90s in California, Green Mountain and other green power brokers
asked rate payers if they would pay more for non-polluting power and many
said yes. More people signed up to pay about 20% more for clean electricity
than they had green power to supply. So many more were on the waiting list
that it should have caused more green power to go into production. But it did
not and I suspect it had more to do with the capital markets unwilling to fund
such investments than it did with market forces or those that were willing to
supply the market.

 



Indeed, exactly the same thing happened right where I live.
The local power company offered ppl a chance to pay more for "Green
Power" so that more investment in renewable power could be made.
The scheme was a total flop, in that simply insufficient ppl elected
to buy the higher priced electricity.
In a similar vein the Aus Govt started a scheme a few years ago to
provide substantial subsidies (up to $4000 per installation) for ppl
who elected to install solar power systems in their homes.
The scheme was ultimately abandoned due to lack of interest.

I also wonder about the "lack of pollution in solar systems."
The solar cells dont produce any after they are made , but making them
causes heaps, espacially making the aluminium for the frames (check
out the energy efficiency of aluminium smelters) , and making the lead
acid batteries that are needed at night time are anything but
pollution free.
Ever lived in a town with a Lead Smelter.