Friday 4 October 2019

Summerland Solar just one more example of misinformed and misguided public money wasted



This comes under the heading of we are all in it together.  All residents of BC are shareholders of BC Hydro whose legacy dams make power for 3.45c/kWh.

The Ken Davidson report "Zapped" tells the story of IPP waste caused by a previous government and policy that required BC Hydro to buy IPP power at full or more retail cost, particularly ROR (run of river) power that BC Hydro didn't need, it was all earned from spring runoff when every hydro reservoir and lake was overflowing and spilling.  Yet BCH was required to buy this ROR power at obscene full retail rates or more with inflation while spilling their legacy dam power made for around 3c/kWh.   These contracts will cost us billions in the next decades.


Summerland solar sold to the grid has the same value as the ROR IPP power, ZERO$$ and lost income from otherwise BCH legacy dam waterpower.



Tuesday 1 October 2019

Balfour Solar Scam no. 2




PUBLIC GRANT MONEY CREATES DECEPTIVE PUBLIC INFORMATION!!!!!!

Same deception and waste occurrs with the Balfour golf clubhouse public data, all of this
I have presented to mayors, councilors, RDCK directors and others, the data is deceptive
it shows power made by the 40kW installed and yet shows 24.8kW installed.  Anyone reading
this and using the information for their calculations will be DECEIVED!  But although they have 38% more installed, its not working much better than a properly oriented south facing system with proper equipment.  More on that another time.

Nelson hydro's own bylaw says the maximum size of a solar system is 25kW without
special consideration from the Nelson hydro manager.

Also it states anyone's excess power will be purchased will only be purchased with the authorization of the Nelson hydro manager and if there is an economic benefit to Nelson hydro.

All of this and more I have presented to regional district directors, mayors and councilors past and present.   I also spoke in person with the Nelson hydro manager with the regional director for
Balfour present.   In my opinion the hydro manager is unethical and the director knows nothing.

The Balfour Golf Clubhouse is misrepresenting the public on line data, which no longer appears as of May2019, I have asked the regional directors involved why the data is no longer being shown, with no response.

There were two bids from Alberta solar companies to install the system, one stated in their bid
the size was limited to under 25kW to meet the Nelson hydro bylaw maximum.

The accepted bid installed 40kW of solar , exceeding the Nelson hydro bylaw maximum size!

Install price likely over $4/watt or $160,000 although its difficult to get real numbers from the available financials.

Nelson hydro pays FULL retail for their excess solar, most earned in summer when we don't need it, our dam and every one in the Pacific Northwest is filling and overflowing from spring runoff into high summer water levels when most  annual solar power is earned.

This credit is then cashed in during winter when solar is negligible and Nelson hydro is buying excess power from Fortis at 5 times the rate of their own generation.   Buy High, Sell Low.

Public grant money installs these systems, Nelson hydro customers pay full retail for this feelgood warm fuzzy feeling philosophical power while cleaner greener water that would make that power and profits spills down the river.

The same deception for the public on line data occurrs here as for the Balfour Community Hall


The Nelson hydro bylaw says no systems larger than 25kW and they won't buy anyone's power unless it makes economic sense for Nelson hydro.

How curious!  They show 24.8kW installed when actually 40 kW is installed exceeding the bylaw!

I spoke directly at a public budget meeting with the manager of Nelson Hydro Alex Love, standing beside him the regional director Ramona Faust and brought this up and asked why we were paying full retail for their excess power.   Alex Love looked at me and motioned to Ramona Faust as he said "ask her".  She said to me "you just don't like solar".  (we have had conversations and emails before).
I replied not true, I just don't like public money wasted.

I can't do this alone, nobody does anything, this is just one of many items I know about, my intention is to help with knowledge and information.   

How about someone standing up and helping?  Its your tax dollars (grants are not free money) its your Nelson hydro bill subsidizing this feelgood philosphical greenwashing wasting your money.
There will be more CBT funding for more public feelgood solar systems I can't stop anything.


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