Sometimes We Get Burned-Columbia Basin Trust

"Sometimes we get burned"

That comes from the Columbia Basin Trust gal (no longer with CBT but works in Nelson)  who put on the workshop    "How to apply for grants."

The engineer who filled out the application for the LiveSmart BC grant a couple years ago for $25,000 had just taken the workshop.   I have the FOI.   It was submitted at 3:57PM friday, it closed at 4pm.  Although the applicant was to have a track record of business success for over 2 years, they had one year?  The engineers office was in the building and his business installed the system on that roof.  The application was a work of art,  beautiful specification sheets for product, promises, who wouldn't give that money!  One cannot expect the grantors to be experts, and after all this was signed and submitted by a PEng.


The criteria, the project was to be a benefit to the community, replicable by all, and highly visible to the public.

The application said it would provide live streaming internet data so we could all see how the power was being made. After one year if all criteria were met the equipment belonged to the applicant.

I was in contact with LiveSmart and the Ministry of Environment pointing out that none of the criteria was met and the business was going broke, they were selling the equipment and keeping our money.

That business went broke, the building was purchased by technical people, involved in the city broadband initiative, they know the value of solar power.   The owner was offered the system at fire sale price, he told them to take it off his building.   Thats the story of the last solar demonstration system grant picking our pockets.  The grant recipient sold it and kept the money.

LiveSmartBC did nothing, they wanted to hide, it was a mistake and they didn't want it known.   When I contacted the Columbia Basin trust gal, pointing out what this grant workshop had done in this instance, she made the statement "sometimes we get burned".    This was one letter to the editor I wrote. .Energy Heroes to Energy Zeroes

Now the city is looking for a $60,000 grant from CBT for their community solar garden. If that comes through I would like it applied to the cost of the solar project to mitigate the costs to the rest of us ratepayers whose pockets are being picked once again for this "greenwashing".

At the moment it appears to be about reducing the buy in costs for those opting in.  When the project was first approved by city council it was to be only $25,000 from Nelson hydro ratepayers to get the project started and all future funding from those opting in, this was also submitted to the BCUC rate review, I have their letter from my complaint stating the same, only $25,000 from NH.

Nelson has already seen a SolarBC grant for a solar demonstration system,  the LiveSmartBC grant for the now missing solar system, the solar panel on the skatepark washroom in the trees, all adding up to over $50,000.   Now another possible $60,000 grant from CBT,  plus all ratepayers subsidizing this by paying full retail instead of making a profit from our 2c/kWh clean green water power.  And all future costs borne by Nelson hydro, if you are a Nelson hydro customer not living in the city, your pocket is being picked to!

 I have asked Mr. Love manager of Nelson hydro more than once,  "under whose authority and when did it change to all Nelson hydro customers paying?"   He won't answer.  At the spring Hydro budget meeting I complained to the mayor she said I wasn't going to pay anything.

There is no such thing as a "business case" for this solar garden.

If CBT offers this grant for $60,000, I am asking that it be used to mitigate the costs to all nelson hydro ratepayers, not the few buying in to the project.   I think we have seen enough money wasted in Nelson picking our pockets, we don't need another solar power demonstration system.

A municipal utility is supposed to do what is good for ALL ratepayers. I don't think this project fits that criteria..  I think CBT grants also must benefit the community, that will only happen if it is used to fund the project so my pocket and other ratepayers pockets aren't being picked, not to reduce the buy in costs for those who think this is green energy.