AM I THE ONLY ONE?

                                                     Nelson Hydro economics 101!!!!

The Nelson city website for the solar garden states there is only one person against the project,  when I spoke with Mr. Love in October he again told me I was the only person.  Its because I worked with solar power for decades, it was competitive with flying fuel by helicopter to remote generators.   Thats still the only place it makes economic sense at our latitude and annual sunhours.  I know the economics.
    Nelson hydro dam makes power for 2c/kwh and sells for 10c/kWh so lets send 2c/kWh wholesale clean green water over the dam, forgo the 500% profit it brings to the city  for 50c/kWh feel good green solar power,  seems to make sense to our highest paid man in the city, manager of Nelson Hydro, Alex Love.  At the spring hydro budget meeting Mr. Love bragged Nelson hydro had exceeded 90GWh record power for 3 of the previous 5 years.  But excess power couldn't be sold, you can click on the link below and read the full article.

The 90 gigawatt hours the plant produced was the most in its 107-year history and resulted in a $500,000 windfall for the company, which is normally under contract to sell surplus power to BC Hydro Hydro at a fixed rate. Last year, however, BC Hydro also had a surplus of power and didn’t need any more

Last year Nelson’s plant ran at full capacity from the last week in April until the first week in August.  But could NOT sell any surplus to BC HYDRO!!!

The above  "it resulted in a $500,000 windfall for Nelson Hydro, however BC Hydro didn't  buy it?"     Not sure what to think, did we make $500,000 or pretend we did?  A lot like the solar garden,  pretending to be green.

The consulting engineers  report below shows during that same time, April through August, more than 80% of annual solar power is made.  Are we wasting water over the dam that brings huge profit to the city for this expensive  "green" solar power?  Sure looks like it to me!

For the remaining 7 months from the consultants report, the total solar power earned is about 13,000kWh,  the average canadian home uses 11,000kWh/year.   The solar garden makes little more than enough power for ONE average home for those 7 months!,? 


And the financial calculations are based on the Simulated computer (fantasy) annual power of 61MWh,  Why not use the computer fantasy numbers no one will ever know....


                                          THIS IS FROM THE CONSULTANTS REPORT
        note in the Star article  top line the cost at that time was $293,000, now its $186,000, :) :)

The project was pitched to city council as only $25,000 from Nelson hydro to get the project started and the remainder funded by those opting in, now we are all having our pocket picked.

I have asked Mr. Love twice why has this changed, he will not answer my questions, in fact he blocked all my emails to his staff saying I was wasting their and his time.
I also made a written request to appear before city council, that was turned down.


If you read the city website its saying there is only one person against the project, that would be me, Mr. Love clearly knows my position.  

Its time for everyone to understand what is happening here, our (your) pocket will be picked for this greenwashing project.   We have already had it picked for $50,000 in solar demonstration systems grants.

I have asked Mr. Love why all Nelson hydro customers are subsidizing this project, since he (you and I are) is paying full retail for that solar power.  No answer.

T
I asked Mr. Love under whose authority and why did this change?(I asked twice, city council received a copy of my requests)   He won't answer. Nobody answered.  I asked the mayor for the report she said she was writing after her, and Mr. Love and others went to Europe's ALPs energy institute and came back with visions of solar panels for Nelson.
I have requested that  twice and received nothing.  So much for open transparent government.

This all seems to have started when our mayor met our own Dr. of climate change I didn't know we had one,  but he introduced the mayor to his friends in Austria, they have also come here to talk about partnering in some climate initiatives of some sort.

Nakusp installed 50kW microhydro on their water intake, power for 30-40 homes,   Slocan city is pursuing microhydro to mitigate the lost income from their sawmill closure.

Nelson has a completed engineering report on the 5 mile water intake for microhydro showing it would pay for all necessary upgrades and make power for our grandchildrens children.

Whats going on with this solar garden?  Who is doing this to us?  Even using the fantasy figures for power made it won't make enough power for 5 average canadian homes annually.

My position with Mr. Love has always been the same, I an an unwilling participant.

Am I the only one???   

Statements from the contractor delivering the program she says

"everyone opting in will receive a credit year round on their hydro bill" (from you and I)
I told them long ago I thought that was deceptive, it didn't change.

"its not about a pressing need for power its about starting a movement" (I know what kind of movement I am thinking of), she said it would be power parity in 7 years and payback in 10, I asked for the calculations, no reply.

"A lot of other cities are watching Nelson's project"  who are they?

"we could offer some low interest financing to those who can't afford to participate"
I bet the line up of struggling single parent families will be around the block...
keep this up that might be half this city, its becoming unaffordable to all of us.

"some of our power comes from coal"  where and when? 

The plan is to double the solar garden to a 100kW project.........

Get the movement started, start building even more solar gardens and BC Hydro or maybe Fortis will be looking at that wasted water running over the dam and go after that extra water licence water.....after all they aren't stupid, and watching green clean water running over the dam making no power.....they won't let that keep happening.     

In December the data shows it makes the same power our dam makes for $16.

3 tons of solar panels, big as a soccer field, 3600 sqft.  covered in snow, will we send the electrical crew out in December every time it snows to hopefully make that $16?