SD 10 Solar Saves School District Money

                                     


  Last count over 60 schools have solar systems, millions of education dollars wasted.

               Was the cost of the above assessment and rehab included in the solar cost?  What will it cost when the roof starts leaking, or has this already happened? Nobody will be on that roof cleaning the snow, where would it go, why bother in winter power won't be worth pennies if anything.



 In 2014, an extensive Solar Engineering Study grant examined solar energy potential and savings on all district schools. 

 Curiously in March 2018 SD 58
Trustees made it clear they would not pursue solar any further it was not economically feasible.


SD10 info on the other hand says an  extensive study "grant" showed schools would save money.

The Study was done by Home Energy Solutions,  HES PV, the same company who sold the solar panels.  Haida Gwaii school district also received $100,000 for solar, I believe they might be the least sunny place on the planet..

Mary Polak (the Min. of Ed.)  states schools will save money that can be redirected. Ha!

Some info highlighted below excerpted from various public media locations.

A little difficult to understand for most, I have tried to condense it below.

Below info comes from the CNCP grant info

• NES and Lucerne were selected as the two initial projects based on recommendations, manageable costs and also payback as identified in our 2014 CNCP Solar Engineering Study
• NES – Total project cost: $25,453; grant request $12,726; district cost $12,727; cost savings annually – $2670
• Lucerne – Total project cost: $74,200; grant request $37.100; district cost $37,100; cost savings annually – $6940
• District costs have been budgeted to come from our AFG (Annual Facilities Grant) budget

Below from the superintendents report 

1. Solar Energy Interim Report  Rhys McLeod, Grade 11 student from NSS, has just completed some preliminary data analysis on the solar energy systems at NES and Lucerne  Rhys will present tonight on his preliminary findings and report in full next spring once a year’s worth of data has been tracked  Likewise, Scott Kipkie’s Grade 7/8/9 Math class has also done some preliminary data tracking, and found that on average since December, the system has produced 68.29 kWh per day – this number will increase as the days approach the solstice (sine curve)  On a number of days in the past few weeks, the Grade 7/8/9 class have observed that the Frontius daily monitoring system indicates production of electricity over 200 kWh which is equivalent to the energy needed to run 10-20 households

The specs below from an arrowlakes news item 

In total, 48 solar panels were installed at NES, and 132 at Lucerne. Each panel can generate around 265 watts. This will generate about 15,000 kilowatt hours of solar energy for NES and about 35,000 for Lucerne. This is the equivalent of about six homes.

The info below from an engineers audit on performance after about a year

 In 2016, the Lucerne system produced 32.05 MWh of electricity – 84% of the predicted 38.16 MWh. The Nakusp Elementary system produced 13.360 MWh of electricity in 2016, which is 97.1% of the amount predicted (13.766 MWh). The company calculated the average amount of electricity used at the schools over four years and used that number as a reference point. At LESS in 2016, electrical consumption was 74.7% of the fourSolar study results for Lucerne and Nakusp Elementary year average. At NES, it was 73.1% of the four-year average. The Lucerne system cost $66,016 to install, and savings were $3,205 in 2016. The NES system cost $41,076 to install, and savings were $1,336 in 2016. 

The estimate shows both system would be installed for $2.12/watt.

The audit engineer shows  NES cost installed for $3.47/watt

and Lucerne for $1.88/watt.  Extremely unlikely these could be installed for less than $3/watt even suggesting free student labor.  That suggest costs of $150,000, they claim both systems went in for $100,000.  Then there was the engineer cost to survey the roof structure to determine whether they could handle the weights.  The recent large Kelowna system that was denied by the BC Utilities Commission recently because it was of no benefit to anyone, increased GHG's and costs were borne by ratepayers estimated $4/watt installed.  The Nelson solar garden almost $6/watt installed.

The study estimated the power saving would be worth $9610, the audit says it was $4495 less than half the study??!

 Might this have anything to do with the extensive study done by the engineer whose company got the grant to do this extensive study and then  sold these systems?  Even 3 years later Merrit school district shelved any solar system thoughts because of cost.

Elsewhere you can read systems cost at   $149,480 thats a little over $3/watt, getting closer to realistic.

So where did these extra funds come from, what student activities suffered?

From $14M in a Carbon Neutral Capital Program  Arrow Lakes SD receives a grant for $99,653.

(Haida Gwaii SD is mentioned in this same Grant literature as receiving $100,000 for solar, I think they are tied as the least sunny place in the world, did the study show them making money too?)

 SD 10 matched this with $49,827, total $149,480 for the NES and Lucerne schools.

Over 60 schools now have millions in solar power systems.

Public money competing with BC Hydro selling clean green water for a profit.

Why would public money, in public buildings put power systems in that remove income

from publicly owned BC Hydro??  And increase the province's carbon footprint.

Nothing is cleaner or greener than our own waterpower, nothing.

The BCUC denial of the Kelowna project stated it had no benefit to anyone nor did it

decrease GHG's.

I find it very difficult to believe their costs there are too many different ones.

There will never be a payback, public money paid for these systems to make power otherwise could have been earned by clean green waterpower by  our public BC Hydro, now lost income. How can this make sense?  Ministry of Education public funds/grants pay for solar systems that avoid the income otherwise earned by our public BC Hydro and add to the provincial carbon footprint.  This is sort of paying the Visa with the Mastercard, or worse, losing income otherwise earned from clean green waterpower now  spilling down the river with the profits while the toothfairy pays for these fantasy power systems.


Who did this extensive study for the Ministry of Education saying solar systems would save money for schools?  It appears to be the Ed Knaggs, PEng, President of HES PV who also sold the systems.
Seems like a conflict of interest to me. 



My information is the company is HES PV  Home Energy Solutions, pictured above.

He sells electric vehicle charging stations out of his location in a mini industrial area of Victoria.

His EV charger was paid for by grant money from the Fraser Basin Council.   I made a FOI(Freedom of Information) request for that application.  Because they aren't directly government they didn't have to supply.  They did supply a blank application.  That  states criteria for an EV charging station  must be near shopping, dining, accommodation, highways etc.,   His location is out of the way in a mini industrial area of Victoria.

    His EV charging station installed from public grant money with the EV  business vehicle and advertising in front of the business.  Surrounded by warehouses, storage facilities, body shops, hardly available or desirable for the travelling EV public to stop by.

The association of professional engineers have a code of ethics.  What do you think?

This person with a Ministry of Education grant did an "extensive study" showing schools would save money with solar.  Yet a few years later Merritt SD shelves any idea of solar saying its uneconomic.
.

We have lots of public data from school solar systems I ahve shown some below.

Lets compare several BC school solar systems, I chose ones in place for several years making

for the longest average data cycle information which represents long term performance.

Although these were installed many years ago when prices were much higher I have reduced them

to all being installed for todays price of $4/watt, Power valued at BC Hydro solar rate 9.9c/kWh.

And money cost of 3.5% over 25 years.

These are the results below, all lose money.

All this data is publicly available on the internet and has been for years.

School solar system sizes vary I have reduced these numbers below to the loss/kWh/yr for each.

NOBODY IS MAKING A PROFIT OR SAVING MONEY AT ANY SCHOOL.

Location                                                      Loss per kw of installed solar 

Penticton High                                                          $151 x 102kW = ($15402/yr)

North Glenmore Elem Kelowna                                 138

Shannon Lake Elem Kelowna                                    157

Reynolds Secondary Victoria                                     159

Admiral Seymour Vancouver                                     134

Oak Bay High                                                             158

Dover Bay Nanaimo                                                   150

GISS Saltspring                                                          129
LVR high school Nelson                                            148

Nakusp/Lucerne combined                                         149  x 49kW = ($7301/yr)

And Mary Polak, Min. of Education news release stated "after an extensive study" it was shown

schools would save money with solar systems.  BS.

Fortunatly the house of cards is tumbling.  The BC Utilities commission this spring denied a solar project for Kelowna stating it was of no benefit to anyone and no benefit to reducing GHG.  The BCOAPO(pensioners) submission also stated it did not decrease GHG's and all costs were borne by ratepayers.

Fortis said it best "it will be a challenge when the public begin to discover the economics of solar"

BC Hydro applied to the BCUC this spring effective immediatly to no longer pay for anyone's exces solar power.  What was once a harmless feelgood political trickle is becoming an unaffordable flood.

Vancouver Renewable Energy Co-op, something isn't right.

UPDATE  I notice I have been blocked from posting on the VREC facebook page.  Truth must be censored no one would buy solar in BC if they knew what they were doing.

 I keep asking the principle of this vertically integrated solar sales venture where the money for the dividends paid are coming from,  I get no answers, the last one "a childrens story" attempts to explain their program. This is my adult story, I keep asking where is the income that's paying the dividends coming from, its not from the solar system.  Dividends are profits distributed to shareholders, whats missing?

The only people coming out ahead here is the Vancouver Renewable Energy Coop(business) that sells and installs solar systems.

 http://solshare.ca/

http://solshare.ca/2016/04/07/sharing-solar-is-fun-a-childrens-story/

SolShare’s first investors are being brought on through the B.C. Securities Commission’s family, friends, and business associates exemption from filing a prospectus.

This story attempts to explain the solar system economics inserting the word firewood instead of electricity, solar power seems to create loss of common sense in otherwise intelligent people.

Using their their 23kW, $69,000 solar system for example, historical long term Vancouver solar data shows solar systems if everything is perfect might earn 900kWh/kw of solar panels/yr. Their 23kW of solar panels could make about 20,000kWh/yr.

An adult story:  (in contrast to their "a children's story")  

A group (VREC) a business selling solar systems, the word co-op might suggest something non profit, its really Rob Baxter pictured who sells solar systems, gets together because they don’t like BCHydro firewood, they think they can deliver better wood.   They form a public share offering as SolShare.ca 

 A housing co-op was getting firewood from BCHydro cut and delivered with clean green hydro power for $1600/yr.  (BChydro @ .08c/kWh x 20000kWh/yr solar power).  VREC said they could get better firewood (free sunpower) for less money, 3.1% annualized returns increasing to 4%.  Just put up $69,000 to buy a diesel pickup, gas and oil and chainsaws.(solar system). Loan payments $4800/yr.

The money was raised and the housing co-op agreed to pay a premium  for this firewood (14c/kWh instead of 8c/kWh, 75% more) making the firewood cost now $2800/yr (premium paid for solar power)

New annual firewood costs, $4800(loan) + $2800(premium solar rate of 14c) - $1600(BCH power replaced) = $6000, $4400 more than BCHydro firewood. Almost 3 times as much for firewood!

Dirty firewood, (solar isn't  (green energy), in BC)  the non renewable energy to mine and manufacture plus toxic chemicals involved to make their diesel truck, oil gas and and chainsaws(solar panels) and all non renewable to transport their firewood (solar panels from China) creates far more carbon than their previous clean green water power cut and delivered firewood from BC Hydro.  

They now pay $4400 more for their firewood yet dividends are being paid?  They say 3.1% increasing to 4%, from what?  The definition of dividends is "profits distributed to shareholders".   There are NO profits!   The prospectus clearly states "this is a risky investment and one could lose all their money".  It also fly's under the cover of the BC Securities Commission as exempt from filing a prospectus.   The vertical integration of the  principals who put this plan together and make the profits is hardly arms length, Vancouver Renewable Energy Co-op is a business.  SolShares is put together by these same people.  There never was a chance of income from the solar power.  Something is missing here, what is it?

BullFrog Power comes to mind, is it that money providing this mysterious income to pay dividends?  I did see their name in some article associated to these people.  Did they subsidize this?

Someone wrote Bullfrog Power is like selling tap water for bottled water prices.  They put money into renewable projects like this, and then get to sell the power once again to other misinformed and misguided people who think they are buying green energy...a double collection for the same "dirty" solar power?  They are similar to those charities we hear about, where maybe 10% gets to the charity, these Bay Street boys from Toronto started in Ontario when that government was paying people 8 times as much for solar power, which was necessary to achieve a  payback, Ontario is now backing off its costing everyone too much, Germany is in the same boat.  Germany the golden boy of solar in the world, not at all what we think.  Nevada, where the sun does shine is reneging on expensive solar subsidies

Historical long term solar power for Vancouver suggests maybe 900kWh/kw of solar panels/yr.  Making the 23,000kW solar system making $2000 annually.   Inverters life expectancy 10-12 years, typically 25% of original cost, add in maybe $20,000 at year 10.  Under performing solar panels, defective equipment cleaning of solar panels,  maintenance the list goes on.  Insurance premiums, in some jurisdictions firefighters will only contain fires that have solar systems on the roof, firefighters cannot be assured the power will be off and won't chance electrocution hazards.  After 10 years solar power earned might be $20,000.  $69,000 with the magic of compound interest in 10 years will be $96,000.  If the solar panels last 20 years they might be making at best 80% power or $1600/yr in todays dollars, invested $135,000, and BC's carbon footprint will have increased instead of decreased!  I am not anti-renewable, I am tired of watching the public pocket being picked for something that won't help us in BC.

I have worked with solar power for 30 years, where it belongs.  Off grid where its the economic choice, either because bringing grid power in is more expensive, or grid power is not available.  I wish solar worked, I know it intimatley.   If and when solar ever becomes viable in BC we will all know it, we won't need these solar salesmen to put together their fantasy solar projects that keep picking everyone's pocket for their benefit.  I am about education.  The solar industry propaganda machine is extremely powerful, solar isn't understood and its very difficult for anyone to understand the reality of solar as it applies to us in BC.  I am trying to educate and stop my pocket from continuously being picked by people who don't understand.
SolShares is just another example of picking people's pockets who don't understand.

BCHydro will continue to deliver clean green firewood for the next century, night day, rain, snow or sleet and Site C has to be built if future projections for power are to be met.   Solar firewood--- good at best for 25 years, then junk toxic solar panels, and power only available when we are at the beach, the only time solar is available.  All the solar in BC won't help us in winter, the dark, rain, snow, etc.,  Nor will it avoid the future cost increases when most power is consumed, in winter and at night.  And it won't reduce infrastructure cost because its distributed power (the concept where we don't need the big transmission lines from our big dams.....solar only adds to distribution infrastructure to bring us the conventional firm real power we all need the 90% of the time solar does nothing!!)

This isn't Robin Hood, this is a wolf in sheep's clothing.


The emperor has no clothes.......

Solar Housing co-op                 VREC

VREC/SolShares show a sample of an on line system they installed in Richmond, but the data isn't public.  

There are thousands of solar systems showing public data here is one from a SolarBC grant that put solar systems on high schools all over the province. 

You can find the McNair High School on line public data,  doing the calculations this has earned tops 900kWh annually per kw of solar panels.  Its 4.5kW (4500 watts) of solar panels installed February 2012.  Total power earned to date 16.3MWh or about 4kWh annually.   Typical installs today $4 per kW their 4500 watts of solar panels in todays dollars an installation of probably $18,000 or more.  Annual power it earned at BC Hydro residential rates about $320 dollars annually.  Borrowed dollars at 3.5% over 20 years $1250/yr to make at best $320 in power virtually nothing in winter?   This is typical of any solar system in the Vancouver area, so how is SolShares paying dividends on the community solar system????  There are no profits to distribute as dividends!   Bullfrog power must be the money they are distributing as pretend income, and Bullfrog resells this fantasy solar power again to others who think they are buying "green" power.   Solar panels might last 25 years earning less power every year as they age.  Insurance companies are beginning to see the hazard, roof leaks, fires etc.  In some jurisdictions firefighters will only contains fires from spreading from a building with solar panels because they cannot be sure the power is turned off, creating bigger insurance premiums.  

VANCOUVER RENEWABLE ENERGY CO-OP

BEware,  the term Co-op isn't what you think it is, its a co-operative of workers all involved in selling and making a profit from the sale of solar systems, a little deceptive I would say.

 Paying dividends?  There first big system I have read they claim 5% returns annually, another article says 3.3% returns? Which is it?

Figures don't lie and Liars don't figure.

BCHydro pays 9.9c/kWh for solar,  this "co-op" somehow has convinced the building owners to pay a premium of 14c/kWh for solar power.  They suggest annual power made might be 25,000kWh.

The cost of money $69,000 at bank rates is over $4000 annually.

They will be lucky to make 23,000kWh, consider any extra a bonus, solar panels age and make less every year.

They will be lucky to make $3300 annually, less than the cost of money, where do the dividends come from?  There can be no dividends if there is no income!

 BC Hydro pays on the anniversary date of installation for any power that might get to the grid, that means no return on the money spent to install the system, free money for BC Hydro, and the lost opportunity to earn investment income this money would otherwise earn.  $69,000 simple interest invested for 5% in one year makes $3500.  This compounds annually, at the end of 20 years they would have $187,000.

In 20 years their solar panels will likely be toxic junk and have lost them money every year for power that isn't green.


The SolShares prospectus has it correct  this is a risky investment "you could lose all your money"!

The Principals involved in the "not for profit" VREC are the same principals whose company sells the equipment?  A little too vertically integrated.

My aim is tell the other side of the solar power story for BC that continues to pick the public's pocket and others for solar that cannot help us, and isn't green power.   The bleed of public money into solar projects in BC has to stop and be spent where society can benefit, microhydro  is the only thing I see that makes sense for my grandchildrens future.   All these expensive worn out useless solar panels in 20 years will be headed for the toxic landfill dump, while microhydro projects will make power into the next century and beyond.

There has to be someone subsidizing this Vancouver "coOP"  profit system for their feel good but misinformed dirty "green" power.

So far I cannot find the audited information they keep telling me is available.  Bullfrog Power might be the other part of this story.  Someone wrote about Bullfrog Power "it's like selling tap water for bottled water prices".
What does Bullfrog power get?  Their angle is to resell this pretend "green" solar power for premium prices to whomever thinks they are helping to save the planet.  They say they return funds for other renewable energy projects,  that would be after they pay all their Toronto Bay Street executives.  Toronto City Hall was connected to someone at Bullfrog somehow and paid something like another Million dollars for their "green" bullfrog power.   Next year I believe that connection was gone, the Toronto CFO was asked will the city renew their contract for Bullfrog Power?  The CFO stated "IT WON'T SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY!!!"

Dirty Power

I love reading the Valley Voice, if ever there was controversy, the Slocan valley is the center of the universe.

One of my letters to the editor, hopefully its published in the next edition

                               Solar Power in BC is  DIRTY POWER

           

Solar power in BC isn’t “green”, google- “Give Yourself a Big Green Hug”.  

SD10 received their solar system money from the Carbon Neutral Capital Planning grant the website states: carbon neutrality is about achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, yet solar panels in BC increase green house gases adding to our carbon footprint!

Andy Shadrack extolls on the virtue of his solar system, panels bought from China, likely made from Fernie coal mined with diesel equipment, onto diesel trains, then bunker oil powered ships, to burn in chinese power plants heating ores mined by diesel to over 3000 degrees, polluting chinese childrens air and returned via all the same non renewables to make no power when we need it, winter.  Studies show the non renewable energy required to make solar panels won’t be returned in their lifetime, that could certainly be true at our latitude and annual sunshine.

Did anyone understand Mr. Shadrack’s  economic justification for his solar system in his letter?  I didn’t.

                               Here are the real calculations.

 

Mr. Shadrack says his  2.4kW - $22,000 solar system saves money?

Years of  solar data for sunshine in the West Kootenays  says 1kW of solar panels might make 1kWh of power annually.  Almost all of it in summer when nobody needs it.

His 2.4kW of solar panels x 1kWh/kw/yr= 2400kWh annually.

He pays Fortis  9.8c/kWh,  he will save 2400kWh x 9.8c/kWh=$235 annually.

His $22,000 system at 3.5% for 20 years is $1540 annually.   $1540 to save $235 is saving money?   He says it will create jobs,  if his system lasts 20 years, it likely took a couple man days to instal his chinese solar panels, hardly a job  creation program!  He is paying 6 times as much for his dirty solar power than if he did nothing.  If it was his cash, conservative investments are making better than 6% these past years.  $22,000 at 6% with the magic of compounding interest will be over $75,000 in 20 years.   In 20 years Mr. Shadrack will have toxic solar panel junk, and have paid 6 times more for his dirty solar power that increases BC’s carbon footprint and have no money to buy the next set of panels to make dirty power. 

Those of you in Nakusp and New Denver, look at your school solar panels, each one from November through February might make 50 cents worth of power, about 12 cents per  month!! There is public data on the internet at “enphase public systems”.  Zoom into Nakusp, the 48 panel commercial system is the one on the school.  The data shows for December and January it might have made $5 each month.  Its time to stop picking the public pocket for something that can’t help us.  The Nakusp $150,000 microhydro on their city water system makes $100/day and will for the next century or more.  The NSS ($112,000)and Lucerne ($38,180)solar panels about the same cost, might make $12 a day  and last maybe 25 years and become toxic junk.  

Nelson is picking my pocket for their community solar garden. I asked the hydro manager at the budget meeting what makes solar power green, his reply -“nobody said it was green”.

This Nelson solar garden is likely the most absurd greenwashing project on the planet.

 A city  with its own hydro dam, our printing press, our money machine, saving 36% on our taxes.  Water power made for 2c and sold for 10c.  It’s a phoney political stunt that lets the misinformed buy in at some token price that everyone else subsidizes.

SD8 is one of the biggest purchasers of 10 solar panels in the community solar garden.  Maybe they could fund the cities spring pothole patching budget too?  One of SD8’s $1000(subsidized) solar panels will in a year make the power our dam makes for $5.

I thought schools were broke.  The SD8 manager says it will reduce emissions and give administration an idea of how to cut costs and be energy efficient.  The years of data from their $25,000 grant high school solar demonstration system doesn’t tell them?

When will this waste stop?

Max Yanke

Electronics Supv. (ret’d)

Nelson

LET THEM EAT CAKE

                                               

                                                             

"Let them eat cake" supposedly spoken by Queen Marie Antoinette upon learning that the peasants had no bread.  

The Eco Save Coordinator stated charities and others less fortunate might be able to participate in the Nelson Community Solar Garden, the city could provide low or no interest loans.   

They might see an annual credit of $20, but their loan repayment to the city would be over $65/yr. ($923/panel plus $100 admin fee and taxes about "$1100/panel at 3.5% for 20 yrs = $66/yr payments to make $25? and they were told they will get their money back?

I have to wonder how long that line up for charities and those less fortunate to participate was, and its not even "green" power, although I think that was the perception.  But then this project has never been anything but deceptive.

Another stunning piece of brilliance from the EcoSave Coordinator ($79,000) contractor at the Oso Negro coffee shop community meeting was her questionairre.

Should the solar panels be placed where everyone can see them or where they make most power?

Choices were -Strongly agree to strongly disagree,   59% stated they should go where they make the most power......the other 41% thought the solar panels should go where everyone can see them.   

My response, "put them on the front of city hall, even though it faces North they are worthless regardless of location".  

The minutes were kept regarding the oral part of the public meeting at the Oso  coffee shop, all negative comments didn't show up in the minutes. 

Who pays for their $25 year contract for the power from a panel?  Nelson hydro customes and themselves as hydro customers paying full retail for this solar power when they should be receiving the income form our own greener cleaner waterpower now spilling down the river.

Why aren't we pursuing our real opportunities like microhydro, clean green, dependable power.

The city has several microhydro projects identified, clean green water power, good for the next hundred years and beyond, like our own hydro dam, why solar panels that might not last 20 years and only work when we are at the beach!(when annual sun power is greatest)

City council visited Nakusp, they installed a 50kW microhydro plant on their city water intake, its clean green power, 24/7/365 for the next century or more, for $150,000,  Power for 40 homes.

Nelson? Solar panels, power for maybe 4 average homes, less than one in winter, good for maybe 20 years for likely in excess of $300,000, and we have microhydro projects identified!   City council visited the Naksup system, how did we end up with solar panels?

The Emperor has NO Clothes!

                                               Mayor and city council           NCSG

GIVE THE MONEY BACK TO EDUCATION

UPDATE Mar. 2018 SD 58, somebody finally gets it   it was deemed that the project didn’t make sense from an economic point of view.


The school district bought 10 of the Nelson Community Solar Garden solar panels.   One for each school so the students could watch the data and learn from it, huh?  The high school already had a solar demonstration system with public data on the internet to learn from.  Attending a school board trusteed and admin meeting the question was asked did they know they already had a solar system at LVR,  nobody knew except Larry Brown their operations manager who wrote in the local paper this is the first solar project that makes economic sense?  Hello?

Reading the city project information the following statement: "A non-­‐refundable deposit of $500 per
panel will be collected"  I ask the city return all monies to the school district!!!



The engineers data is unsupportable by years of real Nelson solar data, its from a swiss computer modeling program.

Using the LVR High school solar system $25,000 grant demonstration system public data, more realistic, its actually less.  (this High school solar system isn't enough, the SD8 has to spend more money on solar?)

From November through February and I won't go through the math.

The LVR High School  data shows each SD8 solar panel might average for those 4 months what our dam makes for

10c/month.

Do you want the city to return these education dollars?  SD8 bought 10 of these panels for $900 each,  plus $100 admin and taxes about $1100 each

contact city council

send a message to mayor and all councilors here


Why would public dollars fund solar systems that can't compete with clean green waterpower we make a huge profit from helping to pay for city projects and reduce taxes.

Ministry of education funds should be spent for student activities not greenwashing BS.


If there ever was a phony green washing project, there isn't likely one more absurd than this, a city with its own hydro dam, the only one in western canada, reducing our taxes by 36%.

NOW THEY ARE STEALING EDUCATION FUNDS

               SD8 has been fooled into thinking the Nelson solar Garden is a Worthwhile project, its pure politics and now its stealing education funds.  You should be MAD!! Its one thing to fool the public, who are well meaning putting up their $900 or so ($1500?) thinking they are helping the planet and climate change, but to take education money.  This just hurts people.  I am not anti-renewable, but this project is nothing but a political feel good stunt wasting money and it has no value for Nelson.  So those of you reading this who bought a solar panel, thinking this was a green project, its not, and your $900 ($1500), for your panel, in one year makes the power our dam makes for $5.  I keep showing $1500, $900 is because grants are just picking our other pocket, everyone is told this project is paid for by those opting in, its not, we will have to see how much more when its over, but one would think selling the first project of 200 panels would be enough, now they are selling the second solar garden's panels.
Knowing solar like I do, I am trying to educate, solar isn't what we all want it to be.

Nelson,- BC's only city with its own hydro dam, our printing press, our money machine, it reduces our taxes by 36% and pays for city services,  the only city in western Canada with this jewel.  The last city that should even think of spending public money on solar power and they are?  Every Nelson hydro customer is paying for this waste and now education dollars are paying!!!

The school board is buying 10 solar panels, cost? around $900 ea. not the real cost, I don't think anyone knows what that will be yet, ($1500)there are hidden costs picking our pockets.

I estimate behind that curtain real panel costs will likely be around $1500 per panel.

Below are the numbers from years of known solar data and I have worked with solar power for decades.
They say this will help them decide if solar has value, we already know from over $50,000 in public grants for solar systems in Nelson, years of data, this has to be done again!

The Nelson area averages about 1000 kWh/kw/yr solar power. 

The solar garden project is 50 kW from 200 panels, each panel 250 watts or .25kW.

Our dam makes clean green water power for 2c/kWh.

1000 kWh/kw/yr of solar panel x .25kW(one panel)x.02c/kWh=$5.

Therefore one school board panel at $900($1500) in a year makes the power our dam makes for $5. And costs us all the profit it would sell for $25.

For a solar panel power to be considered "green" power it must first return all the non renewable energy required to make it, this is Nelson, not Arizona, it can take years.

UPDATE:  AT this evenings city budget meeting 2016/02/18  I asked Alex Love manager of Nelson Hydro what makes the solar garden green, his reply "its isn't green, no one said it was green"????  And all this time I thought people were throwing their money at this loser because it was green??  So why would anyone throw away their money at this project when Carmen Proctor says its not about a need for power,  what is it??  In one year that 50 kW of solar panels, 10 tons, over a soccer field only makes the same power our dam makes for $700, its a $300,000 project that won't last 20 years? $300,000 at 3% for 20 years is $19,956/yr?  From November through February not enough power for one average home's annual power consumption.

Yet Carmen Proctor  the city contractor ($70,000) to deliver this program, states more than once 

Those buying in are doing their part for the environment by using green energy!!!!!!!!!!!


  Nelson Hydro is doing really great work bringing green energy options to Nelson

And a multitude of other media  inserts using the word Green.??  Confused?

The only way solar power could be called "green" is if it avoids the burning of some non renewable fuel such as coal in some unknown power plant burning coal.  I know of NO such power entering BC midday when solar power is made.  This solar garden power is not "GREEN"  its the opposite.

If solar power could make its way onto the grid trying to find some coal being burned and save it from being burned that would require all of Nelson Hydro's excess water power to be sold first.  Surely no one would pretend solar garden power is greener than our own water spilling over the dam doing nothing.

If any solar power did get to the grid BC Hydro who buys 90% of our excess power pays $.007/kWh. One year of one solar panel power .25 kWh  x $.007/kWh =  $1.75

There are many other variables too complex to include, one would need to know daily and hourly amounts of power sold or purchased etc.

Do you think education dollars should be spent on this project?  Nelson has already seen over $50,000 in solar demonstration grants.  The high school has had one of these for years, that data isn't useful?  

                                               Your power bill is going up 3.8% this year

If you think this is a waste of education dollars let the city council know. If you don't know what to think ask them to confirm or deny what I am showing.

  
Ask them the real total cost per panel I don't think they even know, if not there should be a way to assess those who want to feel green by making them pay for any future unknown costs so we are left out of this.
Who will pay for all future costs, it should not be Nelson hydro customers.

They want you to pay full retail for this solar power, that is a subsidy from everyone who could be buying the cities 2 cent power and bringing the city a profit when its sold for 10 cents.

Every single solar panel hooked into Nelson hydro anywhere is lost income to the city that would have otherwise come from selling cheap green water power.  Who gives city council this advice?

Ask them to tell you the real costs, all the costs present and future for this solar garden, its supposed to be funded by those opting in so they can feel green, I am not willing to fund their warm fuzzy feeling.  
 NO education funds should be spent on this political feel good waste.

Tell  them to give the money back to the kids for education, bus trips, supplies, sports not this city councils feel good political points winning green washing.    Are you mad? 

Let city council know no education dollars should be wasted click here.

If  you bought a panel thinking it was going to reduce emissions and be green, ask for your money back.

Ask them why they don't pursue something that will work for our grandchildrens children, at night in winter, rain, snow, dependable real power, microhydro,  not solar that only works when we are at the beach and don't need it.

The city water pressure reducing station just installed on Hall street has ready connections for microhydro, it will make power for the next century like our dam, reduce water pressure at the same time, and work at night and winter when we need power, why isn't this being pursued?

The Five Mile city water intake also has a completed engineering study for microhydro showing it would pay for the necessary upgrades and make power for the next century or more like our dam has, why are we wasting money on solar? Could it have anything to do with appearances?  Fooling everyone into thinking Nelson is green?

I remain an unwilling participant, as I have always told city council and the hydro manager.

When solar becomes viable we will all know it, no more bleeding the public for this solar fantasy.

UPDATE, I requested a phone call from SD8 persons involved,  I only received an email response

"This was approved by administration and trustees."

UPDATE, I attended an SD8 meeting,  none of them knew about

years of solar data available to them from the SolarBC grant system at LVR.  

part of the media statement regarding their support for the project said it would help administration determine the value of solar power??

I also asked them to request our education dollars back, they have been fooled.

Our dam at full 16MW output makes that year of solar panel power in around one second!  

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