🚀 go-pugleaf

malcolm@direct.ca wrote:


>========
>If one accepts that fish ladders are only "somewhat" successful,
>has anyone looked at the potential to wipe out our fish with 
>such systems??? -- 

An obvious concern and one that been looked at
when the opportunity to do so has presented
itself.  Yes a  long-term study is needed before
it's used extensively in hypersensitive marine
areas.  

That said there is no reason to not proceed in
more barren areas and two seasons on the St.
Lawrence Seaway with zero fish kill is a pretty
good start. 

The environmental groups and marine biologists
were fairly cautious at first but pretty much all
agree now that the risks are minimal if common
sense is used.

>I am aware that BC Hydro did look carefully 
>at this potential about 15-20 years ago, and if I remember 
>correctly, it was outside consultants that showed that it was 
>costly, and potential environmental downside was huge.

They showed some interest back in 1983 and did
some feasibility study work through 1984.  They
too concluded the environmental down side was
minimal as well.  

Nova was then asked to provide a detailed
engineering proposal and Hydro staff keyed on our
"one of" costs which were obviously high,
and would not hear that is the norm in this type
of engineering.  Cost fall dramatically on even
the second unit.

At that point the internal shift had already been
made.  What started as an interesting academic
question for a few idle engineers turned into
something that threatened the status quo, meaning
their jobs were going to be at risk if they
pursued this nonsense any further.

Apparent again in recent discussions between Dr.
Halvorson and their so called turbine expert
Robert Simpson.  Halvorson said he explained
until he was blue in the face and Simpson just
didn't get it.  I asked if this was just part of
their deliberate obstructionism ploy and he
said in exasperation that it was more likely
senility.

The original interest looked at Juskatla Narrows
in the Queen Charlottes and Hydro said that tidal
power had a good community appeal.

There really is no other choice for a power supply
in the Queen Charlottes.  Daming the Ain River
(another food source river and BC Hydro's choice)
or burning wood chips with an inherent licence to
cut green fire wood when the waste is gone are
both folly.  

Massett Inlet being one of the world's greatest
tidal power resourses why would you do anythng
else up there?

Abusdly that would be like Alberta with all its
oil -gas and coal choosing an Nuclear option, it
just doesn't make sense unless you are a special
interest in a  position to drive it down their the
throats of the people of Haida  Gwaii. 

>As for the slack times on tidal power systems, BC Hydro has 
>large hydro plants now that will generate lots of power for 
>short periods, (There is not enough water available to produce 
>full output continuously) and can generate much less during 
>periods when plants such as tidal plants are running -- in 
>effect they can store energy through slack periods. However, 
>even with this storage media readily available, studies, I 
>believe, showed that both wind and tidal power were at least an 
>order of magnitude more costly than conventional systems.


>While I am not a huge fan of Hydro, I believe that they have 
>been very effective in their efforts to provide a long term 
>source of energy at a low cost. Face it, even at current costs, 
>electricity is cheap in BC.

>Malcolm

Many would agree, but after years of million
dollar budgets that sponsor feel good propaganda
TV ads, unless you are informed (and being
informed is not that easy because of the monopoly)
you are likely none the wiser for the facts.

The facts are the bulk border price is somewhere
between 1.5 cents and 1.75 cents, you pay 6.85
cents/kw hr.  Informed critical analysts
put the mismanagement at some $200 million /annum.
From my vantage point its more likely nearer $800
million.

If we don't start waking up to some of these
realities soon our beloved crown corporation is
just going to be deregulation road-kill.  

Discussions with neighboring utilities and other
energy sector players that would dearly like to
move into this exclusive domain tell me that
better sensibilities will ultimately prevail.  

With the NAFTA agreement in place and wilful
blindness the order of the day at Hydro I don't
like their chances.  

Do you?

Its time to use tidal power now!

Martin Burger, Managing Director,
Nova Energy Ltd.
The Blue Energy Company.