OPG Conference on SD -- Challenges & Solutions for the Energy Industry

Ontario’s Energy Future – March 28th

The two speakers at the OPG Conference on Sustaiable Development were critical of the Ontario Power Authority’s (OPA) long term plan for electricity development in the Province of Ontario according to Dave Young, LVP at Kinectrics. I could not attend the Friday event due to a scheduling conflict. Instead, I extended my invitation from Dr. Blaire Feltmate at OPG to Dave.

Clean Coal Focus
In conversation with Dave after the event he told me the speakers were on board with the Society position of halting any additional gas-fired generation in the Province. They said we should be researching clean-coal and carbon sequestration technology instead. These are the kind of events that Society need to take a more active role in attending and disseminating the result to all our members.

Campaign Statement Stop, Look & Listen

-- Members 1st ---

Dear Members, Colleagues and Friends:

• Do you feel our Society represents your views?
• Is there room to improve the level of communication from our Society office?
• Is there room to better represent your interests?
• Can our Society better engage the general membership?
• Are you satisfied with the status quo or would you like to see a change in how you are represented?

My election campaign is: Stop, Look & Listen – Members 1st
Let’s stop and look back at our success. Reflect on areas were we have been successful and pinpoint areas where we can become more effective. The challenges today are to find ways to build our Society from a foundation of strength and to work towards a single common goal. Let’s work together by listening to each other and adopting a plan that will sustain us.

It is my belief our elected Society members are performing to the best of their ability under very difficult circumstances. This election is about providing leadership and improving the decision making process. It is about making our Society more responsive to our membership needs.
We must move forward as a unified cohesive force. In this way we will deflect any attacks on the merits of maintaining a professional union.

The time to act is now. Help me and help the Society by saying you want leadership that is more involved with members on important decisions and issues.

I believe in member empowerment. It all begins with the people. I want your feedback. I will make sure we have a member response system to insure any member can contact me or leave a message with the Society office which generates a quality response in a reasonable period. It is not that we don’t have systems in place now it is just that they need improvement.

Round Table of Members (RTM)
If elected I will establish a Round Table of Members (RTM) from the different locals. The RTM will facilitate the candid & unfettered exchange of member ideas, by offering our members a safe haven for discussion to reconcile positions and build unity.

The Society needs to be a coalition builder, reaching out to organizations that share our vision. I believe that affiliation with like-minded partners will spark creativity and generate the momentum needed for success.

We also need member involvement to act as an advocate for positive change, raising awareness among our neighbours and governments about the challenges of sustainable development and promoting viable solutions that use our product, “Electricity”. This will help raise our profile and the importance of the work that we do. If we do this well our jobs and our future will be secure.

Put a Price on Carbon

Recently the National Round Table on Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) released its report calling on aggressive action to fight climate change. According to NRTEE we need to put a price on carbon. A cap-and-trade system is one of the options gaining support. The cap-and-trade system forces large Canadian companies to either reduce their emissions to levels required under the Kyoto Protocol or spend significant money on Canadian projects that have the effect of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Strategy on Energy and Climate Change

Canada's National Round Table on Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) has published an interesting list of strategies to reduce greenhouse gases. The publication is called, "Advice on a Long-term Strategy on Energy and Climate Change". The modified list is give below.

1. Energy Efficiency & Conservation
2. Co-generation & Fuel Switching
3. Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS)
4. Nuclear
5. Renewable Electricity
6. Bio-fuels & Alternative Fuels
7. Sinks like forest plantations, and conservation tillage

NOTE: This list is also discussed and analyzed in a paper by Paul D. Hunt, Vice President of Climate Change Central (see posting below, “New Book on Energy & the Environment”)

The list has similarities compared to the document published by the Society of Energy Professionals called, “The Getting It Right Plan”. The Society’s document covers the electricity needs in the Province of Ontario to 2025, while the NRTEE covers greenhouse-gas-emission-reduction strategies to 2050.

Unfortunately, on electric space heating and water heating, NRTEE does not consider the hugh potential of off-peak electricity. In addition, they significantly discounted the ability of heat pumps to delver economic space heating and cooling in conjunction with low-temperature district heating (LTDH).

The ability of the electricity sector to displace traditional oil and gas consumption will depend on producing affordable and reliable electricity with low environmental impact, compared to oil and gas.

Sustainable Development in Communities Workshop

Sustainable development does not focus solely on environmental issues, but more broadly encompass three general policy areas: economic, environmental and social. As such, Sustainable Development has been identified as a way of thinking in terms of the broader picture. Sustainable Development will place more emphasis on interacting with end-use customers
and take a more holistic approach to energy production, consumption, conservation and overall
community design to meet the needs of today without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Link to Workshop proceedings:
Web: http://esr.degroote.mcmaster.ca/

Frank J. Lenarduzzi

Waste Heat Recovery Concept for Generating Stations & Transformer Stations
A significant amount of heat is generated in the production of electricity from nuclear or fossil fuel. This waste heat could be recaptured and used to improve overall efficiency. Once the electricity is produced, both power & distribution transformers also generate heat in the form of losses. This waste heat could also be captured and used.