Letter to NB Power from Leap4wards re renewables

: Publié par : Lynaya Astephen; 20 février 2020; Affichages : 6489

This is an open letter to the Members of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick of New Brunswick, the leadership of N.B. Power, the Energy and Utilities Board and various news agencies.

To all concerned;

Leap4wards as an organization is interested in sustainability. We understand from their website that N.B. Power has a goal to obtain 40% of NB electricity from renewable sources by December 2020. This is an effort we support, but have some concerns.

It has come to our attention that in New Brunswick there are a number of municipal power utilities and private entrepreneurs developing proposals to produce their own power from proven renewable energy sources. These parties are running into roadblocks extending from the N.B. Electricity Act. Concerns include:

-Who is allowed to produce the electricity used by N.B.Power

-Who decides the sources of power which are bought

-Compensation rates for independent producers

-where a community can produce their power

We expect there are more roadblocks.

Meanwhile N.B. Power and the Province of New Brunswick seem to be preoccupied with less practical projects. New Brunswick tax payers/ratepayers have had their money invested in a questionable electrolysis project in Florida. Now we are also investing in a small scale nuclear project which would not be able to produce power for at least 10 years. These timelines do not match the expectations presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Leap4wards questions why we can’t work with New Brunswickers interested in renewable power generation who have projects ready to go. Simply by altering the legislation in the N. B. Electricity Act we could allow a range of proven renewable technologies to be brought forward fairly quickly.

This is the path that Germany took in 1991 when Herman Scheer initiated their Electricity Feed In Act which required grid companies to connect all renewable power plants. The passing of this act paved the way for Germany to become the world leader in renewable energy it is today.

Localization, in all its forms is considered by many to be one of the most effective approaches to climate change. Allowing local municipalities and entrepreneurs to produce their own power from renewable sources would go a long way towards helping N. B. Power reach its admirable 40% renewable energy by December 2020 goal.

Kindest regards;

Norma MacKellar 180 Britain St, Saint John, E2L 1X6

Paula Tippett 4273 Loch Lomond Rd, Saint John, E2N 1C7

For Leap4wards, Saint John

Appels à l'action

Unveiling "Tell the Facts" Campaign

vendredi 1 mars 2024

by Corey Robichaud

We are excited to share that the Conservation Council of New Brunswick has launched a new campaign called “Tell the Facts.” — a campaign to do just that: Tell the facts about the federal clean electricity regulations and counter misleading ads launched in New Brunswick by the Alberta government.

Last September, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith unveiled the “Tell the Feds” campaign, spreading inaccurate information about Ottawa’s clean electricity regulations. Unfortunately, New Brunswickers became unwitting targets of this misinformation for several months.

In light of this, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick has taken a stand with the “Tell the Facts” campaign aimed at setting the record straight on how these federal regulations will impact energy reliability, affordability and climate action in New Brunswick and across Canada.

The misinformation spread by Alberta about renewable energy is unacceptable, and our campaign is our firm response. We aim to showcase that clean, affordable energy can positively shape everyone’s future.

We encourage you to explore our campaign website, where you will find valuable and informative resources. Additionally, we’ve created a user-friendly letter-writing tool that allows you to easily communicate with federal politicians, demanding a strong commitment to a clean energy future.

Together, let’s rally for a better, cleaner future for New Brunswick and Canada. Click the link below to send your letter and be a part of this crucial movement.

Take action now! Your letter will be sent to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault.

Atlantic Citizens’ Assembly on Electricity Affordability and Energy Poverty

vendredi 1 mars 2024

by Corey Robichaud

Energy poverty is a term used to describe households that spend six percent or more of their after-tax household income on heating, cooling, and lighting their homes.

Atlantic Canada has the highest rates of Energy Poverty in Canada. While citizens support the transition away from fossil fuels for electricity generation and home heating, they recognize the transition might mean electricity bills will increase, which is a concern for many already facing challenges with power bills.

Are you spending six percent or more of your after-tax household income on energy? Would you like to participate in the Atlantic Citizens’ Assembly to make recommendations to federal and provincial governments and utility Boards on how to keep electricity affordable and eliminate energy poverty, while eliminating carbon and air pollution from the electricity system?

The Conservation Council of New Brunswick is hosting an Atlantic-wide Citizens’ Assembly with a diverse group of about 6 Participants from each of the Atlantic Provinces living in rural and urban communities, with different household incomes, educational backgrounds, and cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The event will take place online in May.

A Citizens’ Assembly is a process where people come together to consider an issue, supported by expert reports and advisors. A facilitator helps participants consider the facts, share their personal experiences, and identify areas of agreement and disagreement that can inform recommendations to decision-makers on opportunities to improve electricity affordability and reduce energy poverty.

If you are interested in participating in this important event, we ask you to consider the following:

Do you have access to reliable internet, computer, and camera so you can join us for a virtual Citizens’ Assembly in May?
Are you willing to fill out a pre-assembly survey to help us determine your suitability?
Can you read reports on energy affordability and energy poverty that are in English (we will provide material in French where they are available)?
Can you spare enough time to read the background materials we will share with you to help prepare you to participate in the Citizens’ Assembly? Reading background materials may take you three to four hours.

If you would like to participate in the Conservation Council’s Citizens’ Assembly on Electricity Affordability and Energy Poverty, please reach out to Faith at faith.mambo@conservationcouncil.ca.