Posted by Magda
The city's waterworks pumping station goes to Bullfrog power -- wind and "low-impact hydro" -- tomorrow. It's going to cost $60,000 extra, and it amounts to 5% of the city's power use over seven months.
By my calculations, that means switching all of the city's energy use to Bullfrog would go for an extra $2 million a year.
I support any project that puts more renewable energy on the grid, but if the city has $60,000 to spend on renewables, would it not be better to use that money to support local renewable energy projects to support the city's own Community Energy Plan?
Why not give the money to Guelph Hydro to allow them to reduce or subsidize the connection charges for residential solar installations? (These can add significantly to the cost of a home solar power system).
Why not install solar water heating systems on municipal pools and arenas?
Why not use the money to support Sunpark or Guelph Solar?
I don't have an issue with Bullfrog as a company, but there are several local companies or community groups that could benefit from this type of investment and install renewable energy projects while keeping ratepayer's money in the community.
Posted by: Dave Woods | June 13, 2008 at 09:09 AM
Mr. Woods:
Right on, Charity begins at home.
The money could be used locally on a variety of projects, for example
The Youth Drop in Centre,
The Downtown Drop in Centre
Habitat for Humanity
Wellington Hospice
Marrianne's Place
The Food Bank
That would be more appropriate than some well intentioned Green funding that takes money out of Guelph just to soothe someone's green conscience.
Harry
Posted by: Harry | June 13, 2008 at 12:39 PM