An estimated 24,000 full-time jobs and $33-billion in investments are at risk because of the Alberta Government’s seven-month moratorium on renewable energy development, the Pembina Institute said this morning.
Courtney Smith, spokesperson for the Calgary-based clean energy think tank, said Pembina researchers reviewed the Alberta Electric System Operator’s list of electricity generation projects in development in relation to their approval status from the Alberta Utility Commission to determine how many projects are impacted by the Smith Government’s freeze on renewable energy development.
“Public data shows that 118 projects are currently in development and are either waiting for permitting approval or could submit an approval application within the next few months,” the fact sheet by Jason Wang and Will Noel released this morning said. “These projects represent at least $33 billion of investment and more than 24,000 job-years,” it continued.
When the government unexpectedly declared the moratorium on approvals for renewable projects over one megawatt on Aug. 3, the 118 impacted projects were comprised of 12.7 gigawatts of solar, 5.3 gigawatts of wind, and 1.5 gigawatts of battery storage proposed by 64 different development companies or partnerships, the paper says.
In addition to the 24,000 jobs and $33 billion in investments put at risk, the projects would have contributed an additional $263 million a year in tax and land-lease revenue to 27 different municipalities, the report says.
“On average, a 100 MW renewable energy project generates between $125 and $175 million in project development and construction investments, $1.5 million in long-term, annual municipal revenues and up to 300 full-time jobs during construction,” the report says, noting that the impacts would have benefitted southern Alberta with its frequently windy conditions and many hours of sunshine in particular.
The fact sheet includes a list of the impacted projects, the companies making the proposal, the planning area where they would take place, and estimates of the investment size, expected number of jobs, and tax revenue from each.
Alberta’s TBA government thinks their war on some energy workers is a cunning stunt.
CX: I saw what you did there and considered trashing it, but what the hell. DJC
Have you ever done that for me! I demand equal treatment! https://youtu.be/ZSMuTm649Hk
Vera Lynn, Vera Lynn . . . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKXHBR75L08
Spoonerisms . . . yadda. yadda, yip, yip . . .
“A spoonerism is an occurrence in speech in which corresponding consonants, vowels, or morphemes are switched (see metathesis) between two words in a phrase. These are named after the Oxford don and ordained minister William Archibald Spooner, who reputedly did this. They were already in use by the 16th century by the author François Rabelais and called contrepèteries. In his novel Pantagruel, he wrote “femme folle à la messe et femme molle à la fesse” (“insane woman at mass, woman with flabby buttocks”). It is assumed that the kinder, gentler, and less ‘offensive’ ‘buttocks’ has been used instead of the verbally harsher ‘ass’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eTDNE_NdT4
The dance gets wilder and the music gets louder . . . bread is expensive . . . therefore as pacifying agents of distraction circuses (political, or otherwise??!!) must be both necessary and sufficient . . . same as it ever was . . . forever on the cusp of the ‘Apocalypso’ . . .
I’m sure your recovery will be welcomed by all your friends and relatives! In case of accident? Let them hear this. https://youtu.be/u-qHtYfktiQ
At least I didn’t mention certain conservative connected Edmonton lawyers, this time. 🙂 Thanks for your work! How do I format posts? Line breaks etc?
This is a lost opportunity for a generation of workers, a lost opportunity for municipalities and a sure-fire way to kill all the spin-off jobs and growth that might have created a thriving and diverse economy in Alberta. When the pause is lifted, think of all the bureaucratic red tape and costly roadblocks Smith and the UCP will have created. Favoring their fossil fuel patrons comes at a price for all Albertans. Of course we can’t forget their blue-sky plan for expensive wee mini-nukes, as Fukushima begins its decades-long planned release of contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. We might not have angry orcas, but Alberta is in for a hard landing thanks to the TBA-controlled UCP and backward-thinking rural voters who can’t see the forest for the burnt tree stumps. Hewers of wood and drawers of water is their vision for all eternity, even when the forests are on fire and we’re in a drought. The world has changed but not Alberta. Onward into obsolescence and antiquity in the scorched earth of Alberta’s future.
We were warned that the political instability that Danielle Smith trails in her wake would have an impact on investment in Alberta. And now we’re seeing it.
Smith is off in la-la-land with the fossil fuel dinosaurs. Today:
https://twitter.com/andrew_leach/status/1694741292650295338
See also @TheBreakdonAB
As the O & G industry is cutting labour, renewable energy is growing its labour pool. But Danielle Smith/UCP/TBA can’t have that.
I’m sure this will be about something-something Ottawa’s overreach, questionable industry practises, and/or gotta save the birds. If they were just to blurt out it’s also about owning Trudeau, I think that even the most diehard Alberta CON idiot would pause and say that this whole thing does more harm to Alberta.
Naaaaaaah!
By putting renewable projects on hold your premier may be slowing down climate change. An American website quotes someone’s cousin in Gobbler’s Knob TX who claims that Lake Mead is going dry because wind farms in California have blown the rain clouds away.
Phony Conservatives and Reformers don’t create jobs, they destroy them. This confirms that.
UCP voters are the cause of all of this. Don’t hesitate to mention this debacle if you happen to know any UCP supporters. It must be something in their DNA. No doubt, their great grandfathers were heard to say, “Ignore Mr. Ford, keep making those buggy whips”.
@ Tom in Ontario
By putting renewable projects on hold your premier may be slowing down climate change.
Not only that, She is showing a proper concern for Albertans’ health
Wind Turbine Syndrome: A Communicated Disease
there have been claims that wind turbines are responsible for a range of health problems. At last count an astonishing 247 symptoms had been attributed to wind turbines, from back pain and accelerated ageing to herpes and multiple sclerosis.
And you will not believe what they do to sheep!
Smith seems just the person to believe all these tales.
I have to assume these concerns are what made Dougie cancel all the renewable projects in Ontario.
This TBA directed ideological stunt sends a message to potential investors in renewable energy and any other potential investors in different economic sectors and industries that Alberta is an unstable, unpredictable and untrustworthy region for investment of any kind. Add a Unhealthy Healthcare system, school classrooms overcrowded were controlled chaos is the best that can be offered, real estate and rental costs out of reach for most average people, car insurance costs becoming unaffordable, electricity costs eating into everyday needs like food and clothing, Alberta is not a place I would move to under this UPC Regime. Sad, I was born here 63 years ago. I’m embarrassed and ashamed of what my Province has become. I’m a dieing relic. A Progressive Conservative if one needs such terms to put me in a Political Box.
I think the short story is? We’re fucked! By the people all around us! I grew up in northern Saskatchewan and Alberta. I worked in both. The people are as stone headed dense as they come! https://youtu.be/UrgpZ0fUixs?t=3
I’m not sure how I Found this page: I don’t even know what to say here. Is everyone here an actual real person. We don’t all have to agree. There is pro/con information for every single point listed on these responses. I would like to ask those of you who think rural Albertans are dense because they oppose renewables if you have ever lived close to a renewable farm? Why is it that the Urbanites of Alberta think its OK to put up mass wind/solar farms in the vicinity of rural populations. In my opinion, you want renewable-put it on your roof and backyard and get off the grid. How many of you understand how many rare minerals are required to build and maintain renewables compared to fossil fuels. How about understanding the complexities of the amount of carbon in the atmosphere and how much of that carbon is caused by humans. It sure would be nice if everyone did some actual research and tried to understand other peoples point of view. If you posted a comment on here about being pro renewables-add to your post that you live near one of these farms. There are pro and cons to any type of development. The question should always be what will be the impact today and for the future and can we live with that consequence. Every action has a reaction. This is a fact-so Net-Zero is a lie. Wind and Solar are not affordable and no they are not going down in price. Someone commented that the price of utilities is almost unbearable-2 causes-the early cancelation of coal contracts and adding renewables to a grid that was not made for renewables. Adding wind/solar infrastructure is expensive and requires massive upgrades to the lines and grids. That’s why your transmission and distribution fees have doubled/tripled. Have you researched what it takes to maintain these facilities or even just to build them. Building one wind turbine requires 900 tons of steel, 2,500 tons of concrete and 45 tons of nonrecyclable plastic. Solar power requires even more cement, steel and glass—not to mention other metals. The land that gets covered with renewables is mostly agricultural land. Did you know that renewables are rarely built on crown land-Why?? Do you know where the rare minerals come from? Do you know where the batteries are made or where they are purchased from? Did you know there are more people around the world that do not have access to cheap and reliable energy than those who have this life saving access. Here in Canada-mostly Alberta but every province has access to oil and gas. We are the most environmentally conscious country in the world that has access to ethical oil and gas. We could supply most of those people without adequate energy with cheap and reliable AND ethical oil and gas. Instead we are fighting to increase non reliable renewables and decrease life saving oil and gas. To understand this just look to Texas when they had their winter storm. In Northern Alberta did you know we can go 5-10 days without ever seeing the sun. Our temperatures can drastically change from mild and temperate to freezing. How is Wind and Solar going to keep up with the demands of the people during these times. Everyone would have to have have some sort of fossil fuel generator to manage those times. It would be nice if everyone took a breath, asked the simple questions and actually did some homework. Living off Renewables requires everyone to reduce the amount of power they use. No air conditioning in the summer, no charging your electric car in the evening-no wind or sun to charge, limited heat in the winter, limited travel-no gas, do we all want to live in a healthy sustainable place? Of course! But what are you willing to give up.
Here is some info to get you started:
Planet of the Humans
Big Wind
https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_shellenberger_why_renewables_can_t_save_the_planet?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
Read: Cobalt Red, The moral case for Fossil Fuels
Check out websites:
https://climatediscussionnexus.com/
Just take the time to ask a question and do some research. I try to always see both sides of the story. I believe every single politician is dirty they must be to be able to get bills passed. Deals.Deals.Deals… No government has your best interest. This means you must be your own advocate, educator, doctor, etc….
LOL you can’t just refute every single point by saying “there is a pro/con for every one of these points, that’s ridiculous.
Let’s take your first claim at face value, renewables are just as destructive in their construction* as traditional oil and gas/ tar sands. I beg to
Differ, for one there is an environmental cost of every development project? That’s obvious. A second point, oil and gas development is extremely toxic, leaving over heavy minerals, the potential for gas poisonings of the population (H2s, anyone ?) and as ive brought up before, you can see the tailings ponds in northern alberta from SPACE. This doesn’t consider at all what happens to that oil and gas when it’s burned yeah ? It’s a ridiculous claim, and you should be ashamed if you believe it? Because you’ve been duped.
Same with your line about transmission rates, what we are sending power farther than Saskatchewan? Manitoba? Also ridiculous 80% of this province lives along a central corridor.
Here’s the thing, while rural alberta does represent a plurality of opinions and way of life, there will NEVER be a justification for a small disparate population to run roughshod over the rest of the province.
If you don’t like it, maybe try Texas, but you need a visa. Hope you were well payed for your word salad, i for
One remain unconvinced by your arguments or the suggestion you’re anything more than a TBA stooge.
Crazy how the most unregulated energy market in Canada has the highest prices hey? Dang !