Very soon, coal will disappear from our energy mix and we're not going to miss it. Ontario is on track to be the first jurisdiction in North America to eliminate dirty coal-fired generation.
On January 10th, we announced that two of the largest coal-fired electricity plants in the province, Nanticoke and Lambton, are to close a year early, by end of December 2013, saving ratepayers $95 million. The one remaining coal plant in Thunder Bay will stop burning coal by the end of 2014.
Fully eliminating coal-fired generation represents the single largest reduction in greenhouse gases in any jurisdiction in Canada or the United States -- it is the equivalent of taking up to 7 million cars off the road.
In 2003, coal accounted for 25 per cent of our generation; now, it's less than 3 per cent. And in 2014, Ontario's use of coal is expected to be less than 1 per cent of total mix, eventually falling to zero.
Given that Ontario is Canada's most populous province and its economic engine, that is quite significant. It means our homes, schools, factories, malls, banks and government buildings will be powered by cleaner energy --- when 13.5 million Ontarians flick the lights on, they will know coal is not responsible for the power that made this simple but important task possible.
According to the Ontario Lung Association, this is not only good news for the 2.4 million Ontarians who live with lung disease, but for all of us and our neighbours. Because if simply breathing can make you sick, nothing else matters.
The health impacts of air pollution are well-known. An independent study has stated that eliminating coal-fired generation will save approximately $4.4 billion annually, when health, financial and environmental costs are taken into consideration. That includes fewer kids relying on puffers, fewer hospital visits due to smog related causes and fewer premature deaths.
Moving away from coal also makes good economic sense. The move towards Green Energy has opened up many opportunities for investments in solar, wind and other renewable technologies and created nearly 30,000 jobs in construction, manufacturing and innovation.
Ontario has proven that it can be done. We chose to invest in a cleaner, brighter and more exciting future, one that benefits our health and competitiveness now and for generations to come.
Well, I hate to rain on your parade, you continue to be controlled by the Energy Cartels and their monopolies and you have done absolute nothing to further the current emergence of The Hydrogen Economy!
And, here is that "emergence" of The Hydrogen Economy on the State side; http://bit.ly/UkpXpD , which a wonderful profile of some of just the partial activity taking place.
A hurricane knocked out power in NY. Yet, there was the grid-independent World Trade Center, powered by a dozen 400 kW UTC hydrogen fuel cells, that remained full lit and operational throughout the storm.
Yet, Hydrogenics in Mississauga has developed its power-to-gas system which uses unspent grid electricity overnight to power electrolysis units to produce hydrogen gas and storing it in Enbridge natural gas pipelines. They have installed that technology in Germany and France.
A division of SAMSUNG in S. Korea has this wonderful POLLUTION-FREE fuel cell farm supplying electricity to the grid; http://bit.ly/SoAbZy .
Get in the game, Mr. Minister!
http://www.airwaterland.ca/article.asp?id=1351
This one specifically compares Ontario's commitment to removing them to BC's commitment to getting more of them. https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:w5VK1vT4rWIJ:pubs.pembina.org/reports/BCcoal_Fact.pdf+&hl=en&gl=ca&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgFBzT-w7Z7WdMDcEyhlYmzGKb_KajwHw-iASxwmGnIjAV3Y1FeGWAvemFekpeV1JQ6yXw6SH2x-tkkZnD14XANp27sW3lIP6g_ZeZ5tEzYpoMPWNFyDdJ49QeBTzSVq_uL0rKf&sig=AHIEtbQf_k08tFL_-pvalXNI_byVi6k_zw
Spending millions to move perfectly proper natural gas fired energy plants to win a coupe seats,, having farmers build solar panels costing $100 grand each and never hooking them up to the grid.....pretending thatwind energy (which barely operates one third of the time) is goingto solve our problems.......
These are the ideas of the Liberal party and it's approach to energy in Ontario. It is truly surprising that energy costs have only tripled under their rule. I suspect we are in store for billions of debt repayment in the next twenty years as they take down thewind farms and pay for solar panels that were never used.
Disgraceful waste of money
I live in a rural part of the province. I have the immense pleasure of looking at those precious windturbines of yours each day. Most days, they sit idle. I drive my car by local farms with $100K solar arrays, which are not hooked up...thanks to the same people that built the wind turbines.
We have no transit. Men here do not use hair driers.... We had fresh air and beautiful landscapes. Now wehave fresh air and wind turbines. If you think they are so grand, then build them in the city...then maybe city folk would see how often they turn and start to question their wisdom....
Out of sight and you believe anything the politicianstell you.
Leading the world? I think not. A wind turbine has an estimated life of roughly twenty years. In that time it will not make enough energy to offset the cost of building it. And when it is done, i do hope the fine peopke ofthe city will come take them down and take them to the city to make art or public transit out of them.
Health concerns? Funny how city folk talk of inhalers and such, but have little or no concern for the health effects of windturbines on the peopke who live near them!
Build your damn energy sources in your own backyard....it would be a wonderful education for you all. We can have the wind turbines ready for you to pick up anytime. How does wednesday suit ya?
Then explain the increased costs of electricity every Ontarian is now paying. I was paying $0.04 cents per kWh for electricity before you Liberal's come to power. Today I am paying upwards of $0.11 cents per kWh of electricity. And yet the real true cost to produce electricity sits below $0.03 cents per kWh in Ontario. Lower than it was before you Libs came to power.
A study says eliminating coal-fired generation will save $4.4 billion annually. I hope your willing to provide evidence to that affect in 2015.
There are so many studies done each year in Canada proclaiming both costs to society & savings that when added together they are in the trillions annually. It's called smoke & mirrors & were not buying it anymore.
30,000 jobs, all 100% subsidized by our increased electricity costs. There not real jobs, there government jobs.
The correct approach would have been to replace coal fired generation with cheap natural gas, as the US is currently doing. The results for the US so far, notable reduction in CO2 emissions, and a renaissance in maufacturing in highly competitive industries.
State run electricity in Ontario is plagued by huge cost overuns and hidden charges to consumers. In other words, a fiasco, and complete failure for everyone concerned.
Make sure those partnered Gas Fired Power Plants go ahead just as fast.
Some fools going to try & build another Nuclear Plant on Provincial $$ if you don't!
The only reason we can shut down these plants is directly due to the reduction in manufacturing in Ontario. Many left due to the high cost of energy, a durect consequence of the Liberal Freen Energy Act.
And the $4.4 billion dollar savings? Is that Ontario? World wide? North America? Just an empty number. What is the impact on the health and finances of the people living next to the wind farms?
Ironically, as Ontario reduces it's capacity for power production with an eye to improving air quality, Alberta continues to ramp-up it's environmentally devastating tar sands projects. I suppose that's one reason Alberta is now Canada's economic engine.
The only reason you can do this is because our energy consumption has decreased due to the poor economy. Could leave us in a bind once things start to improve.
Your government has certainly gone out of its way to make sure no viable replacement production for the lost energy is in the works such as the two canceled gas fueled generation plants.
I have to give you credit for doing this at least a year before the next election. The electorate are going to know who exactly to blame if they start suffering from brown outs. Good going on owning the situation.
As far as Nimbyism, what exactly is wrong with wanting to protect the value and investment in your home, and the health of your family. If governments want to continually build and allow the building of these types of facillities, including wind farms, gravel pits, garbage dumps, etc.. either find better locations, or compensate the home owners who end up eating a loss in the property values. There is no fairness for the home owners living next to these monstrosities, and it is completely inappropriate that a minoity of citizens to lose the value of their properties for the benifit of the rest of Ontario.
I'm tired of hearing the uninformed critisize "NIMBYISTS"!