Dear Editor:
RE: Wind/solar problems, April 21.
This is the first bit of common sense I have read in a long time. Wind and solar projects merely resulted in unaffordable and unreliable electricity, despite being heavily subsidized. The same amount of power now produced by wind and solar projects could have been obtained connecting more lines to the Quebec Hydro system, which had a surplus and still does. Many people do not really understand what it takes to operate a modern power grid. There is no real “win-win” with electrical power production. It is a case of choosing the most reliable and economical and least damaging to the environment as a whole and it must be built and fueled by Canadian recourses only.
Power generation has to be able to quickly ramp up and down as required and is a full-time job. There had been many instances of the Kincardine plant having to blow off and waste steam due to excess production from wind and solar projects that had nowhere to go. Now I believe they can control some of it, but they still pay the project owners a set amount. Does this make sense? No, not really.
Then they actually sold off part of Ontario Hydro. Politicians should not be involved in the country’s power generation business, as they will do anything to get votes and that’s how we got landed with the wind/solar problem in the first place, despite rumblings from the rest of the world that it wasn’t that great.
There are many things that could first be done to reduce pollution, i.e. – mandate smaller vehicle engine sizes, better enforcement of existing emissions laws and in-town vehicle speed limits, stop all outdoor burning including a ban on wood stoves and any coal burning, more funding to pave busy dirt roads, etc.
Malcolm McCulloch,
Fergus