[greenon-l] $6 Billion for Conservation -- Let's Make a Deal

[Conservation Council of Ontario]

Ontario's Conservation Movement

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$6 billion for Conservation - Lets Make a Deal!


Ontario has opted for a nuclear future
<http://www.energy.gov.on.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=english.news&body=yes&news
_id=134> , directing the Ontario Power Authority
<http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/>  (OPA) to meet Ontario's base load of
14,000 megawatts (MW) with nuclear power and to develop a revised schedule
for phasing out coal power.  In effect, the government has rejected the
conservation and green power path
<http://pembina.org/newsitem.asp?newsid=203&section=>  proposed by the World
Wildlife Fund, Pembina Institute, Suzuki Foundation, Greenpeace and others.

If there is a bright side, it is that the government has also doubled the
conservation targets suggested by the OPA, to a new total of 6,300 megawatts
by 2025.  The OPA, and hence the Conservation Bureau, has to define programs
and actions which aim to reduce projected peak demand by 1,350MW by 2010,
and by an additional 3,600 MW by 2025.  These reductions are on top of the
existing 1,350 MW target for 2007. 

Looks good on paper, and it adds up to a $6 billion commitment to
conservation.  However, if Ontario's NGOs and community groups are still
required to fundraise and work on conservation on a project-by-project
basis, then we are in deep trouble.

I'm proposing a new approach:  we need to cut our own deal for the voluntary
sector, based in measurable reductions in personal electricity consumption.

If a kilowatt (KW) of conservation is worth $1,000 (the Ministry of Energy's
figures), then I believe every community group and membership-based
organization in Ontario should be eligible to receive a bounty for the
conservation commitments we are able to raise.  One KW of base load power
running for 24 hours and 30 days equals 720 KWh a month.  So, if a group
convinces ten of its members to each reduce their monthly demand by 72 KWh,
then it has generated a conservation credit of $1,000.

Shouldn't it be entitled to at least 50% of that amount?

There are nuances abounding in the calculation of a fair price, including
multiple messaging and the cost of incentive programs, but as with the
Standard Offer Contract for renewable power, in the end I believe we will
settle on a negotiated price, or bounty, for conservation.  And then, every
group out there from Reduce the Juice and Project Porchlight to the Guides,
Scouts, and school groups will be able to raise funds through conservation.

And when that happens, this conservation movement will take flight!

In my next posting, I will introduce you to our newest campaign, which is
how we can engage people in electricity conservation, and measure the
results!

Please post your comments! 

Chris Winter

 

 

 <http://www.weconserve.ca/> weconserve.ca

Ontario's Conservation Movement

 

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