[Battery Storage for Renewable Energy – BC Hydro Electric Load Forecast Methodology – BCUC – Cerise Edwards – EMR Impacts on Wildlife Webinar by Eklipse – Erik Andersen, Economist – Integrity BC – International Energy Agency – Megaprojects Business Science (Benefits, Costs, Delays) – Platte-Clay Electric Coop Landis+Gyr Smart Meter Explosion & Fire – Site C Report by Mark P. Gilbert, Denouement Properties – Solar – Tobias Kurth, Energy Brainpool – UL 2735 – Wind – Write to Auditor General Carol Bellringer, John Horgan, Cabinet & MLAs re Site C | BC – Germany – UK – Excelsior Springs, Missouri & Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, USA] & Webinar
The smeter that exploded in Missouri (see #3 https://stopsmartmetersbc.com/2018-01-03-for-fortisbc-electrical-customers-application-for-major-rate-changes/) was a Landis+Gyr, not a GE as I thought it was. I was unable to access the video for some reason, but a member who could let me know. Landis+Gyr smeters were certified by UL a few months ago. This, again, confirms that UL 2735 is not adequate to ensure that smeters are not fire hazards.
= = =
1) According to Integrity BC, BC Hydro / Clark’s government used the “expertise” of an “energy expert” of an “energy expert” from some small town in Oklahoma who was paid nearly $48,000 US for a 3,000 word report. Seems they really had to search hard for such expertise to justify and support Site C. You will have to scroll down to find the article that starts with the following words:
IntegrityBC The case for Site C doesn’t hold water. Will the reservoir? January 3 @ 8:19am
For those who don’t use Facebook, here’s the post:
This could easily be the main street of any mid-sized city in North America, but it’s Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
It’s where B.C. Hydro ended up going to handpick an energy consultant – Mark P. Gilbert – to conduct “a review of the (Hydro’s) Electric Load Forecast Methodology used in (its) analysis of (the utility’s) proposed Site C 1,100 megawatt hydroelectric facility, the peak and sales forecasts and forecast methodology, and the company’s documentation and responses to more than 60 questions posed to (Hydro) personnel.”
It came with the standard ‘take with a grain of salt’ disclaimer found in most ‘independent’ Site C reports commissioned by the utility.
“While the information is believed to be accurate, in preparation of the report, Gilbert has not independently verified any of the underlying input numbers themselves. Accordingly, Gilbert makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the information.”
The B.C. government cited all of 26 words from his 3,000-word report in their December 18, 2014 news release: “BC Hydro is using state-of-the-art methodologies for forecasting sales. The company utilizes several methodologies to produce peak forecast methods, all of which are among state-of-the-art methods.”
But they left something out. Don’t they always?
These 41 words: “The process will produce accurate forecasts about ten years out. However, the process of producing peak forecasts and sales forecasts are not linked as directly as they could be, and could impact the second ten years of the 20 year forecast.”
The government also claimed Gilbert was “an independent energy consultant with other (sic) 30 years of experience in load forecasting.”
On the presumption that the government meant over, not other, they were off by more than 10 years. According to his LinkedIn profile, Gilbert had less than 20 years of experience at the time.
His other occupation was left out altogether. At the time Gilbert was president of Denouement Properties, a small real estate investment company, where – in his words – he did “everything from accounting and financing, construction, and customer interface.”
Denouement Properties bought, restored and sold distressed housing.
His pop-up consultancy firm – the one that billed Hydro $47,865 – was incorporated 36-days before the deadline for his report.
He does not appear in any of the list of vendor payments (over $25,000) at the utility going as far back as 2003 or since.
The firm has failed to file an annual report with Oklahoma’s Secretary of State and is now listed as delinquent, Denouement Properties as well.
2) There is going to be a webinar Jan. 22-25 organized by Eklipse, a European group dedicated to biodiversity. The topic is:
“The impacts of artificial Electromagnetic Radiations on wildlife (flora and fauna)”
It’s very encouraging that this topic is beginning to get attention. This is an opportunity to participate in discussions about the current state of knowledge about the effects of RF radiation on wildlife. It appears to be free to all. Note that there is a 9 hour time difference.
http://www.eklipse-mechanism.eu/forum_home
What is this conference about?
EMR are used in many different ways, with uses expanding in terms of the range of frequencies and the volume of transmissions. An important issue is to explore how current use of EMR can affect biodiversity and ecosystem services (such as pollination and pest control). Better understanding and awareness of environmental risks from EMR can lead to the development, promotion and implementation of adequate and timely policy solutions.
We are inviting you to join a wide range of experts from different disciplines as well as policy makers and practitioners for an international discussion of the current knowledge on the effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on wildlife. The aim is to highlight current state of the art in this field, to identify knowledge gaps related to the impacts on different taxonomic groups and ecosystems, and to discuss the technical aspects and methodologies used in current studies.
To Register: http://www.covision.com/register/?da=register
3) The Tyee points out that there are many reasons why we must not give up on Site C and offers several excellent ideas of things we should all do. We cannot allow Horgan’s Folly to come to fruition.
How to Fight Site C – Six ways citizens can sway the government to reverse a disastrous decision.
“By approving Site C, Premier John Horgan has made a disastrous decision that will destabilize the provincial economy, increase electrical prices and reduce food security.
Horgan and his cabinet not only damned the public interest but also ignored the alarming science on megaprojects, which is any complex scheme that costs more than a billion dollars…
The British novelist Julian Barnes once observed, “The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonourably, foolishly, viciously.”
That hour has arrived for every British Columbian.”
https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2018/01/04/How-Fight-Site-C/
4) Over the holidays, the cost of electricity in Germany was less than zero because more energy was being produced by solar and wind than was being used. And Germany’s climate is not that different from BC’s.
Germany paid people to use electricity over the holidays because its grid is so clean
http://www.businessinsider.com/renewable-power-germany-negative-electricity-cost-2017-12
or https://tinyurl.com/ycn6lw72
Sharon Noble
Director, Coalition to Stop Smart Meters
“It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong”
~ Voltaire