Alberta oil shipped through Panama Canal to Atlantic Canada to avert COVID-19 threat to energy supply: Relying on non-Canadian suppliers has never been an issue for the
refinery. Even during the low points of Canadian-Saudi relations in the
summer of 2018 and periods of increased tension in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has been one of its principal suppliers. (Part of this may be attributable to the fact that about 60 per cent of the refinery’s output is shipped to New England and U.S.-Saudi relations could be affected if Saudi Arabia’s supplies to the Saint John refinery were disrupted.)

However, COVID-19 is a concern for those running the refinery. In
April, Irving Oil applied to the Canadian Transportation Agency to use
tankers from unspecified, non-Canadian suppliers for these two
shipments, as per the requirements of the Coasting Trade Act. In each
application it was made clear that the company’s overriding concern was
the impact COVID-19 could have on about 80 per cent of its crude oil
supply shipped from non-Canadian sources.

This is a legitimate concern.

Alberta oil shipped through Panama Canal to Atlantic Canada to avert COVID-19 threat to energy supply: Relying on non-Canadian suppliers has never been an issue for the
refinery. Even during the low points of Canadian-Saudi relations in the
summer of 2018 and periods of increased tension in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has been one of its principal suppliers. (Part of this may be attributable to the fact that about 60 per cent of the refinery’s output is shipped to New England and U.S.-Saudi relations could be affected if Saudi Arabia’s supplies to the Saint John refinery were disrupted.)However, COVID-19 is a concern for those running the refinery. In
April, Irving Oil applied to the Canadian Transportation Agency to use
tankers from unspecified, non-Canadian suppliers for these two
shipments, as per the requirements of the Coasting Trade Act. In each
application it was made clear that the company’s overriding concern was
the impact COVID-19 could have on about 80 per cent of its crude oil
supply shipped from non-Canadian sources. This is a legitimate concern.Read More

Wind turbine behemoth plans for future by getting into hydrogen: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA has one eye on the future where its wind turbines could play a key role in creating hydrogen.

The company, which earlier this year launched the world’s biggest
wind turbine, plans to start a pilot project in Denmark to test how its
machines could power production of the fuel seen as key to eliminating
carbon emissions from transportation and heavy industries. The European
Union has big plans for the clean-burning gas and the bloc placed it at
the center of its Green Deal earlier this year.

The pilot project is under construction near Siemens Gamesa’s Danish
headquarters in Brande, western Denmark, chief executive officer Andreas
Nauen said in an interview on Thursday. It will include a
three-megawatt wind turbine that will power a 400-kilowatt electrolyzer,
a machine that separates the hydrogen atoms in water from oxygen atoms.

Wind turbine behemoth plans for future by getting into hydrogen: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA has one eye on the future where its wind turbines could play a key role in creating hydrogen.The company, which earlier this year launched the world’s biggest
wind turbine, plans to start a pilot project in Denmark to test how its
machines could power production of the fuel seen as key to eliminating
carbon emissions from transportation and heavy industries. The European
Union has big plans for the clean-burning gas and the bloc placed it at
the center of its Green Deal earlier this year.The pilot project is under construction near Siemens Gamesa’s Danish
headquarters in Brande, western Denmark, chief executive officer Andreas
Nauen said in an interview on Thursday. It will include a
three-megawatt wind turbine that will power a 400-kilowatt electrolyzer,
a machine that separates the hydrogen atoms in water from oxygen atoms.Read More

You may have never heard of a Minister’s Zoning Order and that used to be ok – but not anymore – Environmental Defence: These approvals are now diving deep
into areas of decision making that formerly were the responsibility of
municipalities. They include individual development proposals that may
or may not have any support from local governments or the public.

For example, the Minster issued four orders in one day in April and then another seven in August. The
April orders included approval of the destruction of three small
protected wetlands to make way for a large warehouse and distribution
centre in Vaughan and another to allow a retirement community to be
built on farmland in Markham and Whitchurch-Stouffville. One of the
MZOs issued in August in the Caledon area approves a major new
development that is strongly opposed by the Peel Regional government.

In
addition to undermining and by-passing democratic decision making at
the municipal level, the overuse of MZOs sends a message to developers
that they can get approvals without having to worry about pesky issues
like road access, water and sewer infrastructure, protection of the
environment or whether new housing or businesses are actually wanted or
needed by a community.

You may have never heard of a Minister’s Zoning Order and that used to be ok – but not anymore – Environmental Defence: These approvals are now diving deep
into areas of decision making that formerly were the responsibility of
municipalities. They include individual development proposals that may
or may not have any support from local governments or the public.For example, the Minster issued four orders in one day in April and then another seven in August. The
April orders included approval of the destruction of three small
protected wetlands to make way for a large warehouse and distribution
centre in Vaughan and another to allow a retirement community to be
built on farmland in Markham and Whitchurch-Stouffville. One of the
MZOs issued in August in the Caledon area approves a major new
development that is strongly opposed by the Peel Regional government.In
addition to undermining and by-passing democratic decision making at
the municipal level, the overuse of MZOs sends a message to developers
that they can get approvals without having to worry about pesky issues
like road access, water and sewer infrastructure, protection of the
environment or whether new housing or businesses are actually wanted or
needed by a community.Read More

Rapid fall to parity predicted for Australian renewable hydrogen costs: The main cost factors creating a barrier to affordable green hydrogen are the cost of the electricity  and the cost of electrolysers, together with capacity utilisation rates.

However, as the authors point out, the cost of renewable electricity from technologies such as solar PV and wind have fallen dramatically over the last few years and are expected to fall even further in the years ahead.

“In many parts of the world, wind and solar power is already the cheapest form of energy for any new built generating capacity. Its average cost is cheaper than electricity from natural gas in many places including Australia and is often cheaper than wholesale prices on the grid,” the report says.

Production of renewable hydrogen is becoming more competitive with that produced by fossil fuel electricity

Rapid fall to parity predicted for Australian renewable hydrogen costs: The main cost factors creating a barrier to affordable green hydrogen are the cost of the electricity  and the cost of electrolysers, together with capacity utilisation rates.However, as the authors point out, the cost of renewable electricity from technologies such as solar PV and wind have fallen dramatically over the last few years and are expected to fall even further in the years ahead.“In many parts of the world, wind and solar power is already the cheapest form of energy for any new built generating capacity. Its average cost is cheaper than electricity from natural gas in many places including Australia and is often cheaper than wholesale prices on the grid,” the report says.Production of renewable hydrogen is becoming more competitive with that produced by fossil fuel electricityRead More

While Fighting the Virus, We Must Fight for Our Rights | The Tyee: Several countries have already had key institutions undermined by the COVID-19 pandemic, or its political manipulation. As a result, civil and constitutional rights, like the freedoms of assembly and expression, have been diluted if not cancelled outright — all in the name of fighting the deadly virus. Those rights may or may not be restored.

Let’s run through a list of governments eroding democracy under cover of pandemic — and don’t be surprised to find Canada in there, edging towards membership.

While Fighting the Virus, We Must Fight for Our Rights | The Tyee: Several countries have already had key institutions undermined by the COVID-19 pandemic, or its political manipulation. As a result, civil and constitutional rights, like the freedoms of assembly and expression, have been diluted if not cancelled outright — all in the name of fighting the deadly virus. Those rights may or may not be restored.Let’s run through a list of governments eroding democracy under cover of pandemic — and don’t be surprised to find Canada in there, edging towards membership.Read More