Category: Environment

Standard Offer Contracts for Renewable Energy

The Ontario Government funded the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) to review the impacts and benefits of adopting a Standard Offer Contract (SOC) system similar to many countries in the European Union. Germany, Denmark and Spain have phenomenal sucess with this system, as evident by these countries high percentage of electricity from renewable energy sources and growth in renewable energy investment.

Currently Ontario uses a very complex and very competative tender system that discourages any but the larger corporations, scaring away many potential investors. Furthermore, the government has to fairly weigh and analyze all submission, at significant cost.

The OSEA report demonstrates that SOC’s eliminate these difficulties by granting approval to any project from any investor (go farmers!) while gauranting a higher than market price for the energy from these renewable energy projects. The application process is significantly streamlined and there are not limits on the number of renewable energy projects, giving renewable energy technologies one advantage over their fossil fuel counterparts.

Anti McDonalds Day!

Yesturday was the 20th annual National Anti-McDonalds Day. Every year on October 16th people all over the World come together in peaceful protest against this corporate junk food giant to raise awareness about subjects such as McDonalds damaging the environment, exploiting workers, cruelty towards animals and for targeting youth in their ad campaigns. The date of protest was started by the London branch of Greenpeace in 1985 and was chosen because October 16th is also the United Nations World Food Day.
You can visit the official anti McDonalds site here for more information on the company and can also download a version of their “whats wrong with McDonalds” leaflet to learn more about why there is controversy behind the Mc Giant.

Bio Lube

Probably not what you were hoping for, but the hydroelectric industry has recently been experimenting with lubrication using biologically degradable oils from natural sources. When a hydroelectric turbine is in operation it must be well lubricated or else friction and instability are created which shake and therefore damage both the turbine and casing. However, a small portion of the oil inevitably leakes into the water. Although less than the waste oil from a motor vehicle the hydroelectric industry is experimenting with biodegrabalbe oils with regulations the threat of fines or enforcement. A hydroelectric industry spokesman commented that bio lube is simply a choice since they work as well as conventional lubes and the industry does not have to worry about spills. With future advancements bio lube could be converted to higher temperature operations such as oil inside a car engine.

Going Somewhere? Take Someone With You

a good looking road, i think not
eRideShare.com is a site that allows people to coordinate efforts to go somewhere. It’s designed for travelers, commuters and mostly anything in-between.

Unfortunately the site is only available to those in North America. But a lot of driving is done on that continent so it’s for the best I guess.

By carpooling one can save money, the environment and meet new people all in one! There are other websites that offer the same service.

Safeway to use Sustainable Energy

Good form of power- windThe U.S. grocery-store chain Safeway plans to start using wind power. In something that can best be described as irony they will use wind power to supply energy to their gas stations in the U.S.

They will also use wind energy to power their corporate offices and even some stores in the San Francisco Bay area. A total of 270 gas stations and 15 grocery stores will be powered by wind.