SOLAR GARDEN DECEPTION



                Could one Possibly Find another More Absurd Waste of Public Money in BC?

Likely the most absurd example, the City of Nelson Community Solar Garden

Finally the house of cards is beginning to tumble.  The recent denial of the Kelowna
solar project in the Fortis Electric area by the BC Utilities Commission saying it had no benefit to anyone, nor did it help decrease GHG's.

The BCOAPO submission to the project repeats the same saying all risks and costs are
borne by the ratepayers.

Even Fortis makes a statement  "it will be a challenge when the public discovers the economics of solar".

The thought of solar power causes even normal intelligent people to lose their common sense.

The Nelson Solar Garden was a product of deception.


Nelson is the only city in western Canada with its own hydroelectric generation and distribution making huge profits to pay for city projects and reduce taxes and electricity bills.
Yet they installed solar panels at the dam????

A testament to misinformation, incompetence and plain stupidity.   Solar can and will never compete with our own clean green waterpower.

Yet promoting the project in the media was continually full of bull$hit.




 Full color double page inserts promoting the project were seen in the fall of 2015, they forecasted cost at $225,000 even though it wasn't operational until June 2017.

They expected in 10 years solar power would cost less than hydro!!!

The claim was made in print and other media the solar garden aligned with the Cities Path to 2040 all about carbon reduction, yet solar cannot compete with waterpower.

I asked the manager of Nelson hydro to explain his statement made many times how it aligned with the cities Path to 2040 regarding carbon reduction when it actually adds to our carbon footprint.
At a public meeting I asked the hydro manager "what makes the solar power green?"  His reply "nobody said it was green"

How do they get away with this?  Solar will cost less than hydro in 10 years, yes it will reduce excess electricity costs, it won't save money it will cost a lot more.

Solar only increases our GHG, (supported in the reasons of denial of the Kelowna project).

Yet the promotional material says the city undertook a program to reduce GHG and increase locally produced energy.


In November 2017 presales with $500 down non refundable began the newspaper item that day said "in any event the cost will not exceed $923".
The project hadn't even started, it only became operational 30 months later, how could they know costs?
The appliction for the project made to the BC Utilities Commission stated the project would be fully funded by those opting in, yet no adjustment was ever made to this $923 as costs rose.

A year later as costs were becoming known and $923 certainly did not make it fully funded by those opting in, nothng changed.  Yet that years rate application to the BCUC repeated once again the solar garden was fully funded by those opting in.

I asked the manager of Nelson hydro emails cc'd to the mayor and council on more than one occasion to give me the definition of fully funded pertaining to the solar garden.  I could never get a reply.


Another news item regarding the Nelson Community Solar Garden
Notice the add at the bottom.  Would anyone not make the connection that the solar garden power is green?  It is not!
Deception. 


The last sentence in that item says

Participation is voluntary, and only those who "invest" will receive the benefits.  I suggest that is coercive promoting.

Would the BC Securities Commission allow any prospective
"investment" to advertise like this?  The word "invest" doesn't seem appropriate, there is no payback.  The only risk belongs to all Nelson hydro customers who will pay for any and all future costs to maintain the solar garden operationally.


Left a piece from the newspaper column by the cities solar contractor suggesting a credit year round, would you presume a credit every electric bill?   What really happened, first deposits non refundable $500 in November 2015,  it didn't become operational until June 2017, 18 mos. later and the first payback to those buying in was on the anniversary data June 2018, 30 months after they made their unrefundable deposits.

Below more newspaper promotional garbage.












   
             Yet one still sees in print
            The 60 kW solar array entailed in the plan is projected to generate 70-75,000 kWh/year.                                                                                 

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