RDCK wastes Public money on Solar Part 1



                   GRANTS DON'T MAKE UNAFFORDABLE PROJECTS AFFORDABLE IT JUST                                                                CHANGES  WHO PAYS

                    Grant money is not free.

  I am trying to stop the bleed of public money into something that can't work for us.



Suggested reading  "The Real Engineering Report on solar in BC"

There are so many things wrong with the RDCK/Balfour Rec. Commission solar system info I will have to do this in multi-part or your eyes will just glaze over. 

Balfour Rec Commission received grant money to instal three solar systems,  the Golf Clubhouse
Community Hall and Seniors Center.

Some background on what solar systems do for us here in the water powered Kootenays.


Almost all annual solar power is made when we don't need it, its as worthless as the water spilling down the river that we aren't using, yet we allow full value for this feel good power never mind wasting public dollars installing these systems.




Above the water spilling over the Nelson dam the graph shows this in orange from spring to fall

The value of solar at this time, when almost all annual solar power is made, $0, Nada, nothing Zip. zero.





Balfour Community Hall metal roof replacement, it needed replacing???????

So what professional was retained to survey the roof and determine it needed replacing?

All the grants were in place, the two Alberta solar bidders arrived for a site visit and shortly thereafter appeared an RDCK special need for $18,000 to replace this metal roof.

I asked the area Director Faust why the roof was replaced, she stated it needed replacing.  It didn't need
replacing before the Alberta solar bidders came for a site visit.

I know one cannot install a solar system on a metal roof, too many penetrations and a guaranteed
risk of leaks.




The new asphalt roof, more amenable to solar panel mounting systems.  Less risk of a leaky roof.

So what is the real info?  RDCK info I have shows 16kW  to be installed on the community hall. 
The on line public data suggests 12.4kW is installed, and 18kW is actually what is installed.
What is the explanation?

The bid info  suggested they can install for $2.68/watt.

To come from Alberta, install for this price?  Not believable.  The Kimberley SunMine about
$7/watt installed, the Nelson community solar garden  almost $7/watt.

The Kelowna system denied by the BCUC because it was of no benefit to anyone estimated $4/watt.
This was only a few months before these Balfour systems appeared.
Latest info I can find now in late 2020, salestalk suggesting maybe $2.50 with the disclaimer of course
that it depends on actual site circumstances.   The $2.50 gets their foot in the door, its never $2.50.

My estimate, more reasonable, $4/watt x 18kW = $72,000 + $18,000 roof = $90,000.  Business case payments over 25 year life expectancy $5500/year.

Nelson hydro makes this for $125 and sells for a huge profit helping to reduce everyone's electric bills.

Public money real business case cost $5500/yr so you can save a few dollars off your electric bill
and Nelson hydro can make that power for $125.  

In January the Community Hall solar system made 93kWh.  Nelson hydro makes that for 80 cents.
Payments on real money for the system would be $450/mo. !!!!!!!!!!


Thousands of public grant dollars, so the community hall saves a few dollars off the Balfour rec commissions electric bill, Nelson hydro loses the income from selling that power, plus they pay full retail for any excess even though the bylaw says they won't.  We all get shafted.  Huge grant money that could really help someone, to save a few dollars off the buildings hydro bill, pretending to be green and everyone is a big loser so the community hall sees a small reduction in their electric bill.!!


Where has all the common sense gone?



Solar wont' help us get off non renewables, it adds to our carbon footprint, nothing is cleaner or greener than our water power now spilling down the river with the profits that should benefit everyone so Balfour public buildings save a few dollars off their electric bills?????????

I tried to help the area director but she knew better.

Thank the Pembina Institute whom the RDCK or Balfour area director found to do their
studies about renewables.  Their director David Lovekin showed up long ago at the public meeting before the Nelson community solar garden and spoke, telling everyone half our power comes from coal and we had to reduce GHG's.   They believed him too?  judging by what happens here.  The minutes of that meeting are on the city web, curiously there are NONE of the negative comments, mine or others that were told at that public meeting in the minutes.

The Pembina Insitute which is nothing more than a “gaggle of green gerbils”  all sucking $$$ out of other foundations






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