“I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.”
-Former United States president John F. Kennedy, May 25, 1961
“Today I challenge our nation to commit to producing 100 per cent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years.”
-Former United Stated vice-president Al Gore, July 17, 2008
When U.S. president John F. Kennedy called upon the United States to land a man on the moon, he sparked a marathon of scientific discovery and engineering ingenuity that was called the Apollo project. Kennedy’s vision was realized on July 20, 1969 when U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon and returned home safely soon after.
Former vice-president Al Gore is calling for a new Apollo project, challenging the United States to meet 100 per cent of its energy needs using renewable energy by 2018. Similar to Kennedy’s vision of putting a man on the moon, a renewable-powered United States will not be achieved easily nor without considerable costs.
Gore’s vision is a change of strategy for the environmental movement. It’s become clear that doomsday predictions aren’t spurring the majority to action. And no one wants to give up automobiles, warm homes and avocados. Gore hopes that a renewable Apollo project might work better to inspire action on climate change because it presents a vision of human achievement and ingenuity.
Such a vision may also play well with those opposed to tough action on climate change. Bjorn Lomborg, author of The Skeptical Environmentalist, visited Canada in early December 2009 to debate George Monbiot, author of the environmental solutions-oriented book Heat, on the issue of climate change. Lomborg argued that the world should be wary of introducing a carbon price on greenhouse gas emissions before alternatives like solar energy have become affordable. In effect, Lomborg argued that a renewable energy Apollo project must come before a carbon price.
Here in Saskatchewan, we are debating our electricity future. We know that we cannot stay the course and continue burning dirty coal to meet our electricity needs. But what alternatives do we have? And are the alternatives affordable?
The Standing Committee on Crown and Central Agencies set out to answer that question. Chaired by Sask Party MLA Tim McMillan, the Standing Committee is rounded out by four other Sask Party MLAs and two MLAs from the NDP. Ideas on how to meet Saskatchewan’s electricity needs were presented to the Standing Committee on Crown and Central Agencies in October. The Committee will meet again in January.
Judging by the responses, Saskatchewan has a real opportunity to play a role in a renewable energy Apollo project.
Saskatchewan-based solar company SHEC Energy presented its “solar-concentrating” technology, which uses a mirrored dish to concentrate the sun’s heat into a central point. Temperatures are high enough to easily boil water into steam, which can then be used to run a generator. This method of creating solar energy would cost as low as nine cents per kilowatt hour.
Saskatchewan can also make real gains in wind power electricity generation. In 2008, wind turbines supplied 2.8 per cent of Saskatchewan’s electricity. According to a study by SaskPower, wind power could potentially be doubled. Yet, Mark Bigland-Pritchard of Low-Energy Designs presented to the Standing Committee and noted that in Denmark wind accounted for almost 20 per cent of the country’s electricity supply.
SaskPower has expressed fears that wind turbines stop working when the temperature drops below minus 30 degrees. If this is true, then there is real opportunity for Saskatchewan to pioneer cold-weather wind turbine technology. We already boast wind-turbine manufacturer RAUM energy in Saskatoon.
Wind power is best suited for use in conjunction with a back-up power source such as hydroelectricity, which can be turned on and off quickly when the wind is not blowing.
Saskatchewan may have opportunities to pioneer wind and hydro systems. The Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation presented to the Standing Committee to express interest in adding to Saskatchewan’s hydroelectricity supply with a 200 Megawatt project.
There are other options as well. Geologist Brian Brunskill told the Standing Committee that Saskatchewan has the potential to make electricity using geothermal technology that uses heat and steam from deep beneath the earth’s surface. And the Meadow Lake Tribal Council expressed interest in using waste wood from its sawmill to produce biomass electricity.
It is no wonder that Tim Weiss of the Pembina Institute concluded that Saskatchewan can create a “green grid” powered by renewable energy.
Saskatchewan must make a choice. The world is calling for action on climate change. Our province needs to lower its electricity greenhouse gas emissions to contribute to this global effort. Nuclear energy has been proposed and rejected by citizens concerned about its cost and the health risks of radiation.
Saskatchewan has alternatives. Pursuing those alternatives may require an investment in research and development. It is for this reason that several presenters to the Standing Committee called for the creation of a Renewable Energy Centre of Expertise in Saskatchewan.
We can have a province powered 100 per cent by renewable energy. There will be challenges, but President Kennedy did not give up his dream of a man walking on the moon when he learned there were technical barriers to getting there and back; he rallied a nation to transform his vision into reality. Premier Wall could do the same.
Sasquatch columnist Brett Dolter is an ecological economist and musician. He teaches economics at the University of Regina and is principal consultant for BD Green Solutions.
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