Has Solar and Wind generation reduced electricity costs in Alberta?

[AlbertaFarmer5]

As we switch from fossil fuels to lower carbon generation sources like gas there are additional costs with new builds.

Switching from fossil fuels to natural gas?
That has to be the ultimate example of redefining a word to fit an agenda.

[chuckChuck]

That's why utilities are switching to highly flexible generation sources like gas that can be turned up and down quickly to cover off intermittent renewables. They can increase the size of base load generation to cover off peak demand.

They are also wanting to have more interconnections with neighboring provinces and regions so that renewables can provide more stable supplies across a much bigger regional system.

The additional costs of more and duplicate generation systems are regionally specific.

Sizing a system that will cover off all the needs at peak consumption without local renewables will change as storage becomes more common. It will undoubteldy have an additional cost. But renewables are very low cost and are getting cheaper and the cost of fuel will never rise.

Several countries in Europe already have a very significant amount of renewables in the mix and are planning on adding more now that they want as much energy independence as possible. Including Great Britain. Renewables are the lowest cost way of adding a lot of capacity especially wind.

This is a transition that will continue for decades.

[binthere]

Just because europe redefined gas as green. When it suits the occasion.

[jazz]

Guys, dont listen to a word the govt paid propaganda artist spews. Wind and solar are no where near the lowest cost anything. Without massive subsidies none of it would be installed anywhere.

But the oil sands quickly are.

Good on our oil patch for strong fiscal management. There will be 2 generation of wind blades and solar panels in the landfill and the sands will just keep on going.

[jazz]

chuck is such an npc. I mean a guy who cant figure out the most basic facts in life. Amazing.

It takes 500,000t of overburden removal to make the REE for a single EV. That overburden removal needs 800bbl of oil energy to happen.

You do the math, the planet will be strip mined 100x the oil sands footprint and send our oil usage sky high for 30 yrs. and then we will have to do it all again. See any 30 yr old batteries around your farm.

This nuts and its time to call out the whackos like chuck and greta.

[chuckChuck]

Trump is till president and covid is gone right? LOL

And the oil sands have been and are subsidized as well.

Much of it developed with government research, incentives and subsidies without paying for the external costs and the cleanup which are another form of subsidies and hidden costs.

Even without subsidies renewables are some of the cheapest sources of new electrcity generation sources in many locations according to Bloomberg and the IEA.

[blackpowder]

Who here has ever been?

[Hamloc]

Latest power bill is interesting.
Total bill is $489.32 before gst.
Energy charge is $207.59 at 6.89 cents a kwh.
Administration. $8.95.
Delivery charge. $125.72.
Transmission charge $107.78.
Balancing pool allocation $7.05.
Rate Rider. $32.23.
Utility rebate $50.00.
Net. $439.32 + gst.

Balancing pool allocation allocates the costs or benefits of power purchase agreements. I believe this is where we are paying for the early retirement of coal generation plants.

Rate riders are temporary charges approved by the regulator to compensate for the difference between the actual cost of electricity or natural gas and the initially approved rate.

[blackpowder]

https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/braid-ottawa-transition-plan-ontario-alberta-battle

[Guest]

Here’s mine hamloc
2685 kWh =$347
Numb nut tax=$17
Meter charge =$40
Numb nut GST tax=20
Total $422
About 50 % more than normal as fans were running to freeze canola that we weren’t smart enough to sell
Almost the same as yours for power used

[Hamloc]

Here’s mine hamloc
2685 kWh =$347
Numb nut tax=$17
Meter charge =$40
Numb nut GST tax=20
Total $422
About 50 % more than normal as fans were running to freeze canola that we weren’t smart enough to sell
Almost the same as yours for power used

Forgot to put Kilowatts, 3013.
Also need to clarify that I am on a 5 year fixed rate plan. I signed up 1 year ago. I just looked today, same retailer, same 5 year plan is 11.59 cents a kilowatt. On the Regulated Rate, which is more up to date with market conditions is just over 20 cents a kilowatt.

[Guest]

You’re Alberta aren’t you ? There sure is a lot of extra charges on there ?
My bill works out to $.1586/kWh with all the liberal tax grabs ? What’s total on yours?

[AlbertaFarmer5]

You’re Alberta aren’t you ? There sure is a lot of extra charges on there ?
My bill works out to $.1586/kWh with all the liberal tax grabs ? What’s total on yours?

And, as Chuck keeps reminding us, in Alberta, we also have a lot more cheap wind and solar. But I'm sure that there is no connection between those low cost generation sources, and all of the additional costs...

[Hamloc]

You’re Alberta aren’t you ? There sure is a lot of extra charges on there ?
My bill works out to $.1586/kWh with all the liberal tax grabs ? What’s total on yours?

Before the $50 affordability rebate from the Alberta government it is $.1624/kwh, after it is $.1458/kwh.
In the summer the cost per kwh is higher because my consumption go down to about 7-800 kwh per month but the transmission and distribution charges don’t go down much in relation to consumption. No doubt in my opinion it is a bullsh#t system. The only positive part is that it is far more transparent for analysis of the efficiency of different generation systems. No other province has the equivalent of the AESO supply and demand page which monitors and reports up to the minute electrical usage and generation province wide..

[furrowtickler]

https://youtu.be/CxqoulPJlPc

Global energy perspective