I've given different versions of this presentation to a number of audiences, local through national. This version was presented to a class at Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo ON (my home area).
The intent of this presentation is to provide an overview of how to plan energy projects, where different technologies fit and thrive, what challenges to expect (and how to overcome them), and where to get help.
This presentation is a useful overview of the entire sustainable energy sector, and focuses on commercially available technologies that are available in Ontario Canada.
Comments welcome. Contact me with any questions.
Managing Social Friction in Wind or Solar Energy ProjectsDerek Satnik
Wind and solar energy have brought electricity generation home to the neighbourhood, and big surprise, not all the neighbours are happy about it. Change can be hard, and respecting the neighbours is important. This presentation explores the causes of social friction and how to manage it without sacrificing your project.
Social Challenges to Going Green: Social Friction, Inertia, & Catalyzing Prog...Derek Satnik
Engineers Without Borders invited me to present on the challenges to going green. I used these slides to focus on various project examples I've been part of in the past.
How Wind and Solar Energy Projects Really Work (or Don't)Derek Satnik
Wind and solar energy are not new, but they've newly come into the forefront of the energy markets in North America, and in particular in Ontario, Canada. This presentation will explore some of the challenges in developing these projects, and how to overcome them.
The Good, Bad, and Ugly Truth about Ontario's Energy SectorDerek Satnik
The largest items in Ontario's provincial budget are health care, education, debt, and energy, and that means these four are incredibly political. This presentation reveals the inner workings of Ontario's energy market and dispels some of the myths currently floating in Ontario's media and political circles
Sustainable Housing in Resilient Communities: Guelph, ON, CanadaDerek Satnik
Presentation made for Resilience Guelph: local citizens of diverse backgrounds sharing mutual interest in transitioning their local municipal region towards being a fully resilient community.
This presentation focusses on sustainable housing: energy efficiency, water efficiency, cost effective conservation strategies, industry trends, green building, recycled materials, recycled water, and how to take all these concepts home.
Trends in Green Kitchens and Green BuildingsDerek Satnik
The green building industry is one of the hottest right now. Construction has always been a major contributor to the economy, and Canada is adding enough new buildings every year that over 1,000 kilotons of new emissions are added to the building sector's footprint - compounded every year. The same market in the US adds almost 10 times more. This is obviously a problem.
The Green Building sector is making a significant impact at reversing this trend. Mindscape's partners are leading the way: our latest projects are pursuing net-zero, cost effectively. LEED Platinum is not only affordable, but it's making money for the building owners. Green material costs are continually becoming more competitive as suppliers adapt to the requirements of green building programs. There are brighter days ahead.
Enjoy the read!
This slide deck was prepared for an internal training event at Distinctive Appliances, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Managing Social Friction in Wind or Solar Energy ProjectsDerek Satnik
Wind and solar energy have brought electricity generation home to the neighbourhood, and big surprise, not all the neighbours are happy about it. Change can be hard, and respecting the neighbours is important. This presentation explores the causes of social friction and how to manage it without sacrificing your project.
Social Challenges to Going Green: Social Friction, Inertia, & Catalyzing Prog...Derek Satnik
Engineers Without Borders invited me to present on the challenges to going green. I used these slides to focus on various project examples I've been part of in the past.
How Wind and Solar Energy Projects Really Work (or Don't)Derek Satnik
Wind and solar energy are not new, but they've newly come into the forefront of the energy markets in North America, and in particular in Ontario, Canada. This presentation will explore some of the challenges in developing these projects, and how to overcome them.
The Good, Bad, and Ugly Truth about Ontario's Energy SectorDerek Satnik
The largest items in Ontario's provincial budget are health care, education, debt, and energy, and that means these four are incredibly political. This presentation reveals the inner workings of Ontario's energy market and dispels some of the myths currently floating in Ontario's media and political circles
Sustainable Housing in Resilient Communities: Guelph, ON, CanadaDerek Satnik
Presentation made for Resilience Guelph: local citizens of diverse backgrounds sharing mutual interest in transitioning their local municipal region towards being a fully resilient community.
This presentation focusses on sustainable housing: energy efficiency, water efficiency, cost effective conservation strategies, industry trends, green building, recycled materials, recycled water, and how to take all these concepts home.
Trends in Green Kitchens and Green BuildingsDerek Satnik
The green building industry is one of the hottest right now. Construction has always been a major contributor to the economy, and Canada is adding enough new buildings every year that over 1,000 kilotons of new emissions are added to the building sector's footprint - compounded every year. The same market in the US adds almost 10 times more. This is obviously a problem.
The Green Building sector is making a significant impact at reversing this trend. Mindscape's partners are leading the way: our latest projects are pursuing net-zero, cost effectively. LEED Platinum is not only affordable, but it's making money for the building owners. Green material costs are continually becoming more competitive as suppliers adapt to the requirements of green building programs. There are brighter days ahead.
Enjoy the read!
This slide deck was prepared for an internal training event at Distinctive Appliances, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Keep Calm and Innovate Sustainably: 10 Tips for Sustainable DesignDassault Systemes
Nowadays, sustainable production and consumption remain an exception. Consumers demand more sustainable products, yet they often lack information. The problem for product designers and managers: shifting to sustainable innovation is not always easy. This presentation will drive you through 10 tips to get started with more sustainable design.
Parts of this presentation were inspired by the SPIN/Leapfrog Project, a joint initiative from TU Delft, the Vietnam Cleaner Production Center (VNCPC), UNEP and Dassault Systèmes.
Learn more about the Leapfrog Project at: http://perspectives.3ds.com/tag/leapfrog-project/
Sustainable Architecture is an effort to minimize the negative environmental impact of the buildings by using specific materials, energy and development space through strict moderation and efficiency
This is a basic overview of the role of assessment or green rating systems in the design of buildings. It looks most closely at the LEED Version 2 system for New Construction and has not yet been updated to address LEED 2009.
Sustainable Design Part Two: Climate Related IssuesTerri Meyer Boake
What is Sustainable Design Part Two: Climate Related Issues looks at the bioclimatic regions and how they affect the approach to environmental building design. This also looks at the comfort zone as a way to reduce energy consumption.
This presentation is a basic introduction to the concepts underlying carbon neutral design. It looks at a LEED Platinum building that is also a carbon neutral building for some ideas as to how to achieve this goal.
Life in the Trenches: How Wind and Solar Projects Really Work (or Don't)Derek Satnik
Wind and solar energy are far from new, but the recent growth of these industries means that many new players are doing wind and solar projects, some with better successes than others. THis presentation talks about how
Energy prices are political, confusing, and generally rising. Ontario's rising energy costs are affecting businesses, and will do so even more over the next ten years. This webinar offers insight behind the markets into what is happening to energy pricing (politics aside), what businesses can do to benefit from the coming changes, and how to put more energy dollars back into your business.This webinar will provide insights about the best ways to take advantage of government programs to stay ahead of changing energy prices.
Takeaways:
- Update on Ontario energy pricing trends.
- Update on conservation programs/grants
- 101 on Energy Audits & retrofits
- How to put energy $$ back into your business
There are few things more political than energy and energy prices. Ontario's markets have been changing, and there are new realities for Realtors to be aware of: some things that have changed, and some that will soon change.
This presentation is both for Commercial and Residential Realtors, and will provide an update on how changes in the energy markets will affect your clients, and how Realtors can help / benefit.
Slides discuss:
- what's changing in the markets: pricing and more (ie: truth and facts);
- what the governments are doing (presently and planned);
- what products we're seeing for Commercial or Residential facilities, and what Realtors are likely to see more of in the coming years;
- what the opportunities are for Realtors;
- Energy Audits: help and grants available to help your clients save money on energy, and ways Realtors can be involved;
- things that affect value: buying or selling a building with solar panels;
- things that affect investment properties and rental income;
- SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: a new tool/app that you can offer, as a Realtor, to your clients, to help them manage their energy use. Contact us at info@mi-group.ca if interested!
Keep Calm and Innovate Sustainably: 10 Tips for Sustainable DesignDassault Systemes
Nowadays, sustainable production and consumption remain an exception. Consumers demand more sustainable products, yet they often lack information. The problem for product designers and managers: shifting to sustainable innovation is not always easy. This presentation will drive you through 10 tips to get started with more sustainable design.
Parts of this presentation were inspired by the SPIN/Leapfrog Project, a joint initiative from TU Delft, the Vietnam Cleaner Production Center (VNCPC), UNEP and Dassault Systèmes.
Learn more about the Leapfrog Project at: http://perspectives.3ds.com/tag/leapfrog-project/
Sustainable Architecture is an effort to minimize the negative environmental impact of the buildings by using specific materials, energy and development space through strict moderation and efficiency
This is a basic overview of the role of assessment or green rating systems in the design of buildings. It looks most closely at the LEED Version 2 system for New Construction and has not yet been updated to address LEED 2009.
Sustainable Design Part Two: Climate Related IssuesTerri Meyer Boake
What is Sustainable Design Part Two: Climate Related Issues looks at the bioclimatic regions and how they affect the approach to environmental building design. This also looks at the comfort zone as a way to reduce energy consumption.
This presentation is a basic introduction to the concepts underlying carbon neutral design. It looks at a LEED Platinum building that is also a carbon neutral building for some ideas as to how to achieve this goal.
Life in the Trenches: How Wind and Solar Projects Really Work (or Don't)Derek Satnik
Wind and solar energy are far from new, but the recent growth of these industries means that many new players are doing wind and solar projects, some with better successes than others. THis presentation talks about how
Energy prices are political, confusing, and generally rising. Ontario's rising energy costs are affecting businesses, and will do so even more over the next ten years. This webinar offers insight behind the markets into what is happening to energy pricing (politics aside), what businesses can do to benefit from the coming changes, and how to put more energy dollars back into your business.This webinar will provide insights about the best ways to take advantage of government programs to stay ahead of changing energy prices.
Takeaways:
- Update on Ontario energy pricing trends.
- Update on conservation programs/grants
- 101 on Energy Audits & retrofits
- How to put energy $$ back into your business
There are few things more political than energy and energy prices. Ontario's markets have been changing, and there are new realities for Realtors to be aware of: some things that have changed, and some that will soon change.
This presentation is both for Commercial and Residential Realtors, and will provide an update on how changes in the energy markets will affect your clients, and how Realtors can help / benefit.
Slides discuss:
- what's changing in the markets: pricing and more (ie: truth and facts);
- what the governments are doing (presently and planned);
- what products we're seeing for Commercial or Residential facilities, and what Realtors are likely to see more of in the coming years;
- what the opportunities are for Realtors;
- Energy Audits: help and grants available to help your clients save money on energy, and ways Realtors can be involved;
- things that affect value: buying or selling a building with solar panels;
- things that affect investment properties and rental income;
- SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: a new tool/app that you can offer, as a Realtor, to your clients, to help them manage their energy use. Contact us at info@mi-group.ca if interested!
Paths to Net-Zero Energy Sustainable HomesDerek Satnik
It's cold in Canada, so Canada has always been a world leader in designing efficient homes. This presentation explores the Canadian experience with low-energy housing, and how to get from today's standard practice to net-zero
Overview of effective green building policy and related programs. This presentation was delivered in the "Green Profit" conference in Kingston, ON to an audience of policy makers, researchers, ENGO's, and industry. I was invited to speak about the trends I see in the policy world, and to educate listeners about what existing policies are present, how they are being used, what is coming in the future, how to change policy to increase effectiveness of encouraging more green buildings to be built, and similar items.
The green building industry is one of the hottest right now. Construction has always been a major contributor to the economy, and Canada is adding enough new buildings every year that over 1,000 kilotons of new emissions are added to the building sector's footprint - compounded every year. The same market in the US adds almost 10 times more. This is obviously a problem.
The Green Building sector is making a significant impact at reversing this trend. Mindscape's partners are leading the way: our latest projects are pursuing net-zero, cost effectively. LEED Platinum is not only affordable, but it's making money for the building owners. Green material costs are continually becoming more competitive as suppliers adapt to the requirements of green building programs. There are brighter days ahead.
Enjoy the read!
This slide deck was prepared for an internal training event at BASF, the largest chemical company in the world. BASF products are used in everything from insulation to permeable pavement to agriculture. This presentation was designed for their construction market team at a special training event in Ontario, Canada.
What's new in green housing, and what is the Ontario government planning to require in the future? Times are changing, and so are the rules. This presentation offers a quick summary of the latest trends
Energy Savings for Hotel & Lodging IndustryRayco Energy
Rayco Energy, California's Energy Consultant and Retrofit Contractor presented on facilities energy saving for the Hotel and Lodging Industry at the California Hotel & Lodging Association's annual tradeshow on May 21, 2015 in San Jose, CA
Energy Technologies for Mid-Rise Buildings - Past, Present and FutureRayco Energy
Presented on January 21, 2015 to WESTCON (Western Construction Consultants Association) by Rayco Energy.
An overview of the evolution of energy technologies in the high-density residential and commercial marketplace. Assessing energy management planning and budgeting for solar pv roof panels, LED lighting upgrades, demand management, and building envelope upgrades within California and Nevada.
Solar Resources: where to find solar energy information and factsBrightergy
It's always a good idea to do a little research before making a major investment. So if you're interested in solar power for your non-profit or business, where do you go? We've compiled a helpful list of resources, websites, and blogs that we ourselves use. Pick the sources that provide the best solar energy information and facts for your needs - from technology updates and solar economics to sustainable business thought leaders, use this presentation as your guide as you begin your research.
Barriers to Innovation in Net-Zero EnergyDerek Satnik
www.west5.ca and www.evepark.ca are two real net-zero energy communities being built right now in London, ON, Canada. EVE Park in particular includes parking towers with electric vehicle charging, and this creates many challenges for local approving authorities who've never seen such equipment before. How do we innovate? And what are the barriers that need to be addressed?
What would it take for PACE funding to work in Canada? The Manitoba Chapter of the Canada Green Building Council hosted this interactive session to discuss. These slides cover material from a large study done with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) about the role municipalities can play in enabling net-zero construction. Finance models were a big discussion topic in that study, and PACE is a very interesting tool. This presentation explores how PACE could work in Manitoba.
This webinar features lessons from the trenches of real projects, particularly www.west5.ca and www.evepark.ca in London, Ontario, Canada: a 70 acre mixed use site (2.5M sq.ft. incl. 2,000 homes and 500k sq.ft. of commercial / retail) partially built out, and on track to achieve net-zero energy at the community level. This presentation summarizes the present status, demonstrates that net-zero is feasible in today's market at scale, and shares some of the lessons learned thus far.
More detail online at:
wwww.west5.ca
www.evepark.ca
www.s2etech.com/fcm-gmf
Net-Zero Municipal Policy Workshop - Energy Conscious Community PlanningDerek Satnik
Presented at the Leadership in Brownfield Renewal (LiBRe) workshop of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), this webinar discusses what municipalities can do to help builders/developers construct net-zero energy (low carbon or even carbon-free) communities.
This webinar features lessons from the trenches of real projects. Four Canadian cities partnered with Canada's national "Green Municipal Fund" to assess 8 project sites for technical feasibility (how to build net-zero neighbourhoods in 8 cases), financial feasibility (ie: how to fund them), and process feasibility (ie: how to get a permit). The participating cities all hosted mock-trial approvals processes and reported lessons learned. This presentation will summarize the outcomes, and will introduce tools which are available publicly to help municipalities enable net-zero energy development.
More detail online at: www.s2etech.com/fcm-gmf
How Municipalities Can Enable Net-Zero ConstructionDerek Satnik
Presented at the Leadership in Brownfield Renewal (LiBRe) workshop of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), this webinar discusses what municipalities can do to help builders/developers construct net-zero energy (low carbon or even carbon-free) communities.
This webinar features lessons from the trenches of real projects. Four Canadian cities partnered with Canada's national "Green Municipal Fund" to assess 8 project sites for technical feasibility (how to build net-zero neighbourhoods in 8 cases), financial feasibility (ie: how to fund them), and process feasibility (ie: how to get a permit). The participating cities all hosted mock-trial approvals processes and reported lessons learned. This presentation will summarize the outcomes, and will introduce tools which are available publicly to help municipalities enable net-zero energy development.
More detail online at: www.s2etech.com/fcm-gmf
How Municipalities Can Enable Net-Zero ConstructionDerek Satnik
Presented to the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA), this webinar discusses what municipalities can do to help builders construct net-zero energy (low carbon or even carbon-free) communities.
This webinar features lessons from the trenches of real projects. Four Canadian cities partnered with Canada's national "Green Municipal Fund" to assess 8 project sites for technical feasibility (how to build net-zero neighbourhoods in 8 cases), financial feasibility (ie: how to fund them), and process feasibility (ie: how to get a permit). The participating cities all hosted mock-trial approvals processes and reported lessons learned. This webinar will cover the outcomes, and will introduce tools which are available publicly to help municipalities enable net-zero energy development.
More detail online at: www.s2etech.com/fcm-gmf
Municipal Tools for Catalyzing Net-Zero Energy DevelopmentDerek Satnik
This webinar features lessons from the trenches of real projects. Four Canadian cities partnered with Canada's national "Green Municipal Fund" to assess 8 project sites for technical feasibility (how to build net-zero neighbourhoods in 8 cases), financial feasibility (ie: how to fund them), and process feasibility (ie: how to get a permit). The participating cities all hosted mock-trial approvals processes and reported all the lessons learned. This webinar will cover the outcomes, and will introduce tools which are available publicly to help municipalities enable net-zero energy development.
More detail online at: www.s2etech.com/fcm-gmf
Sustainable Communities and Net-Zero Energy: Municipal Incentives That Actual...Derek Satnik
This presentation summarizes a broad national study done in Canada on how cities can effectively enable developers to build net-zero communities. This study focused on which technologies to use, how to invest in them, and how to get innovative projects approved through municipal processes.
The study was a partnership between the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM, through their Green Municipal Fund, GMF) and eight developers from four medium-sized Canadian cities to observe three basic concepts:
-1- The technical feasibility of achieving net-zero energy communities at the eight projects;
-2- The financial feasibility of building such projects;
-3- The process feasibility to obtain government approval of projects and all required permits.
The full report is available online at https://s2etech.com/fcm-gmf/
The Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) has proudly launched a program to enable builders to construct net-zero energy homes: homes which provide their own electricity and heat (ie: 100% of their own power / energy).
This presentation summarizes the present status of the Canadian home-building industry, of energy efficiency movements in home building, of CHBA's efforts to support innovation, and specifically, how to participate in constructing, commissioning and labelling (certifying / qualifying) a net-zero energy home in Canada.
Derek Satnik is proud to be serving the CHBA's committees and program development team, and to deliver this talk on behalf of that team.
s2e Technologies is proud to help builders plan / design / build net-zero energy communities.
Any questions, please contact me!
The Acceleration of Net Zero (2016-11-08)Derek Satnik
The CHBA (Canadian Home Builders' Association) is supporting industry innovation and helping enable the industry to build net-zero energy homes. This presentation summarizes the status of the Canadian housing industry and the CHBA's efforts.
Smart Buildings and Design: Rethink, Redesign, RebuildDerek Satnik
My talk at All-Energy Canada: review of the state of sustainable buildings in Canada, and particularly of the emerging trends and discussion around smart buildings. Review of the latest technology trends, examples of what's working, and some useful reference materials. Enjoy!
This presentation was given to UW students who are graduating from Engineering. I was asked to share my storey about how I got into doing what I now do, how Mindscape was founded, what inspired me, what help I needed, what mistakes I made, ... entrepreneurial stuff.
Enjoy!
Water conservation is easier than most people think. This presentation focuses on proven real-world examples of how to conserve energy at home or at work.
The presentation was followed by a workshop (see http://mi-group.ca/premise/water-conservation-workshop/). Contact us for more information about custom training workshops.
CaGBC Toronto: Partners In Project GreenDerek Satnik
This presentation summarizes the state of the green building industry in the Toronto area: one of the most rapidly growing cities in North America, with more new towers under construction than most other North American cities combined in 2012. Learn about the LEED process, the process of certifying professionals, buildings, other projects, how to maintain certification, and where to find help.
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Macroeconomics- Movie Location
This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
Acetabularia Information For Class 9 .docxvaibhavrinwa19
Acetabularia acetabulum is a single-celled green alga that in its vegetative state is morphologically differentiated into a basal rhizoid and an axially elongated stalk, which bears whorls of branching hairs. The single diploid nucleus resides in the rhizoid.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Welcome to TechSoup New Member Orientation and Q&A (May 2024).pdfTechSoup
In this webinar you will learn how your organization can access TechSoup's wide variety of product discount and donation programs. From hardware to software, we'll give you a tour of the tools available to help your nonprofit with productivity, collaboration, financial management, donor tracking, security, and more.
Normal Labour/ Stages of Labour/ Mechanism of LabourWasim Ak
Normal labor is also termed spontaneous labor, defined as the natural physiological process through which the fetus, placenta, and membranes are expelled from the uterus through the birth canal at term (37 to 42 weeks
2. I skate to where the
puck is going to be,
not where it has
been.
- Wayne Gretzky
3. Agenda
A “101” style walk-through of
real-life project experiences:
•Context & Planning
•Challenges to Expect
•Pitfalls to Avoid
•Where to Find Help
•Lessons Learned
Picture from http://www.bcenergyblog.com/tags/ontario-windfarms/
Slide time: <1 min.
Talking points:
Welcome!
Renewable energy is not new, but Ontario’s Green Energy Act is.
Wind/solar have been in Canada for >50 yrs
Industry is mature - lots of experiences, both good and bad.
The media never tells the whole story, and often embelishes.
Today we’re here to talk about how real projects work… or don’t.
Ontario is a problematic province, with a diversity of strengths and weaknesses, a huge provincial budget, a multimodal economy, and a voracious appetite for energy. The provincial energy system is one of the largest items on the Provincial budget, and is a growing concern. Ontario's Green Energy Act has begun the process of decentralizing Ontario's energy system, opening up opportunities for local communities and local individuals to generate energy for themselves.
What Ontario's government and ENGO sector did not expect was the degree of opposition and localized social friction that locally owned renewable energy projects would face. That opposition has had mixed competence, but has become increasingly well organized, and has been very damaging to Ontario's nacent green energy economy.
Energy is changing around the world.
Nuclear is phasing out.
Coal is killing us.
Natural gas is fracked.
Renewables used to provide 100% of our power, and can again.
Slide time: <1 min.
Picture from http://www.bcenergyblog.com/tags/ontario-wind-farms/
Talking points:
First, we’ll walk through some context about how to plan a project well
Then we’ll talk about the rest of the items listed here: [read the agenda, comment on each item]
Slide time: <1 min.
Talking points:
Why should you listen to me?
I’m proud to say that I’ve had some privileged opportunities
I’m an energy consultant
My firm helps write the rules and teach others to use them
We helped write the Green Energy Act, LEED, ENERGY STAR, and many other similar programs
We’ve done hundreds of projects, and we’ve seen the best and the worst
Hopefully our experience will help you avoid some of the problems we’ve had, and build on the things we’ve done well.
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
First things first: conservation before generation.
Wind and solar are fancy, exciting, visible… but expensive
Start cheap: conservation is less flashy, but 7-10 times more beneficial
Conservation done well will increase your budget
At Mindscape we have what we call our 50/50 plan:
do conservation;
free up money;
enjoy 50% of the savings as just that: savings. Put it back into your business;
put the other 50% of that money in a special account, and use it to finance more conservation projects.
As your savings grows, you will be able to afford more expensive projects.
Moral of the story: grab the low hanging fruit first.
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Image: Wind turbines and solar panels outside Wal-Mart in McKinney, Texas
Whether retrofitting buildings or street lighting, the same principles apply:
Use Less:
Know your turn-down ratio
“Turn-down ratio” compares the amount of energy the bldg. is using when it is “off” to the amount it uses when “on”. Most buildings never really turn fully off: they have emergency lighting, ventilation, heating, and other loads that are always on. The turn-down ratio is the percentage of “on” power that is used when “off.”
Eg: a turn-down ratio of 50% means that when all staff go home and the building is turned “off”, it is still using 50% of the energy it would be if it was turned “on”.
(50-70% is not uncommon from what we’ve seen and been told by our colleagues)
Consider controls to improve turn-down: lighting controls, PLC/BAS controls, etc.
BAS = Building Automation System: most commercial buildings have one.
PLC = Programmable Logic Controller: most industrial processes have one.
Turn-off stuff not in use (eg: motion sensors in bathrooms)
Turn-off stuff that’s not required (eg: “sensors, moisture sensors on irrigation)
Eg: don’t spend electricity on lighting when the sun is doing fine
Eg: don’t spend water and electricity irrigating when it’s raining
Eg: economizers for fresh air
Recover the energy you’ve already used: ERV’s, DWHR, steam flue heat exchangers, etc.
ERV = Energy (or Enthalpy) Recovery Ventilator (recover’s energy in exhaust air)
DWHR = Drain Water Heat Recovery (recover’s energy in drain water)
Steam flue heat exchangers – recover energy from steam that is being exhausted from industrial processes.
Incentives: (see later slides)
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Step 1: Scoping – determine technology options
Not every technology fits everywhere. There is no perfect solution. Understand what works in your situation.
Step 2: Feasibility assessment(s)
Rule of 1%: do some quick math (napkin math) to guesstimate your budget, and then before you start, spend 1% of that amount getting help to confirm that the budget and payback are what you expect.
Step 3: Research permitting requirements
Ask early and often! Do not let yourself be surprised! Unexpected permits can bankrupt or sabotage a project.
Talk to a minimum of:
Local building department (they will know if you need to talk to other city departments, eg: Heritage department)
Local utilities (electrical, gas, water, sewer)
Local conservation authority
Step 4: Research grants and incentives
Consider all levels of government and utilities: fed, prov, municipal, conservation authorities, utilities
Consider asking a consultant for help
Step 5: Hire RE consultant or turn-key OEM/distributor
Experience can be worth much more than it’s weight in gold
Mindscape provides renewable energy resource assessments to determine which forms of renewable energy will best fit your needs and location.
Mindscape also has partners involved with many different renewable energy technologies.
And Mindscape is not the only company that offers services and has good experience: we have many competitors. Make sure you check references, and check the internet: it’s amazing what you can learn about a company on the internet now…
(If you do a search on Mindscape or on Derek Satnik then you’ll get a huge number of hits: try that for anyone before you consider hiring them, and see what you find out…)
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
When considering different renewable energy technologies, keep in mind that they all suit different applications, and none of them is a “one size fits all”: they all have different strengths and weaknesses.
There are only a couple general rules:
Conservation is always cheapest and best!
Don’t size a generation system until you have conserved as much as possible first: then you can spend less to get a smaller generation system and it will serve you better (and stretch your money further)
Do a proper feasibility study first before you invest.
With that in mind, here’s a rough comparison of the major technologies you can use to generate your own energy:
SOLAR
More types of solar than many people realize:
Solar walls: literally a wall, as simple as a sheet of metal, with many little holes in it. As the sun shines on the metal wall, it heats up. Air inside the wall also heats up, and naturally rises. If you suck air from inside that wall into the building, the sun will give you free (and very cheap) heat.
Solar Domestic Hot Water (DHW): panels on a wall or roof with fluid in them (glycol or water, sometimes even air): as the sun shines on the fluid, it heats up, and you can bring that heat into the building.
PV = photo (light) voltaic (electricity)
BIPV = Building Integrated PV: literally replace part of the building with PV, like shingles
trackers/concentrators: mechanical hardware that helps keep the PV pointing at the sun so that you get more energy from it
PV thermal hybrid: all solar panels not only generate electricity, but they also generate heat. If you can capture the heat, then it helps the panel run more efficiently, and it gives you free heat: up to two units of heat per unit of electricity with some products.
The next couple slides will show some examples of what this looks like…
Slide time: 1-3 mins.
Bottom to top:
Bottom left: solar DHW (vaccuum tube collectors)
Bottom right: typical PV (ROW Fleet Management Centre)
Top row: fancy hardware to help boost production
Top left: typical tracker on a farm
Top right: concentrator tracker (happens to also be a hybrid concept that produces PV & thermal): Power Spar, by Menova Energy Inc. (now bankrupt)
USEFUL ASIDES:
Q: We often get asked whether it’s better to use trackers/concentrators or to use more panels.
A: The answer depends on who you are. The payback for a system with trackers is almost the same as that for a system without, if you’re measuring % ROI or IRR. If you’re a company with permanent maintenance staff, then trackers may be better for you. If not, then just add more panels: same return, but with no maintenance.
Slide time: 1-3 mins.
Top: PV shingles of different types
Bottom left: solar wall
Bottom right: PV parking canopy
Others not shown:
PV art: flower shapes, shading structures for parkette sitting areas, signage (eg: PV cross on a church);
Thermal integration (tough to show without technical diagrams)
Slide time: 4-5 mins.
Recall our general rules:
Conservation is always cheapest and best!
Don’t size a generation system until you have conserved as much as possible first: then you can spend less to get a smaller generation system and it will serve you better (and stretch your money further)
Do a proper feasibility study first before you invest.
With that in mind, here’s a rough comparison of the major technologies you can use to generate your own energy:
SOLAR (which we just saw, so it’s shown faded in the background on this slide)
WIND (Small)
This is the noisy technology
Every motor is a generator, every generator is a motor: think of a lawnmower on a tower
WIND (Large)
Made with big industrial motors: typically quieter than the wind
HYDRO (water)
Aside: we are one of the only places in the world that people call electricity “hydro”
Q: Why?
A: because 100% of Canada’s electrical power once came from hydro (water)
We can be 100% powered by renewables again! Fossil fuels are the true “alternative energy”: we need renewables, not alternatives!
GEOTHERMAL
“Geo” means ground, “thermal” means heat
BIO-ENERGY (biomass and biogas, or even landfill gas)
Next slides have sample photos again…
Some reminders:
Best financial returns are on the commercial scale: if you’re looking to invest, put your money in a wind coop.
Biomass has some attractive opportunities, but …
CREW focuses on mature technology that’s ready for mass market
Debatable: Wind as only method of electricity generation that fully recovers embodied energy
Diversity in corporate revenue: eg John Deer
Other benefits:
-Land lease revenue for rural land owners (eg: wind)
Rural economic development (new jobs for design, construction, maintenance, …)
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Bottom line:
There are some legitimate drawbacks to wind energy, but they’re extremely minor compared to the alternatives, or even compared to the risks we take when we get into the car and drive to work every morning.
Note: wind is not unreliable – it’s intermittent. Important difference. Turbines are the most reliable generators around – far more so than nuclear.
“unfounded and unprovable silliness”:
Ask for recent reports based on recent data – note that the industry has advanced significantly over the last few decades, and every year counts. All of reports against wind that actually have valid concerns are very obsolete.
20 yrs. of reports in Europe, Canada (yes local), and around the globe that deal with all the concerns raised thus far.
“There is nothing new under the sun”, especially with wind energy antagonists.
Bird kill stats from CanWEA (per 10,000 avian fatalities):
<1 from wind turbines
50 from communication towers
710 from pesticides
850 from vehicles
1060 from cats
1370 from high tension lines
5820 from collisions with buildings / windows
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
POOL eg: coastal farm community in Germany whose gross revenue increased >40x after turbines arrived. They call the off-shore turbines beautiful.
NIMBY eg: certain rural farmers in Ontario that got bad land deals from large out-of-province developers.
Grand River
Lower image from http://www.host.nl/en/biogas/farm-scale-biogas/
Slide time: ~1 mins.
Some reminders:
Conservation first!
Choose technology that suits your application.
Best financial returns are on the commercial scale: if you’re looking to invest, put your money in a wind coop.
Biomass is best, but only works in special circumstances
Slide time: ~1 mins.
Some reminders:
Renewables are steadily getting more cost effective, especially PV
Slide time: ~1 mins.
For interest’s sake:
Gas/Coal/Oil are no longer cheaper than renewables. Costs vary by jurisdiction, but here’s where they lie.
Gas @ ~$500 million for ~$500 MW => $1/W, not sure about paybacks but likely <10 yrs
Nuclear is >$7/W installed ($23 billion quote for ~3GW), and after 40 yrs, still hasn’t paid off (we still owe $15 billion!)
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Transmission/Distribution Constraints
The grid was not designed for distributed generation, and is largely budgeted
Utilities adapting differently and with varying levels of supportiveness
Hydro One is terrible
Always need a CIA: Connection Impact Assessment
Sometimes can be “Capacity Allocation Exempt” (CAE), but still get varying support
OPA is “special”: highly political
75% rejection rate on FIT 2 (for “completeness” and “eligibility” errors)
Never does a word more or less than directed by politicians
Finances
The market has changed frequently and swiftly over the last year. Check early and often to ensure your finances are in order. We know of several projects that died or were sold because the owners’ financing changed or ran out.
Clear contract documents
Especially with a turn-key supplier. We know of a 250kW PV project where the owner pulled a significant portion of their retirement savings to fund the project. The contractor split up all the work and did a marvellous job of the installation, but nobody ever secured a contract with the utility to sell the electricity.
Make sure nothing falls through the cracks!
CSA equipment certifications
Don’t underestimate this! Check in advance. We’ve had to tear a project out because it claimed to have certifications that it did not have
ESA approval
ESA inspectors are a mixed breed: some excel, some lag. Talk to yours early to avoid surprises.
Social friction & misinformation
Even when you do everything right, sometimes you still get into trouble
BIG DEAL! Two more slides on this next…
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Key points:
[Pretty much read this slide]
“Walk softly, and carry a big stick”
The “big stick” is the facts: know the law, and know the truth (FAQ)
Don’t back down on mistruths (eg: turbines do not make people sick), but don’t make a mission of bringing up all the myths that need correcting (ie: don’t look for trouble by bringing up things that people aren’t asking about)
Look for the hidden concern. Most people speak about things that are really only symptoms that cover their real concerns, which are typically things like wanting to be involved, or simply greed (want to make money, not listen to / look at others making money)
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
[read slide]
For NOPEs:
Q: do you have a microwave at home?
A: If yes, then there are volumes of reports about how harmful microwave radiation is to humans. You have it because you like the convenience it offers you. It is far more dangerous to you than a wind turbine. Context please…
Slide time: 1-2 mins.
Diversity in corporate revenue: eg John Deer
Other benefits:
-Land lease revenue for rural land owners (eg: wind)
-farmer claims: energy is most reliable crop (over any agricultural crop)
Rural economic development (new jobs for design, construction, maintenance, …)
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Image from http://www.sunedisonitalia.it/info/stampa/sunedison-financing-bulgaria-2012.html
FIT price drops:
Rooftop PV: $0.713 drop to $0.329
Ground PV: $0.443 drop to $0.288
Wind: $0.13 drop to $0.115
Slide time: 2-3 mins.
Boundaries, Scope limitation, & Public Engagement
Know what you’re actually asking vs. sharing
Know that ppl can tell if your asking is genuine vs. selling
Encourage skepticism, not cynicism
Slide time: <1 min.
Image from http://www.caribbeanelections.com/education/images/library_books_5516.jpg
If there’s any one closing thought I’d like to leave you with it’s this.
Renewable energy is not just about economics or doing good projects, although it is certainly about that. Renewables are a basic acceptance of the fact that we cannot continue burning fossil fuels the way we have been. Nature won’t tolerate it.
Slide time: >1 min.
It’s up to me.
It’s up to you.
It’s up to all of us.
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