Nelson Community Solar Garden Scam

        THEY GOT AN AWARD FOR THIS                                                                    ????

The Nelson Community Solar Garden, a feelgood project whereby one could buy a 25 year contract for a panel's solar power to get their warm fuzzy feeling to save the planet.  It was to be fully funded by those opting in.  Somehow as costs rose that was never adjusted.  Nelson hydro customers paid the balance.  I don't think we will ever know how much.  Then all Nelson hydro customers will pay full retail for that worthless solar power made when we don't need it and our dam is overflowing so that money is distributed to those who opted in.  Only 24 more years to go on that contract.  


                 They got an award !

    Left to right  Alex Love manager of Nelson Hydro, Carmen Proctor solar garden contractor(subsequently became hydro management), outgoing mayor Kozak holding award and Trish Dehnel Community Energy Representative.

45% of BC power comes from Kootenay Hydro Plants, power for over a million homes

The Nelson community solar garden from October to March made enough power for ONE house!   Our dam would make that for about $200 and sell for a 600% profit.  Business case loan payments for the solar garden $20,000 annually for 25 years.  And it adds to our cities carbon footprint!!
This gets an award?

. There never was a business case. 

                                                              Whats that supposed to mean?

   Nelson, the only city in western Canada with its own hydro electric plant, money machine, making huge profits to reduce taxes and pay for city projects puts solar panels at the dam??

The Solar Garden in Winter

From October through March it made enough power for one house.The solar garden makes virtually no power in winter.  In summer we can't even use all the water, every hydro reservoir in the Pacific Northwest is overflowing, you can't give power away.  Yet we pretend solar is worth full retail so that money is distributed among those who opted in.  

Balfour's project is slightly different, Nelson hydro customers give them full retail credit for their excess solar power made in summer when we don't need it, then we allow them to cash in that credit against their power bills when we are buying excess power from Fortis which costs more.

Half of Nelson Hydro customers live outside the city, they too pay a Nelson hydro bill funding this fantasy feelgood solar garden and the Balfour public buildings power, paid for with public grant money.

         



                                 Kootenay River flow annual graph above shows excess water in Orange.  If we aren't using the water why are we paying for solar power?

                    45% of BC power comes from this area, power for almost a million homes
                  From October through March when we might attribute value to solar it only made enough power for ONE house.
.



           Above an actual Nelson solar systems annual power month by month, almost all made from
April through September when we don't need it.



Pictured above the Nelson dam, spilling water April through September.  How do you like your Nelson hydro electric bills?  Up 30% in just a few years.


                    The Nelson dam in winter when we are buying extra power from Fortis.

           Nelson solar panels in winter installed so front rows shade the back rows!

We would be further ahead if we disconnected the solar panels.  We would have the income otherwise earned from water  now spilling down the river.

Above at the grand opening, mayor, manager of Nelson hydro, church reps(they bought in)  Wayne Stetski MP.   

How did the manager of Nelson hydro bring the mayor and council a business case for this?

read my "Making The Shoe Fit Engineering"

.  

Its already beginning to self destruct with winter frost heaving

Church groups, co ops, schools all bought in to learn about solar  they have on line
monitoring  Go to their link  all you will see is daily power made.

I asked for weekly, monthly, total  energy to be shown.  They won't. (someone might figure out what a waste this has been).

From October through March  our dam would have made that power for about $200.  Real cost business case $120,000.

They admit to $339,000 cost.  Not including snow plowing, dust control, stolen equipment, security guards shortly thereafter, security camerass and who knows what else.
It was to be fully funded by those opting in.  Nelson hydro customers paid all the overbudget and will pay full retail for this feelgood phoney power and all future costs.  Only 24 more years to go for Nelson hydro customers to pay full retail for this feelgood power and all future costs.

Business case borrowed money this is $24,000 annually for 25 years.

Those who opted in won't get their money back either, although they were told so.  I am sure they all
thought it was a green project helping to save the planet, its not.  I asked the manager of Nelson hydro at a public meeting what makes the solar garden power green?  His reply, Nobody said it was green.
The recent Kelowna solar project denied by the BC Utilities Commission said it was of no benefit to anyone and did nothing to  reduce GHG's.   The BCOAPO submission to this also said all risks and costs would be borne by ratepayers and there was no benefit or reduction in GHG's.

We would be further ahead if we disconnected it made the profits we should be making from cleaner greener waterpower now  going down the river with the profits.


RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT
there is a new round of public GRANT money for these projects
How can this be stopped??