Province to boost amount of electricity from green sources

Last Updated: Thursday, January 25, 2007 | 3:06 PM AT

CBC News

The Nova Scotia government said Thursday it has introduced new regulations to ensure that nearly 20 per cent of the province's electricity comes from renewable sources by 2013.

Energy Minister Bill Dooks made the announcement in Halifax, saying the mandatory targets in the regulations are among the "most aggressive in Canada" and the new rules will promote such green energy sources as wind, tidal, biomass and solar.

'We are going to get cleaner, greener energy to power our homes and businesses.'-Energy Minister Bill Dooks

The regulations, under Nova Scotia's Electricity Act, are designed to change the province's electricity market.

"Nova Scotians want more renewable energy generated in our province," Dooks said. "That is why we are going to get cleaner, greener energy to power our homes and businesses and we are going to do it in the most cost-effective way possible."

Under the regulations, six years from now, roughly 400 megawatts a day will come from what the province calls clean, sustainable energy sources, enough to meet the energy needs of more than 100,000 households.

The government has set targets for the increase in renewable energy to be met by 2010 and by 2013. Utilities that fail to meet those targets will face a fine of up to $500,000 a day.

Independent producers

To meet the 2010 target, only independent producers will be allowed to bid on new renewable energy projects to reduce the use of coal and oil to generate electricity, Dooks said.

Luciano Lisi, chief financial officer of Cape Breton Power, said the changes will be good for wind power in the province.

"We will certainly bid on any [project] that comes along, depending on our location, resources, availability of turbines … and we certainly plan to grow substantially," he said.

The government also passed the Wholesale Market Rules regulation. As of Feb. 1, the province's six municipal utilities will be able to buy electricity directly from suppliers and export electricity to other jurisdictions.
 
Halifax Regional Councillor Andrew Younger said Thursday the new rule opens the market.
 
"What it does is it allows us to look at lots more options. It allows us to not only buy power from Nova Scotia Power, but it allows us to look at all kinds of other places as well," he said.

Younger said the new rules will allow Halifax to generate its own electricity, even though it does not yet have the facilities in place.