The Globe and Mail reports, “Ontario’s Liberal government is changing the rules on green energy projects to give municipalities a greater say over the location of new wind and solar farms, and a chance to get a slice of the revenue. Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli says developers of large energy projects will have to work with municipalities as part of a competitive process before they can ask for approval from the Ontario Power Authority. He says developers that partner with a municipality will be given top priority for approval, while those that don’t get local participation stand little chance of getting the go ahead.”
“Under the current feed-in-tariff program, developers can apply directly to the OPA, which led to many complaints from municipalities that had no say over new industrial wind turbines or solar farms set up in their community. Chiarelli says the changes will give municipalities a much greater voice in the locating of large-scale energy projects, even though they won’t get actual veto power. …Chiarelli says the province is looking for another 900 megawatts from micro and smaller green energy projects over the next four years, and hopes to get participation from municipalities, universities, school boards, hospitals and industry.”
Ontario will comply with WTO ruling
The article also notes, “On Wednesday, Chiarelli announced the province would move to eliminate another key part of its Green Energy Act, which required made-in-Ontario content in wind and solar projects. The World Trade Organization ruled part of the legislation requiring electricity generators to source up to 60 per cent of their equipment in Ontario to qualify for generous subsidies contravened international trade law. Ontario intends to comply with the WTO ruling, said Chiarelli, but is confident the province’s manufacturing base for green energy components is strong enough now to survive without the regulation.”
More to come.
For more, please read:
Canadian, US responses to WTO decision in Green Energy Act case
NEWS: Wind power in Canada mostly owned by large corporations
NEWS: US company files for NAFTA arbitration over Lake Ontario wind farm
UPDATE: The Council and a community’s ‘right to refuse’
