Global Energy Issues

On Canada, trade and climate change
A digest and commentary on Canada, trade and climate change, particularly in the context of US "Buy American" initiatives.
Brent Patterson, Council of Canadians, 02-Jun-2009 ... more
02 Jul 2009

Preparing for Oil Spills in the Future Arctic
Within the next two decades, scientists estimate that the Arctic Ocean will be free of multi-year ice in the summer. The thawing of Arctic Ocean ice during summer months will lead to increased maritime transportation and tourism. It will also lead to increased oil and gas exploration.
National Ocean Service, 29-May-2009 ... more
02 Jul 2009

Opponents try late rally against Enbridge pipeline
Opponents of the Enbridge Alberta Clipper pipeline rallied today in Duluth to announce they are trying legal and political efforts to stop the oil pipeline.
John Myers, Duluth News Tribune, 30-Jun-2009 ... more
02 Jul 2009

Alaskan oversees gas line coordination for Obama administration
Beyond its $30 billion cost, there are thousands of steps on the path to the proposed pipeline that will take North Slope natural gas 1,700 miles through Alaska and Canada. One small federal agency, the Office of the Federal Coordinator, is overseeing the effort. The office is headed by Drue Pearce, an Alaskan who is based in Washington.
Erika Bolstad, Anchorage Daily News, 28-Jun-2009 ... more
30 Jun 2009

The Environmental Risks of Arctic Shipping
As the Arctic warms, an expected increase in shipping threatens to introduce invasive species, harm existing marine wildlife and lead to damaging oil spills, according to a recent report from the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum of Arctic nations.
Stefan Milkowski, New York Times, 29-Jun-2009 ... more
30 Jun 2009

Supreme Court rules against Chevron
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Chevron Corp., the second-largest U.S. energy company, in a fight with the Ecuadorean government over potentially tens of billions of dollars in liability for environmental damage.
Greg Stohr, Bloomberg News, 29-Jun-2009 ... more
30 Jun 2009

Oil sands to take hit from U.S. bill
Alberta's oil sands producers and their U.S. refiners face sharply higher costs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under legislation approved by the U.S. House of Representatives and championed by U.S. President Barack Obama.
Shawn McCarthy & Nathan VanderKlippe, Globe and Mail, 30-Jun-2009 ... more
30 Jun 2009

House Passes Historic Waxman-Markey Clean Energy Bill
The US House of Representatives has passed the landmark American Clean Energy and Security Act, also referred to as the Waxman-Markey Bill.
News Release, House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, 26-Jun-2009 ... more
29 Jun 2009

DuPont’s new game
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a global warming bill that represents the largest transfer of wealth from U.S. consumers to corporate interests in history. The mammoth bill’s cap-and-trade system not only gives DuPont and other major emitters a windfall in free emission allowances, but also boosts a host of the technologies that DuPont specializes in. As a cherry on top, DuPont will not only receive subsidies for upgrades and other investments it would have made regardless.
Lawrence Solomon, National Post, 27-Jun-2009 ... more
29 Jun 2009

A public tarring in Saudi Canada
Earlier this month, Dr. John O'Connor, a dedicated family physician, and I got badly tarred by another one of Ottawa's disturbing political gangs.
Andrew Nikiforuk, Toronto Star, 28-Jun-2009 ... more
29 Jun 2009

Energy firms get $3B boost
Oil and gas industry players welcomed up to $3 billion in Alberta royalty credits under an extended drilling incentive program unveiled Thursday, but continued to demand long-term answers to the province’s fiscal competitiveness woes.
Dan Healing, Calgary Herald, 26-Jun-2009 ... more
29 Jun 2009

Fraser Institute: Global Petroleum Survey 2009
Manitoba has dethroned both Saskatchewan and Alberta as the most attractive Canadian province or territory for oil and gas investment, according to an international survey of petroleum executives and managers released today by independent research organization the Fraser Institute
Gerry Angevine, Fraser Institute, 24-Jun-2009
Global Petroleum Industry Views Arkansas as Best Place in the World for Investment
Fraser Institute, finance.yahoo.com, 24-Jun-2009
Survey ranks Alberta last for energy investment
Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald, 25-Jun-2009
Report critical of Alaska's relationship with oil industry
Rena Delbridge, Fairbanks News Miner, 28-Jun-2009 ... more
29 Jun 2009

Exxon's Weapon of Gas Destruction
ExxonMobil has a loaded gun pointed at the U.S. natural-gas market -- and it isn't the only one. The ammunition is liquefied natural gas.
Liam Denning, Wall Street Journal, 25-Jun-2009 ... more
26 Jun 2009

Report: US natural gas reserves surge 35 percent
The country's natural gas reserves are much bigger than previously thought, according to a report released Thursday.
Mark Williams, SFGate.com, 18-Jun-2009 ... more
19 Jun 2009

Short-term pain, long-term gain from TransCanada's Keystone purchase: analyst
TransCanada Corp. will suffer some "short-term pain" after buying the rest of the Keystone crude pipeline from ConocoPhillips', but the purchase will be a beneficial in the long-term, an analyst said Wednesday.
Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press, 17-Jun-2009 ... more
17 Jun 2009

WGA Day 2 - Clean up Alberta oilsands: U.S. officials
Two of U.S. President Barack Obama's top advisers on energy and climate change said Monday the Alberta oilsands are a key part of the U.S. energy mix. But they warned its development must be cleaned up, because there's "a lot of concern" south of the border about their environmental footprint.
Jason Fekete, Vancouver Sun, 16-Jun-2009
Officials vow support for renewable energy in West
Cabinet leaders in the Obama administration promised Monday to help Western states develop a robust system for delivering renewable energy.
Mike Stark, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 15-Jun-2009 ... more
16 Jun 2009

WGA Day 1 - Canada-U.S. energy corridor idea promoted
Western premiers and U.S. governors hailed their push yesterday to develop a cross-border "Western Energy Corridor" that will be the largest on the planet and one that develops both non-renewable and clean-energy options.
Jason Fekete, Canwest News Service, 15-Jun-2009 ... more
15 Jun 2009

BPs Statistical Review of World Energy2009
A vast compendium of energy data, accessible and well-presented. Not cheering info, however. If we're a global Exxon Valdez, the first chart suggests we're still picking up speed.
Carbon-dioxide emissions jump as countries burn coal
World carbon-dioxide emissions from energy use rose 1.8 percent last year as China, India and Russia burned more coal, the most polluting fuel for generating power.
Vancouver Sun, 15-Jun-2009 ... more
15 Jun 2009

Fracking Is: 1) A Process; 2) An Expletive. Choose One
In fracking, otherwise known as hydro-fracturing, drillers sink several horizontal wells from a single wellhead; then, under pressure, they pump in millions of gallons of water laced with chemicals and sand. The pressure cracks the shale deposits and releases much more gas.
Andrew Reinbach, Huffington Post, 08-Jun-2009
Just a ‘FRAC’ away
Peter McKenzie-Brown, Alberta Oil Magazine, 01-Apr-2009 ... more
10 Jun 2009

The answer's blowing in the wind, but not all of us want to hear it
To see wind turbines fully assembled and running is a jaw-dropping experience the first time. To see them every day, however, is causing some people's teeth to grind.
Roy MacGregor, Globe And Mail, 08-Jun-2009 ... more
09 Jun 2009

Bellingham Pipeline Tragedy: 10 years on
The Bellingham Herald and the Pipeline Safety Trust have each created memorials to the three lads who died in the June 10, 1999 pipeline explosion in a park in Bellingham. The legacy of those tragedies lives on in the Trust, and is echoed in BC.
Pipeline victim Stephen Tsiorvas remembered as curious, thoughtful
Every once in a while, Stephen Tsiorvas' family would find toys the 10-year-old boy left behind.
Kie Relyea, The Bellingham Herald, 08-Jul-2009 ... more
08 Jun 2009

Northwest's biofuel boom goes bust
Encouraged by tax breaks and Oregon and Washington standards designed to require biofuels' use, one biodiesel and two ethanol plants have been built in the Northwest. They promised environmental benefits on an industrial scale, and nearly 30 more projects were under discussion. Then came this year. In January, Cascade Grain filed for bankruptcy six months after it opened ... and Imperium has idled its Grays Harbor plant indefinitely.
Scott Learn, The Oregonian, 05-Jun-2009 ... more
08 Jun 2009

Decision to allow sour-oil drilling in Tomahawk area 'a joke': resident
The Energy Resources Conservation Board says higher than expected levels of deadly hydrogen sulphide in new wells (as high as 21%!) don't pose a greater risk to public safety.
Darcy Henton, The Edmonton Journal, 04-Jun-2009 ... more
04 Jun 2009

Energy supply crunch brewing
Forget low oil prices. The worry of the moment is a spike in oil prices and how long it will take before a supply crunch sends prices soaring.
Deborah Yedlin, Calgary Herald, 28-May-2009 ... more
30 May 2009

Natural gas in Arctic mostly Russian
Nearly one-third of the natural gas yet to be discovered in the world is north of the Arctic Circle and most of it is in Russian territory.
Staff report, Anchorage Daily News, 28-May-2009 ... more
30 May 2009

Recession benefit: Alberta can pause and rethink the oil sands
Alberta has an extraordinary opportunity, one it did not wish or seek, but one that could revolutionize the province's future. The opportunity, paradoxically, is being provided because the recession has slowed down, or halted, oil-sands projects, previously the fastest-growing source of greenhouse-gas emissions in Canada.
Jeffrey Simpson, Globe and Mail, 27-May-2009 ... more
27 May 2009

Fearing water pollution, NWT towns call for oil sands slowdown
With growing evidence that pollutants are causing fish deformities in the Athabasca River and one native village struggling to understand its elevated cancer rates, 33 communities in the Northwest Territories have called for a moratorium on oil sands developments because of fears about water quality.
Mark Hume, Globe and Mail, 26-May-2009 ... more
27 May 2009

China's environmental hot air and hypocrisy
China's call last week for developed nations to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent could have been a sign that the soon-to-be superpower is taking environmental issues seriously, but closer inspection reveals naked self-interest is still dominating its calculations.
Editorial, Calgary Herald, 24-May-2009 ... more
27 May 2009

The Waxman - Markey Bill - Will the US and Canada go Head to Head?
A U.S. House of Representatives committee passed the draft American Clean Energy and Security Act on May 21st (the Waxman - Markey Bill) sparking a flood of commentary and speculation on its potential impacts at home and abroad. Of particular interest to many was the potential impact on Canada.
GLOBE-Net, 26-May-2009 ... more
27 May 2009

Imperial gives Kearl project green light
Imperial Oil Ltd.'s approval of a major new $8-billion project is sparking optimism for a revival in the oil sands after months of project delays due to low crude prices and high costs.
Nathan VanderKlippe, Globe and Mail, 26-May-2009 ... more
26 May 2009

Gas explosion details kept under wraps
Apache Energy has had a legal win to restrict the release of information about the Varanus Island gas explosion. The explosion off the Karratha coast happened almost a year ago and cut Western Australia's gas supplies by a third.
ABC News, 23-May-2009 ... more
23 May 2009

All eyes on renewables as Sen. Bingaman sprints to finish markup
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will attempt to finish marking up comprehensive energy legislation this week, including a renewable electricity standard, if Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and panel members can work out an agreement by Thursday.
Katherine Ling, New York Times, 18-May-2009 ... more
19 May 2009

Blue gold? Not likely
This is a big week for Canada's made-in-Washington energy and climate policy. The U.S. Senate is likely to finalize comprehensive energy legislation that will have a significant impact on our economy and environment.
Robert Silver, Globe and Mail, 19-May-2009 www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/SilverPowers/ ... more
19 May 2009

Ecotrust Canada, First Nations launch green energy fund
Ecotrust Canada and two aboriginal capital corporations have partnered to help First Nations take ownership of power projects on their traditional territories.
Colleen Kimmett, The Tyee.ca, 10-May-2009
News Release, Ecotrust Canada, 15-May-2009Funding powers aboriginals
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 20-May-2009 ... more
15 May 2009

Green oil would cost US$105 a barrel: CERI
Canada's oil sands can meet the challenge of turning "dirty oil" into "green bitumen," but oil prices would have to climb as high as US$105 a barrel to pay for the cost of integrating new technologies
Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post, 12-May-2009 ... more
12 May 2009

The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill - 20 Years After: The Analysis
Twenty years ago, the Exxon Valdez struck a reef in Prince William Sound and ran aground, releasing at least 10 million gallons of crude oil into the surrounding sea. It remains the worst oil spill in US maritime history. A study in 2005 showed that the remaining oil was decaying at a maximum of just 4% annually (with some samples showing zero decay). The prognosis: oil residue will persist for up to a century.
ecomichael, ecoworldly.com, 01-May-2009 ... more
02 May 2009

Oil punt makes big bucks but coastlines at risk
Big international oil companies are making hundreds of millions of dollars storing crude on tankers offshore in a trading play that environmentalists say sidesteps shipping rules and puts coastlines at risk.
Tom Bergin, Guardian, 01-May-2009
Floating oil lake likely to curb future oil prices
Christopher Johnson & Joshua Schneyer, Reuters, 30-Apr-2009 ... more
02 May 2009

Natural gas clean and green
The emergence of immense new supplies of clean-burning natural gas from shale deposits in North America is shaking up the energy industry.
Claudia Cattaneo, National Post, 27-Apr-2009 ... more
28 Apr 2009

Alaska's drilling debate moves offshore
A federal appeals court this month put the brakes on a plan to lease more than 78 million acres of the Beaufort, Chukchi and Bering seas to oil and gas developers, ordering a full environmental review before the program can proceed. But that could be little more than a speed bump in the rush to commercialize the Arctic, which global warming -- and the resulting shrinking sea ice -- has made accessible as never before.
Kim Murphy, Los Angeles Times, 26-Apr-2009 ... more
26 Apr 2009

Can science save the oil sands?
If Selma Guigard is right, an elusive key to reducing the oil sands' emissions could lie in the science of the super-critical molecule.
Nathan Vanderklippe, Globe and Mail, 24-Apr-2009 ... more
25 Apr 2009

California rule could hit oil sands producers
Canadian oil companies face an effective U.S. tax on their greenhouse gas emissions if climate change regulations adopted by California this week are copied by other American jurisdictions.
Shawn McCarthy, Globe and Mail, 25-Apr-2009
New California fuel rule may violate NAFTA -lawyer
Scott Haggett, Reuters, 24-Apr-2009 ... more
25 Apr 2009

Miliband's coal decision is cynical and meaningless
It's simple: there should be no new coal burning without 100% carbon capture and storage (CCS) to bury carbon dioxide emissions underground where they cannot influence the climate.
George Monbiot, The Guardian, 23-Apr-2009 ... more
24 Apr 2009

Clean coal push marks reversal of UK energy policy
No new coal-fired power stations will be built in Britain from now on unless they capture and bury at least 25% of greenhouse gases immediately and 100% by 2025, the climate change secretary, Ed Miliband, announced today.
John Vidal, guardian.co.uk, 23-Apr-2009 ... more
24 Apr 2009

Alaska crude headed for U.S. Gulf Coast - Exxon
The last single-hull supertanker carrying Alaska North Slope crude oil is headed for the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, an unusual destination for crude from Alaska.
Bruce Nichols, Reuters, 22-Apr-2009 ... more
24 Apr 2009

Oil sands brace for American green fuel regulation
Federal and Alberta officials will make a last-ditch effort in California on Thursday to head off a regulation that would target oil sands emission levels and create a new barrier to the export of the unconventional oil.
Shawn McCarthy, Globe and Mail, 22-Apr-2009 ... more
23 Apr 2009

Safety lapses at record level
High commodity prices sparked fevered activity in Canada's oilpatch in 2008, sometimes with tragic results, said Canada's federal energy regulator.
Dina O'Meara, Calgary Herald, 21-Apr-2009 ... more
23 Apr 2009

GE: Energy Business the Savior, But Even That’s Got Headwinds
General Electric’s first-quarter earnings were as dire as expected, with a 9% drop in sales and a 35% fall in profit. Once again, the single bright spot was the energy business—but even there, good news was mixed with bad.
Keith Johnson, Wall Street Journal, 17-Apr-2009 ... more
20 Apr 2009

Pipe Down: Alaska May Get a Gas Pipeline, Just Not the Big One
Juneau is buzzing about a last-minute addition to the state’s capital budget giving Gov. Palin funds to push ahead on a small pipeline to bring gas from the North Slope down to Fairbanks and Anchorage, where most Alaskans live.
Russell Gold, Wall Street Journal, 17-Apr-2009 ... more
20 Apr 2009

Californians voice concerns to Obama administration over offshore drilling
For all his green talk en route to the White House, President Barack Obama remains a cipher on one of the most critical environmental and economic issues facing California: whether to expand drilling for oil and gas off the coast for the first time in a generation.
Maria L. La Ganga, Los Angeles Times, 17-Apr-2009 ... more
18 Apr 2009

TransCanada, Shell's plan for LNG rejected
Plans by Calgary-based TransCanada Corp. and Shell to build a floating liquefied natural gas( LNG)terminal in the water off New York City were dealt a potentially fatal blow Monday after the United States'Commerce Department rejected the project.
Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald, 14-Apr-2009 ... more
14 Apr 2009

CN plans 'pipeline on rail' to tar sands
CN could gear up its capacity to ship by rail up to four million barrels a day of oil at less cost and more quickly, bypassing the need to finance huge pipelines.
Diane Francis, Financial Post, 09-Apr-2009 ... more
09 Apr 2009

Earth Hour is a joke
There are probably already some people who are complaining about how Earth Hour was soooo much less commercial back when the whole thing started (in 2007).
Editorial, National Post, 27-Mar-2009 ... more
30 Mar 2009

Natural gas faces two-year squeeze
Kevin Meyers, the head of Conoco-Phillips' Canadian unit, said he doesn't see a meaningful recovery for natural gas--and expects the possibility of even lower prices--for at least 18 to 24 months.
Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald, 28-Mar-2009 ... more
29 Mar 2009

Alberta faces hot debate on nuclear power
It certainly doesn't look explosive. But don't be misled. This is a report with the potential to ignite a firestorm.
Paula Simons, Times Colonist, 29-Mar-2009 ... more
29 Mar 2009

Did Goldman Goose Oil?
When oil prices spiked last summer to $147 a barrel, the biggest corporate casualty was oil pipeline giant Semgroup Holdings. Some of the people involved in cleaning up the financial mess are suggesting that Semgroup's collapse was more than just bad judgment and worse timing.
Christopher Helman & Liz Moyer, Forbes Magazine, 13-Apr-2009. ... more
29 Mar 2009

Irving's next frontier: electricity
Irving Oil Ltd. is looking to expand its energy exporting empire into electricity with a proposal to build a 600-megawatt gas-fired power plant that would be a key supplier to an ambitious new “energy corridor” that New Brunswick and Maine plan to develop.
Shawn McCarthy, Globe and Mail, 25-Mar-2009 ... more
26 Mar 2009

Environmentalists in a Clash of Goals
As David Myers scans the rocky slopes of this desert canyon, looking vainly past clumps of brittlebush for bighorn sheep, he imagines an enemy advancing across the crags.
By Felicity Barringer, New York Times, 24-Mar-2009 ... more
25 Mar 2009

Safeguards on drilling make sense
No one would suggest we can revive the auto industry by eliminating air bags or catalytic converters and going back to leaded gasoline. No one thinks we should stimulate the housing industry by canceling modern safety and environmental standards. Yet some suggest that protections recently adopted by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission be delayed or dropped. This would be an historic mistake.
Michael P. Dowling, The Denver Post, 22-Mar-2009 ... more
25 Mar 2009

U.S. may tug on B.C. wallet for shipwreck protection
It was the 42nd time in 10 years that the tug has churned to the aid of a crippled ship -- the 42nd time that we Canadians have piggybacked on Washington taxpayers who have been shouldering the entire cost of preventing shipwrecks in the strait.
Jack Knox, Times Colonist, 17-Mar-2009 ... more
24 Mar 2009

Natural Gas, Suddenly Abundant, Is Cheaper
The decline in crude oil prices gets all the headlines, but the first globalized natural gas glut in history is driving an even more drastic collapse in the cost of gas that cooks food, heats homes and runs factories in the United States and many other countries.
Clifford Krauss, New York Times, 20-Mar-2009 ... more
21 Mar 2009

Tri-National Meeting of Energy Sector Workers
Representatives from leading energy sector unions and civil society organizations from Mexico, the United States and Canada met in Mexico City March 16-18, for the third annual round of meetings. This network formed in 2007 to confront the secretive and undemocratic Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) being discussed in meetings of the leaders of the three countries.
Carleen Pickard, Council of Canadians, 18-Mar-2009 ... more
18 Mar 2009

Obama Tries to Draw Up an Inclusive Energy Plan
After gasoline prices rose above $4 a gallon last summer, Republican cries of "drill, baby, drill" forced candidate Barack Obama into a rare retreat. Under pressure, he said he would support some expansion of offshore oil drilling, while still emphasizing conservation and renewable energy.
Jad Mouawad, New York Times, 17-Mar-2009 ... more
18 Mar 2009

Washington big guns take up oil sands cause
From the recently formed Center for North American Energy Security (CNAES), headed by former Republican Congressman Tom Corcoran, to the American Petroleum Institute (API), some of the world's major oil companies and former U.S. ambassadors to Canada like Gordon Giffin, some big guns in Washington's lobby community are taking up the oil sands cause.
Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post, 10-Mar-2009 ... more
11 Mar 2009

Legislation makes Strait's oil-spill boat permanent
For more than two decades, environmentalists and their allies have pushed for a tugboat to be stationed at a pivotal point along Washington's coast to rescue ships in danger of running aground and spilling oil. Now, it looks like they are finally about to win that fight.
Robert McClure, Post-Intelligencer, 08-Mar-2009 ... more
10 Mar 2009

Wake up, Alberta – Obama's going for the hard cap on emissions
On Thursday, President Barack Obama will present his 2010 – yes, 2010 – budgetary proposals. Albertans in particular and Canadians in general might get a shock. Heads firmly in the sand, such as those in the Alberta cabinet, might miss what will be proposed, but no one else will.
Jeffrey Simpson, Globe and Mail, 23-Feb-2009 ... more
24 Feb 2009

Bust-town, Alta.
In a snow-swept field northeast of Edmonton, a slender green smokestack rises like an impudent finger gesturing rudely at the economic carnage around it. The stack is surrounded by industrial debris. This is the would-be home of a massive bitumen upgrading project, which, after a $530-million investment in land, equipment and technology, now lies abandoned by all but security guards. Its corporate owner, BA Energy, is in bankruptcy protection. The province's long-running pursuit of industrial diversification is once again on hold.
Gordon Pitts, Globe and Mail, 20-Feb-2009 ... more
22 Feb 2009

Harper & Obama: A new era of co-operation
Barack Obama and Stephen Harper reset Canada-U.S. relations in three hours of meetings Friday, bending over backwards to dispel tension from the George W. Bush era and pledging to co-operate at the border and around the world.
Campbell Clark, Globe and Mail, 20-Feb-2009
Obama's élan, and trumped up 'clean energy dialogue'
The U.S. administration is too new and Canada too internally divided for the two countries now to tackle together, and seriously, greenhouse-gas emissions.
Jeffrey Simpson, Globe and Mail, 20-Feb-2009
Obama edginess in Ottawa
Stephen Harper with the security legions, got a discomfited look on his face when Barack Obama asked if they could step outside to wave to the crowd. Oh no, he seemed to fret. I don't want it to end this way: taking a bullet for the big-spending liberal.
Rick Salutin, Globe and Mail, 20-Feb-2009
Obama and Harper forge common front
Barack Obama swept aside eight years of jangled Canadian nerves and cross-border tensions yesterday, singling out his northern neighbour as the first choice for a new American partnership with the world
Mitch Potter, Bruce Campion-Smith, Toronto Star, 20-Feb-2009 ... more
20 Feb 2009

I Hope Obama Jumps the Right Way on Canada's Tar Sands
Does Obama believe Canada can green its tar sands, or will his environmental measures destroy tar sands production by making it prohibitively expensive to sell south of the border?
George Monbiot, The Guardian, 19-Feb-2009 ... more
20 Feb 2009

Alta. family fights for court costs after battle with oil company
Six years ago, the Ball Ranch near the small community of Bragg Creek, Alta., experienced its worst calving season in memory.
Jamie Komarnicki, Edmonton Journal, 12-Feb-2009 ... more
18 Feb 2009

Majors stake out oil sands holdings
While no one seems to be looking, the oil sands landscape is poised to change once again as global oil majors take steps to stake out even bigger holdings.
Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post, 17-Feb2009 ... more
17 Feb 2009

Ignatieff eyes energy as way to win western votes
Michael Ignatieff used his first visit to Regina since becoming Liberal leader to acknowledge some of his party’s past missteps in Western Canada's energy sector and appeal to voters in the “new economic centre” of the country.
Angela Hall, Regina Leader-Post, 16-Feb-2009 ... more
17 Feb 2009

Gauging gouging
After last summer’s extraordinarily high gas prices, the Alaska House Judiciary Committee was tasked with investigating why state prices didn’t drop when the rest of the nation’s did. The report came out February 2, authored by Judiciary Committee Chair Jay Ramras (R-Fairbanks), but it didn’t contain any definitive answers to why our prices remained high.
By Brendan Joel Kelley, Anchorage Press, 11-Feb-2009
No evidence of illegal activity behind high Alaska gas pricesTwo investigations into high state gas prices found no illegal activity but are offering ammunition for people for and against legislation that would prevent price gouging by setting profit margin caps.
Rena Delbridge, Fairbanks News-Miner, 12-Feb-2009 ... more
14 Feb 2009

Oilsands critics blast plan
The Alberta government Thursday outlined what it believes is a more environmentally and socially responsible approach to oilsands development, but the plan failed to quiet growing criticism.
Darcy Henton & Hanneke Brooymans, Edmonton Journal, 13-Feb-2009
Responsible Actions: A Plan for Alberta’s Oil Sands
Media Release, Alberta Treasury Board, 12-Feb-2009
Alberta's Oil Sands Just Got Dirtier
Media Release, The Pembina Institute, 13-Feb-2009
Oilsands critics blast plan
Darcy Henton & Hanneke Brooymans, Edmonton Journal, 13-Feb-2009
Alberta's new oilsands plan focuses on economic growth, environment
Renata Daliesio, Calgary Herald, 12-Feb-2009
'Devil's in the details,' say cautious producers
Lisa Schmidt, Calgary Herald, 13-Feb-2009
Oilsands report calls for increased focus on environment
Darcy Henton & Hanneke Brooymans, Vancouver Sun, 13-Feb-2009
Oil-sands plan vague, critics say
Katherine O'Neill & Nathan Vanderklippe, The Globe and Mail 13-Feb-2009 ... more
13 Feb 2009

Syncrude charged in duck deaths
The federal and Alberta governments laid unprecedented charges yesterday against the Syncrude Canada Ltd. oil sands venture over last year's death of 500 ducks in a tailings pond.
Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post, 10-Feb-2009
Syncrude execs may face time in jail
Darcy Henton & Hanneke Brooymans, The Edmonton Journal, 10-Feb-2009
Syncrude charged over Alberta duck deaths
Dawn Walton & Nathan Vanderklippe, Globe and Mail, 9-Feb-2009 ... more
10 Feb 2009

Market elusive for US West Coast LNG imports
Woodside Petroleum's decision to scrap a liquefied natural gas import terminal in California last month bodes ill for developers on the U.S. West Coast already struggling to bring projects to fruition.
Edward McAllister, Reuters UK, 04-Feb-2009 ... more
08 Feb 2009

Boom in gas drilling fuels contamination concerns in Colorado
Some scientists and citizens want firms that extract natural gas to reveal what chemicals they’re using.
Josh McDaniel, Christian Science Monitor, 05-Feb-2009 ... more
07 Feb 2009

The mighty tug protects state waters
Trade-dependent port communities throughout Washington are subject to the benefits and risks posed by maritime traffic. But we can't limit environmental protections to flush times, for we need to trade responsibly and there's no good time for a major oil spill.
Fred Felleman, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 03-Feb-2009 ... more
04 Feb 2009

Bishop spurns oilsands development
The bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese that covers Fort McMurray has waded into the environmental debate over the oilsands, saying future development there "constitutes a serious moral problem" and goes against God's teachings.
Kelly Cryderman & Florence Loyie, The Edmonton Journal, 27-Jan-2009 ... more
31 Jan 2009

Big Energy companies announce 2008 record results
No recession here: first round of 2008 annual results from the oil and gas majors
$45.2-billion: Exxon's record year
John Porretto, Globe and Mail, 30-Jan-2009
Shell makes first quarterly loss in a decade
Terry Macalister & Graeme Wearden, The Guardian, 29-Jan-2009
Imperial racks up record 2008 profits
Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald, 30-Jan-2009
Petro-Canada posts loss, coy on Fort Hills
Carrie Tait, Financial Post, 29-Jan-2009 ... more
31 Jan 2009

Oil patch blues not as lowdown as feared
So far, so good. Sort of. Thursday's much-feared round of oil patch fourth-quarter reports was not nearly as grim as had been originally forecast.
Charles Frank, National Post, 31-Jan-2009 ... more
31 Jan 2009

Conservatives ground green energy plan
Green energy proponents were disappointed by the federal government's decision to exclude renewable power from a $40-billion economic stimulus package announced in Tuesday's budget.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 28-Jan-2009 ... more
28 Jan 2009

State not ready for oil spill
Washington's state government and maritime industry are dangerously underprepared to handle an oil spill even one-fifth the size of an Exxon Valdez.
Robert McClure, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 23-Jan-2009 ... more
25 Jan 2009

Ignatieff touts Alberta tar sands
"The stupidest thing you can do (is) to run against an industry that is providing employment for hundreds of thousands of Canadians."
Andrew Chung, The Star, 22-Jan-2009 ... more
22 Jan 2009

COALergy: "Smudge"

from the Reality Campaign ... more
20 Jan 2009

U.S. plans to open offshore drilling
The U.S. Interior Department, acting in President Bush's final days in office, proposed on Friday opening up 130 million acres off of California's coast to drilling for oil and natural gas, including areas off Humboldt and Mendocino counties and from San Luis Obispo south to San Diego.
Jane Kay, San Francisco Chronicle, 17-Jan-2009
Proposal could lead to more offshore drilling
Jim Tankersley, LA Times, 16-Jan-2009
Feds issue offshore drilling plan, including Alaska's Bristol Bay
H. Josef Hebert, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 16-Jan-2009
MMS News Release, Fact Sheets & Draft Program ... more
18 Jan 2009

Canadian oil, gas entities fight for their lives
As oil sands developer BA Energy Inc. seeks help from an Alberta court Friday to prevent a fire sale of its assets and appease nervous bankers, it joins a growing list of Canadian oil and gas companies fighting for their lives amid the credit crunch.
Claudia Cattaneo & Carrie Tait, Financial Post, 15-Jan2009 ... more
16 Jan 2009

Oil giant comes in from the cold
Exxon funded global warming denial for years. Yesterday, in an astonishing U-turn, it called for the imposition of green taxes.
Stephen Foley, The Independent, 10-Jan-2009 ... more
15 Jan 2009

Alyeska plans to sell Berth 1, keep Berth 3 for other options
The owners of the big tanker port in Valdez say two of the four berths there are no longer needed for loading crude oil from the trans-Alaska oil pipeline.
Anchorage Daily News, 13-Jan-2009 ... more
15 Jan 2009

BA Energy first oil sands developer to file for protection
BA Energy Inc., developer of the $4-billion Heartland Upgrader near Edmonton, Wednesday became the first oil sands company to file for bankruptcy protection, fearing its parent company's major lender, Credit Suisse, will recall a US$507-million loan.
Claudia Cattaneo & Carrie Tait, Financial Post, 14-Jan-2009 ... more
15 Jan 2009

Russia resumes pumping gas to Europe
Russia's Gazprom state gas monopoly resumed pumping gas to Europe via Ukraine Tuesday after a six-day cutoff that left large parts of Europe cold and dark.
Associated Press, Globe and Mail, 13-Jan-2009 ... more
13 Jan 2009

Saudi to cut oil supply below OPEC targets
Saudi Arabia plans to go beyond OPEC's deepest ever single cut in supply as the world's top oil exporter looks to halt a slide that has lopped over $110 (U.S.) off the oil price since July.
Mayank Bhardwaj, Globe and Mail, 13-Jan-2009 ... more
13 Jan 2009

Russia vows to restore gas flow to Europe
Russia today vowed to fully restore the flow of gas to the European Union as quickly as possible, and blamed Ukraine for the crisis.
Julia Kollewe, The Guardian, 12-Jan-2009 ... more
12 Jan 2009

Huge gas project set for 2011
B.C.'s Horn River play estimated to hold as much as 13 trillion cubic feet. Last November, natural-gas giant EnCana Corp. quietly filed a multi-billion dollar natural-gas plant proposal with provincial regulators in B.C.
Dina O'Meara, Calgary Herald, 11-Jan-2009 ... more
12 Jan 2009

Exposing the Myth of Clean Coal Power
If you paid any attention to last year's Presidential campaign, you'll remember ads touting the benefits of "clean coal" power, sponsored by the industry group American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity.
Bryan Walsh, Time Magazine, 12-Jan-2009 ... more
12 Jan 2009

Feed-In Frenzy
A simple green tariff has transformed Germany. Why isn’t Canada following suit?
Chris Turner, The Walrus, Jan/Feb 2009 ... more
11 Jan 2009

Canadians tell oil men to clean up their act
Canadians are telling oil sands companies they need to do a better job of protecting the environment, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers admitted on Thursday.
Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post, 08-Jan-2009 ... more
08 Jan 2009

Teck Cominco slashing 1,400 jobs
Teck Cominco Ltd. is cutting 1,400 jobs globally, or 13 per cent of its work force, because of slumping demand for coal and plunging commodity prices.
Virginia Galt, Globe and Mail, 08-Jan-2009 ... more
08 Jan 2009

The staggering cost of new nuclear power
A multi-part series about the costs of new nuclear power.
Climate Progress, 05-Jan-2009 ... more
07 Jan 2009

Alberta resident suing Syncrude over dead ducks
An Alberta resident is suing one of the country's largest oil-sands' operators, alleging that it was responsible for killing 500 ducks at its northern Alberta facility last spring.
Caroline Alphonso, Globe and Mail, 07-Jan-2009 ... more
07 Jan 2009

Russia-Ukraine gas crisis intensifies as all European supplies are cut off
Gazprom, the state-owned Russian gas group, today cut off all supplies to Europe travelling through Ukrainian pipelines, intensifying the political and economic crisis that has arisen out of a payments dispute between the two countries.Russian gas flows to Europe through Ukraine shut down completely on Wednesday, reducing power to industries and homes in south-east Europe and disrupting supplies to major economies.
David Gow, The Guardian, 07-Jan-2009
Russia completely turns off gas spigot
Dmitry Zhdannikov & Pavel Polityuk, Reuters, 07-Jan-2009 ... more
07 Jan 2009

Tehran looks to the skies for cheap power from the sun
Tehran looks to the skies for cheap power from the sun
Alok Jha, The Guardian, 06-Jan-2009 ... more
06 Jan 2009

Oregon exceptionally generous with green-energy subsidies
Oregon taxpayers are shelling out tens of millions of dollars to subsidize green energy projects, making the state a magnet for solar and wind companies.
Harry Esteve, The Oregonian, 02-Jan-2009 ... more
05 Jan 2009

Barnett Shale drilling and natural gas prices down
The number of drilling rigs active in the Barnett Shale finished the year down 26 percent from its peak in early October, mirroring a decline in drilling nationwide as natural gas prices have plunged amid worries about weak demand.
Jim Fuquay, Star-Telegram, 03-Jan-2009 ... more
04 Jan 2009

Russia gas row disruption spreads
Russian gas flows to four European Union countries were below normal levels on Saturday after Moscow cut off supplies to Ukraine in a pricing row, and there were no talks in sight to resolve the dispute.
Reuters, Globe and Mail, 03-Jan-2009 ... more
03 Jan 2009

Enbridge Energy to pay state $1.1 million for waterways violations during pipeline construction
Enbridge Energy, the company that built a 321-mile, $2 billion oil pipeline across Wisconsin has agreed to pay $1.1 million for environmental violations committed during work in and around wetlands, rivers and streams.
Associated Press, TwinCities.com, 02-Jan-2009 ... more
03 Jan 2009

sqwalk.com energy archives

ENERGY ITEMS FROM 2008

ENERGY ITEMS FROM 2007

ENERGY ITEMS FROM 2006

ENERGY ITEMS FROM 2005

ENERGY ITEMS FROM 2004

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ENERGY ITEMS FROM Jul 1, 2002 to Dec 31, 2002

ENERGY ITEMS FROM Jan 1, 2002 to Jun 30, 2002

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ENERGY ITEMS FROM Jun 1, 2001 to Aug 31, 2001

ENERGY ITEMS FROM Jan 1, 2001 to May 31, 2001

ENERGY ITEMS FROM 2000

Energy in British Columbia

Explosion caused pipeline leak, EnCana says
A spokeswoman for EnCana says a gas leak in northern B.C., not far from the site of four pipeline bombings, appears to have been caused by an explosion.
Sunny Dhillon, Globe and Mail, 01-Jul-2009
B.C. pipeline leak may have been caused by blast: EnCana
Laura Drake, Edmonton Journal, 01-Jul-2009 ... more
02 Jul 2009

Glowing reviews
Mineral Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia president and chief executive officer Gavin Dirom wants the Campbell administration to rescind its prohibition on uranium and thorium exploration and mining.
Sean Holman, Public Eye Radio, 28-Jun-2009 ... more
29 Jun 2009

BC Hydro's $825 Million Dam Deal
Representatives of both B.C. Hydro and Teck Resources Ltd. say they are happy with the $825-million price they negotiated for B.C. Hydro to take one-third ownership in the Waneta Dam, near Trail in southern B.C.
Andrew MacLeod, TheTyee.ca, June 26, 2009 ... more
29 Jun 2009

Crowd protests IPP project
Opponents of the proposed Glacier/Howser private hydro project crammed into a school gym in Kaslo, filling every chair, lining the walls and sitting on the floor during a project open house on June 23.
Sam Van Schie, Nelson Star, 24-Jun-2009 ... more
29 Jun 2009

New study underscores the importance of recycling and composting in achieving Zero Waste in Greater Vancouver
New study underscores the importance of recycling and composting in achieving Zero Waste in Greater Vancouver
News Release, Belkorp, 25-Jun-2009 ... more
26 Jun 2009

Companies have big plans for Metro's garbage
As Metro Vancouver inches closer to deciding what to do with its garbage, some of the companies offering potential solutions are doing their best to be noticed. Today, it's the turn of Covanta Energy and Green Island Energy, two companies that planned to unveil an update of a plan to turn a long-closed pulp mill at Gold River into a garbage incinerator.
Rebecca Tebrake, Vancouver Sun, 26-Jun-2009 ... more
26 Jun 2009

Energy producers make $178-million bet on B.C. shale gas play
Amid a supply glut of natural gas, companies have slapped down a surprise $178-million bet in British Columbia on the long-term future of the commodity.
Globe and Mail, 19-Jun-2009 ... more
19 Jun 2009

Carbon tax no cash cow in its first year
The provincial government paid out $38 million more in carbon tax breaks to British Columbians than it collected in carbon taxes in the first year of the climate-change initiative's implementation.
Derrick Penner, Vancouver Sun, 10-Jun-2009 ... more
10 Jun 2009

B.C. Transmission Corp. receives approval for 255-km power line
The British Columbia Transmission Corp. on Tuesday received provincial environmental approval for its $602-million power transmission line between the Interior and the Lower Mainland.
Vancouver Sun, 10-Jun-2009 ... more
10 Jun 2009

Support for run-of-river projects runs along party lines
B.C. political parties are starkly divided on IPPs, with the NDP calling for a moratorium on run-of-river operations and the Liberals pushing for increased use.
Sam Cooper, The Province, 07-Jun-2009 ... more
09 Jun 2009

Political and industry insiders are jumping ship to IPPs
Are B.C. Liberals and independent power producers too cozy? Consider these facts and figures...
Sam Cooper, The Province, 07-Jun-2009 ... more
09 Jun 2009

Private power industry is booming in B.C., but is that a good thing?
Gordon Campbell wasn't kidding when he warned that the future of B.C. was at stake in the last election -- or at least its energy future. The fate of a booming clean-energy industry worth up to $14-billion hung in the balance ...
Sam Cooper, The Province, 07-Jun-2009 ... more
09 Jun 2009

Propaganda pipeline
Enbridge is footing the bill for a northern advocacy group to generate community support for its proposed $4.5-billion project The recently-formed Northern Gateway Alliance which is advocating support for Enbridge's $4.5 billion pipeline through northern B.C. is the brainchild of Enbridge and is being bankrolled by the company
Gordon Hoekstra, Prince George Citizen, 29-May-2009 ... more
03 Jun 2009

Tar sands and coast focus of forums
Oil sands and the risk to BC’s coastline was the topic for two authors at the end of a five-day tour of BC’s northwest. Ian McAllister and Andrew Nikiforuk presented a packed room what pipeline development will mean not only for the local ecosystems but also for the nation-at-large.
Kitimat Sentinel, 03-Jun-2009 ... more
03 Jun 2009

Power to the northwest's people?
A northern pro-development group is attempting to seize the dual zeitgeist of carbon reduction and economic stimulus to kick-start construction of a power transmission line into the remote northwest.
Derrick Penner, Vancouver Sun, 30-May-2009 ... more
30 May 2009

Hydro pays $62 million for homes near power lines
BC Hydro will pay $62 million to purchase about 100 homes near a controversial Tsawwassen power line
Jonathan Fowlie, Vancouver Sun, 27-May-2009 ... more
27 May 2009

Valley airshed attracts pollution, power plants
Producing electricity within the high-demand Lower Mainland makes sense economically but can carry a high price environmentally. That's particularly pertinent in the Fraser Valley.
Brian Lewis, The Province, 26-May-2009 ... more
26 May 2009

Hydro seeking an overhaul of 'cornerstone' power plant
G.M. Shrum, the "cornerstone" generating station in British Columbia's electricity system, is in "poor health" due to the age and risk of failure among its oldest turbines.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 26-May-2009 ... more
26 May 2009

B.C. Liberals show a paler shade of green
Idea that Liberal victory was due to climate policy is just plain silly. Reflecting on the noise of the just concluded provincial election, an amusing turn of phrase comes to mind: "Yea, Though I Walk Through the Valley of Dumb, I Shall Fear No Idiocy."
Chris Genovali, Times Colonist, 22-May-2009 ... more
22 May 2009

Campbell's carbon tax may go way of dodo
So where is Campbell's precious carbon tax? Out in the cold. The carbon tax is now effectively dead, south of the border. And if cap-and-trade becomes a reality in the U.S., Canada will surely follow suit, snuffing out any more carbon-tax brainstorms here as well.
Michael Smyth, The Province, 21-May-2009 ... more
21 May 2009

The Green Rift
On this night, the eve of Good Friday, not everyone's here to show respect. People are sharpening their verbal knives as they wait to form an audience with Tzeporah Berman.
Jesse Ferreras, Whistler Pique, 20-May-2009 ... more
21 May 2009

Letter from Guujaaw to John Carruthers (Enbridge) - Northern Gateway
John Carruthers President of Enbridge "Northern Gateway Pipeline" In response to your letter dated April 29th. You have invited us to attend a meeting in Kitimat on June 18 and 19, "to guide the design, construction, and operations of the... ... more
20 May 2009

Police relieved at silence of pipeline bomber
One-hundred-thirty-five. That’s how many days have passed since the Dawson Creek pipeline bomber last struck EnCana’s sour gas line near the tiny hamlet of Tomslake, 28 kilometres south of Dawson Creek, B.C., close to the Alberta-B.C. border.
Jamie Hall, Edmonton Journal, 19-May-2009 ... more
19 May 2009

Is Canada a petro-state or prosperous nation?
Imagine a Canada with an abundance of nature and wildlife, clean air and water, healthy citizens, and a prosperous economy. Sounds close to what we have, doesn’t it? But it may not be for long if we keep heading down the road we’re on.
David Suzuki and Faisal Moola, Georgia Straight, 19-May-2009 ... more
19 May 2009

B.C. power grid goes under the microscope
The B.C. Utilities Commission, acting upon orders from the Ministry of Energy, is in the early stages of an inquiry into the the shaping of the province's economic future -- and to realize the Liberal's ambition to make B.C. electricity self-sufficient through the expansion of its high-voltage electricity grid.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 19-May-2009 ... more
19 May 2009

Critics question long-term costs of aging Burrard generating plant
Some critics think the 50-year-old Burrard Thermal generating plant, located along the northwest Port Moody shoreline, should be junked.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 19-May-2009 ... more
19 May 2009

Oil cube lifted out of Robson Bight 'cleanly'
Observers on a barge in Robson Bight ecological reserve held their breath yesterday afternoon as a metal cube containing 1,400 litres of hydraulic oil was carefully pulled to the surface.
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist, 16-May-2009 ... more
17 May 2009

Bute Inlet Project referred to Joint Panel Review
Canada’s Environment Minister Jim Prentice announced today that the proposed Bute Inlet Hydroelectric Project located about 150 km north of Powell River in British Columbia will undergo an environmental assessment by a federal review panel.
News Release, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, 14-May-2009 ... more
14 May 2009

Nelson ordered to stop exporting electricity
An alleged electricity arbitraging operation by the city of Nelson has been halted by the British Columbia Utilities Commission after protests by BC Hydro.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 13-May-2009 ... more
13 May 2009

BC Hydro, Teck talk power purchase
BC Hydro is negotiating with Teck Resources to purchase electricity from the company's Waneta generating facility near Trail in southeastern B.C.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 12-May-2009 ... more
12 May 2009

Oil spill at Kinder Morgan is 'fully contained'
About 200,000 litres of crude oil spilled from one of the tanks at the Kinder Morgan facility on Burnaby Mountain this week
C Myers, Burnaby Now, 09-May-2009 ... more
11 May 2009

BC Libs zapped regs for private power, doc shows
B.C.’s powers to protect key wildlife areas have been chiselled away by a government directive intended to placate private power companies, according to two environmental groups.
Geoff Dembicki, The Tyee.ca, 07-May-2009 ... more
11 May 2009

B.C. scientists urge strategic voting to protect watersheds
Five leading conservationists and environmental scientists said yesterday that British Columbia watersheds are threatened by provincial government policies, and they urged the public to “vote strategically” in next week's election.
Mark Hume, Globe and Mail, 06-May-2009 ... more
07 May 2009

The Angriest Riding in BC
Cecil Dunn fought the provincial government and lost. For four years, he battled a proposal to build steel power poles in the backyards of Tsawwassen homes.
Geoff Dembicki, TheTyee.ca, 07-May-2009 ... more
07 May 2009

Does a carbon tax make the Liberals green?
The New Democratic Party's opposition to a carbon tax is a mistake. The result is that the NDP are pilloried as environmental dinosaurs, while the Liberals escape scrutiny for their own abysmal environmental record.
Vicky Husband, Times Colonist, 06-May-2009 ... more
06 May 2009

Kitimat project could be worth more than $1b to first nations
Some first nations stand to gain more than $1 billion in profits, taxes and business opportunities from a proposed liquid natural gas project in northern British Columbia, The Vancouver Sun has learned.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 30-Apr-2009 ... more
30 Apr 2009

Beyond the Carbon Tax
Despite the economic doom and gloom, catastrophes in fish farms and wild rivers, controversial multi-billion dollar highway schemes, in this election no one seems to care. Instead, the first 10 days of the election have been "virtually a referendum on the carbon tax."
Michael M'Gonigle & Blake Anderson, The Tyee, 30-Apr-2009 ... more
29 Apr 2009

Ban Carbon Emissions, Don’t Price them: Why Cap and Dividend is the Best Approach
The current debate over carbon taxes versus "Cap and Trade" is wrongheaded, but there is a solution that does work - the "Cap and Dividend" system.
Cliff Stainsby, Dogwood Initiative, Apr-2009 ... more
29 Apr 2009

Bullfrog Power Brings New Choice to British Columbians
Bullfrog Power, Canada’s leading provider of 100 per cent green electricity, announced today that it is now offering British Columbia residents and businesses a new way to take a stand in support of low-impact renewable electricity and reduce their environmental impact.
News Release, Bullfrog Power, 24-Mar-2009
Tiny Bullfrog Power making a mark
Peter Gorrie, Toronto Star, 26-May-2008 ... more
28 Apr 2009

The devil is in the details of environmental policies
Voters have been presented with a bewildering array of environmental policies in the B.C. election.
Kathryn Harrison & David Green, Vancouver Sun, 28-Apr-2009 ... more
28 Apr 2009

B.C. projected to rival Alberta for gas production
British Columbia could rival Alberta as Canada's largest producer of natural gas within 10 to 20 years, a Vancouver Board of Trade energy forum heard Friday.
By Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 25-Apr-2009 ... more
25 Apr 2009

Tapping Our Wild Rivers Can't Fix Climate Change
Tzeporah Berman and her influential allies want us to believe that only by harnessing renewable "green" energy can we reduce global warming. And that the time for debate is past; now we must just do it. I'm one long-time environmentalist who couldn't disagree more.
Michael M'Gonigle, TheTyee.ca, 20-Apr-2009 ... more
21 Apr 2009

NDP jolt to power producers just what critics want
It didn't take independent power producers long to respond when the NDP released its campaign platform last week.
Mark Hume, Globe and Mail, 13-Apr-2009 ... more
13 Apr 2009

Kitimat LNG pipeline takes another step forward
A proposed $1.2-billion natural gas pipeline took another major step forward on Wednesday with the announcement of overwhelming support from first nations along the route.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 09-Apr-2009 ... more
09 Apr 2009

First of its kind tidal energy project closer to reality in Campbell River
A $2 million funding announcement Friday by the provincial government will help make Campbell River a leader in the national and global tidal energy field and result in the deployment of the first commercial scale tidal current electrical turbine in North America.
Campbell River Courier-Islander, 04-Apr-2009 ... more
07 Apr 2009

BC sells Powell Lake to California
BC Premier Gordon Campbell and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger have signed an agreement that gives California full rights to Powell Lake.
Powell River Peak, 01-Apr-2009 ... more
02 Apr 2009

California rejects B.C. green power claims
British Columbia’s effort to promote its hydroelectric energy exports to California as green power is failing.
By Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, April 2, 2009 ... more
02 Apr 2009

U.S. plan to flood Similkameen Valley draws B.C.'s attention
B.C. Environment Minister Barry Penner asked U.S. regulators Tuesday for intervenor status on a proposal by a Washington state utility to flood 3,650 hectares of B.C.’s Similkameen Valley for a hydro dam.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 31-Mar-2009 ... more
01 Apr 2009

Investor urges Enbridge to assess risk of delay
The prospect that Enbridge Inc. [ENB-T]'s $4-billion Gateway pipeline project, which would connect Alberta's oil sands with lucrative Asian markets, could become mired in disputes with first nations groups has at least one major shareholder demanding a reckoning.
David Ebner, Globe and Mail, 30-Mar-2009 ... more
31 Mar 2009

BC Hydro attacks conflict allegation
A conflict of interest allegation levelled against BC Hydro by an independent power producer should be struck from the record at a B.C. Utilities Commission hearing, the Crown corporation says.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 30-Mar-2009
Brookfield's letter of contrition, 26-Mar-2009 ... more
30 Mar 2009

FACTS ON INDEPENDENT POWER PRODUCTION
The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources corrects misleading claims about electricity generation and independent power production in British Columbia.
Media Release, MEMPR, 25-Mar-2009 ... more
27 Mar 2009

‘No more run of river’ ­ B.C. Greens
B.C.'s Green Party wants to put an end to run of river hydro projects and focus on delivering electricity to British Columbians through conservation, says leader Jane Sterk.
Jesse Ferreras, Whistler Pique, 26-Mar-2009 ... more
27 Mar 2009

James tells business leaders she will lower, not raise, their taxes
Opposition leader Carole James spoke to business leaders in downtown Vancouver on Thursday and reminded them of something that not many of them expected from a New Democratic Party government.
Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver Sun, 27-Mar-2009 ... more
27 Mar 2009

Pacific Trail Pipelines Kitimat to Summit Lake project clears another hurdle
Pacific Trail Pipelines Limited Partnership said Monday that its proposed Kitimat to Summit Lake Pipeline Looping Project has cleared another hurdle.
The Canadian Press, 24-Mar-2009
British Columbia LNG project gets green light
Cowan Thant Zin, Portworld News, 24 March 2009 ... more
25 Mar 2009

Private power protest goes viral
A campaign by groups protesting the development of private power projects on British Columbia rivers has gone viral in an attempt to drown Liberal MLAs in a flood of messages tomorrow.
Mark Hume, Globe and Mail, 25-Mar-2009 ... more
25 Mar 2009

'Green' projects cry for analysis
This year's list of British Columbia's 10 most threatened rivers is a warning. A review of the boom in private power projects on rivers and creeks is overdue.
Editorial, Times Colonist, 25-Mar-2009 ... more
25 Mar 2009

'Green' energy threatens B.C. rivers, report warns
Half of B.C.'s 10 most threatened rivers are at risk from so-called green energy projects, according to an annual report released today by the Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C.
Larry Pynn, Vancouver Sun, 23-Mar-2009 ... more
23 Mar 2009

Proposed Pipeline Sparks Oil Spill Fears
With the 20th anniversary of the devastating Exxon Valdez oil spill coming up on March 24, concerns are mounting over a proposed twin pipeline megaproject running from Alberta to British Columbia that would cross hundreds of kilometres of untouched wilderness.
Chris Wirth & Joan Delaney, Epoch Times, 18-Mar-2009 ... more
20 Mar 2009

BC Hydro accused of electricity supply conflict
An independent power producer is accusing BC Hydro of an apparent conflict of interest over its management of bids for private sector electricity supply.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 20-Mar-2009 ... more
20 Mar 2009

BC Hydro electricity import controversy examined
One of the biggest controversies in the British Columbia electricity market revolves around the notion that BC Hydro is somehow overstating the province's dependence on imported electricity.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 17-Mar-2009 ... more
19 Mar 2009

IPPs push up power costs, industry says
BC Hydro customers could take a $400-million-per-year financial hit if the Crown corporation signs up too many independent power producers to sell it electricity, a spokesman for Hydro industrial customers is warning.
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 18-Mar-2009 ... more
18 Mar 2009

First nations win court fight over major B.C. power projects
The B.C. Court of Appeal has issued two major rulings upholding the rights of first nations to be consulted by the government, which will affect two major projects in B.C.
Neal Hall, Vancouver Sun, 18-Feb-2009
Court rulings delay power projects
Mark Hume, Globe and Mail, 19-Feb-2009 ... more
19 Feb 2009

BC Budget 2009: Commentary
A fiscal conversion, but not a philosophical one
Patrick Brethour, Globe and Mail, 17-Feb-2009
From surplus to 'frankly scary' in just one short year
Gary Mason, Globe and Mail, 18-Feb-2009
Budget sets some important benchmarks for tough months ahead
Editorial, Vancouver Sun, 18-Feb-2009
If, if, if -- modest deficit budget ripe for revision if things don't work out
Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver Sun, 18-Feb-2009 ... more
18 Feb 2009

Big money for infrastructure as B.C. faces two-year deficit
British Columbia will run a $740-million deficit over the next two years, the government said Tuesday as it released a budget characterized by belt-tightening and fiscal restraint on one hand, and big infrastructure spending on the other.
Jonathan Fowlie, Vancouver Sun, 18-Feb-2009
Highlights of provincial budget
Vancouver Sun February 17, 2009
B.C. heads $495-million into the red
Justine Hunter, Globe and Mail, 17-Feb-2009 ... more
18 Feb 2009

The Liberals struggle to put highlights in this year's throne speech
The B.C. Liberal government's throne speech for 2009 was a muted affair, particularly for an election year.
Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver Sun, 17-Feb-2009
B.C. Throne Speech targets homelessness
Justine Hunter, Globe and Mail, 17-Feb-2009 ... more
17 Feb 2009

Energy in the Throne Speech
Something old, not much new, transmission is big, IPPs too. ... more
16 Feb 2009

Securing our future energy supplies requires integrated planning
Given the increasing conflict in B.C. over IPPs, the importance of ensuring the province has a sufficient electricity supply, and the environmental consequences of any new electricity development, we are calling on the government to adopt an integrated provincial or regional planning process for new electricity supply. The status quo is not good enough.
Greg Gowe & George Hoberg, Vancouver Sun, 13-Feb-2009 ... more
14 Feb 2009

Pipeline would bring tankers into B.C. inlets
Caamano Sound is a universe away from the office towers of Edmonton, but these disparate locations are now inextricably linked by plans for the so-called Northern Gateway pipeline, which will connect Alberta with Kitimat on B.C.’s central coast. And you can’t talk about pipelines without discussing oil tankers plying some of the province’s most ecologically rich and diverse waters as they make their way from open ocean into Caamano Sound, around Gil Island, where B.C. Ferries’ Queen of the North foundered in 2006, and northeast up Douglas Channel to the port at Kitimat.
Andrew Findlay, Georgia Strait, 05-Feb-2009 ... more
07 Feb 2009

Powering the future
BC Hydro must cut its greenhouse gas emissions but continue to meet the province's growing power needs, which means choosing either natural gas or electric power as a main fuel source. Both have their supporters. Both need major investment. Both demand a commitment that will be difficult to break. So ... which will it be?
Justine Hunter, Globe and Mail, 31-Jan-2009 ... more
31 Jan 2009

Net-importer or not?
It's pretty clear: in 2008, BC generated considerably more power than British Columbians consumed. And that's the aspect of energy self-sufficiency that we should be concerned about, should it not?
Arthur Caldicott, GSXCCC, 30-Jan-2009 ... more
31 Jan 2009

Haida Nation and NaiKun Form Landmark Partnership
NaiKun Wind Energy Group Inc. and the Council of the Haida Nation announce the formation of a partnership in support of the development of Canada's first offshore wind energy project.
News Release, Naikun, 29-Jan-2009 ... more
29 Jan 2009

A test case for tackling the CO-2 challenge
The steel exhaust tower is the tallest structure for hundreds of kilometres. It spews 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually from the natural gas processed at Spectra Energy's massive Fort Nelson plant, the largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the province. These emissions are projected to double as a predicted natural gas boom north of town in the Horn River Basin takes off.
David Ebner, Globe and Mail, 21-Jan-2009 ... more
28 Jan 2009

B.C. Liberals selling out our energy future
There is an energy "gold rush" happening in British Columbia. With our mountainous terrain and wet-coast climate, we are poised to become the world's Saudi Arabia of sustainable energy from a variety of sources including run of river, wind and tidal power.
Ralph Keller, Arthur Caldicott & Jim Abram, Times Colonist, 28-Jan-2009 ... more
28 Jan 2009

Energy production a key to forestry revitalization
Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell was on a tour of rural communities in the region last week, including Revelstoke, Nakusp, Castlegar and Nelson. He says he’s looking for ways to reinvigorate the forest industry during the tour and is discussing his proposed four key points for a forestry revitalization.
By Aaron Orlando, Revelstoke Times Review, 12-Jan-2009 ... more
18 Jan 2009

BC Hydro changes tune over green energy cutbacks
Blistered by critics over its plan to scale back contracts for clean electricity because of economic uncertainty, BC Hydro this week moved to "clarify" that it may buy all the clean power it can get.
Justine Hunter, Globe and Mail, 15-Jan-2009 ... more
16 Jan 2009

Island coal mine working at capacity
Uncertainty in the global coal market does not appear to have affected Hillsborough Re-sources, which operates the Quinsam coal mine near Campbell River.
Andrew A. Duffy, Times Colonist, 16-Jan-2009
Hillsborough Resources Limited Updates Operations and Sales
News Release, Hillsborough Resources, 15-Jan-2009 ... more
16 Jan 2009

Tips flowing on pipeline bombings after EnCana reward offered
Police have received more than a dozen tips since EnCana’s offer Tuesday of a $500,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the pipeline bomber near Dawson Creek, B.C.
Jamie Hall, Edmonton Journal, 14-Jan-2009 ... more
15 Jan 2009

Powerlines linked to leukemia in B.C. report
Living close to high-voltage power lines may produce one additional case of leukemia every two years in B.C., according to “ballpark assumptions” by B.C. Centre for Disease Control environmental health experts.
Pamela Fayerman, Vancouver Sun, 12-Jan-2009
Is living near power lines bad for our health?
Ray Copes, MD & Prabjit Barn, MSc BC Medical Journal Vol. 50, No. 9, November 2008 page(s) 494—BC Centre for Disease Control ... more
13 Jan 2009

EnCana to announce reward into B.C. pipeline bombings
A “very significant cash reward” was set to be announced Tuesday in a joint news conference held by the RCMP and EnCana Corporation, an oil company that has been targeted in recent bombing attacks in northeastern B.C.
By Linda Nguyen, Canwest News Service, 13-Jan-2009
Neighbours frantic to catch pipeline bomber
After the first pipeline bombing, En-Cana security trucks drove up and down the darkened rural roads of the remote area of northeastern British Columbia every night, headlights flashing into the windows of houses along the unlit gravel pathways.
Laura Drake, Calgary Herald, 12-Jan-2009 ... more
12 Jan 2009

B.C. beckons ... and EnCana comes calling
As symbols go, EnCana's proposed Cabin natural gas plant in northeastern B.C. is big, in every sense of the word.
b>Patrick Brethour, Globe and Mail, 09-Jan-2009 ... more
09 Jan 2009

Coal-bed methane industry finds a home in Peace Country
Condemned in many British Columbia communities as an environmental hazard, coal-bed methane development has found a home in the Peace River Valley.
How much is out there
What is coal-bed methane? ... more
09 Jan 2009

Gordon Campbell's green dream meets the new world
Premier Gordon Campbell's dream of making British Columbia a continental hub of green-power generation may be short-circuited -- by BC Hydro, one of his government's own Crown corporations.
Miro Cernetig, Vancouver Sun, 07-Jan-2009 ... more
08 Jan 2009

Kitimat LNG has had interest in company stake
Kitimat LNG has received interest for a stake in the company, following an invitation for expressions of interest in November, the company told Reuters late on Monday.
Edward McAllister & Walter Bagley, Reuters, 06-Jan-2009 ... more
07 Jan 2009

Carbon offset venture is catching fire
Eleven months after the Pacific Carbon Trust was announced, the outfit is still advertising to do its first offset deal.
Les Leyne, Times Colonist, 06-Jan-2009 ... more
06 Jan 2009

Pipeline bombers probably local: expert
RCMP investigate fourth pipeline bombing in B.C.
There has been another pipeline explosion in northeast British Columbia, the RCMP said Monday.
Canwest News Service, Vancouver Sun, 05-Jan-2009
Pipeline bombers probably local: expert
Jamie Hall, The Edmonton Journal, 06-Jan-2009
Pipeline bombings 'increasingly violent': RCMP
The Canadian Press, Globe and Mail, 06-Jan-2009 ... more
06 Jan 2009

Lost in transmission
Homeowner Debbie McBride feels she has no choice but to accept a B.C. government offer on her Tsawwassen property and move away from new overhead power lines.
Kent Spencer, The Province 06-Jan-2009 ... more
06 Jan 2009

Owners in power line fight ponder offer to sell homes
A number of Tsawwassen homeowners involved in a high-voltage battle over power lines in their neighbourhood are considering a provincial government offer to buy their houses.
Canadian Press, Globe and Mail, 03-Jan-2009 ... more
03 Jan 2009

Multibillion-dollar gas plant planned in B.C.
EnCana Corp. has taken an early step toward building what could be a multibillion-dollar plant in northeastern British Columbia.
Wendy Stueck, Globe and Mail, 03-Jan-2009 ... more
03 Jan 2009

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