SaskPower’s Plan Isn’t Ambitious

SaskPower’s new target, announced by the Premier last week, is out.

.@PremierBradWall @SKGov This doesn't seem overly ambitious, given #ABclimate's goals. Can't Sask do more than Alberta?#skpoli #PowerToGrow

— John "Saskboy" Klein (@JohnKleinRegina) November 23, 2015

We’re procuring 100 MW of wind generation in 2016 and will develop up to 1600 MW between 2019-2030. #powertogrow pic.twitter.com/CwMjPsvEeF

— SaskPower (@SaskPower) November 23, 2015

That’s more wind power than we produce with coal or with natural gas today. Sounds impressive, until you realize that North Dakota did this already:
“As of the end of 2014, 1,886 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity had been installed for wind power in North Dakota.”

SaskWind also says this is “unambitious”.

1) As noted: Wind energy is cost competitive with natural gas, half the price of coal with carbon capture and significantly cheaper than nuclear. It is the cheapest form of new renewables on the market today.

2) Saskatchewan has a world class wind resource – which is substantially better than the average in both the US and Europe.

3) The European Union and the US expect 23 percent and 20 percent respectively of ALL their electricity to be generated by wind in 2030.

https://twitter.com/JamesWoodHerald/status/668911379974262784

Alberta is heavily dependent upon coal electricity. By 2030, according to their #ABclimate plan, there will be no coal burning for electricity in 15 years. In Saskatchewan, SaskPower promises up to HALF of our electricity will STILL come from fossil sources like lignite coal. That’s a disgrace. We’ve got to stop using, and subsidizing fossil fuels now.

Wind and Solar To Grow in Saskatchewan https://t.co/5eg1xehnaT

— John "Saskboy" Klein (@JohnKleinRegina) November 23, 2015