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Some energy projects waiting for next year
Credit: Two of five large wind and solar projects in Lambton are sitting out current round of bidding | By Paul Morden, Sarnia Observer | Tuesday, September 15, 2015 | www.theobserver.ca ~~
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Companies behind the proposed Sydenham Wind Project in eastern Lambton County and the Corunna Solar Project in St. Clair Township are sitting out this year’s round bidding for large renewable energy contracts.
But officials with both companies say they plan to submit their projects in the next round of bidding for contracts to sell electricity to the province.
Enerfin Energy acquired the Sydenham wind project from Mainstream Renewable Power and began actively working in Lambton earlier this year on a proposal to build wind turbines in Brooke-Alvinston and Enniskillen townships to generate up to 100 MW of electricity.
Sebastien Verzeni, director of Enerfin Canada, said the project was registered in August with the Independent Electricity System Operator, the provincial agency handling Ontario’s large renewable energy procurement.
But, he said, Enerfin’s board decided not to submit a final proposal by the Sept. 1 deadline after looking at the project’s economics, and the fact the host municipalities didn’t support it.
“Given the high level of competitiveness of this request for proposal, the board has decided not to go forward, and not to submit this bid this year,” Verzeni said.
“We’ll be working on the project to make it more competitive,” for the next round of bidding expected next year, he said.
Verzeni said they will use the time to address the concerns of the municipalities, “and keep the open dialogue we had with Brooke-Alvinston, and maybe open a discussion with Enniskillen.”
Brooke-Alvinston Mayor Don McGugan said he expects Enerfin could return to his council next year with an enhanced proposal.
“Because, this green energy system isn’t going away,” McGugan said.
Councils in both Enniskillen and Brooke-Alvinston passed motions declaring themselves unwilling hosts for wind turbine projects, but that isn’t enough to stop wind turbines from being built in their communities.
“The government appears not too interested in listening to us,” McGugan said. “They have an agenda and they’re convinced it’s right.”
Earlier this year, Enniskillen Township council declined a rpaul.morden@sunmedia.ca equest to meet with Enerfin.
At the time, Mayor Kevin Marriott said his council had decided not to participate in any type of consultation with wind companies.
BluEarth Renewables, an Alberta-based company behind the Corunna Solar Project, wants to install ground-mounted solar panels on land the Pembina Pipeline Corporation owns along Highway 40. The proposal is to generate up to 13 MW of electricity to sell to the province.
Tom Bird, with BluEarth Renewables, said they intend to submit the project in next year’s round of bidding.
“We just wanted to take a little extra time in developing the project,” he said.
“We think in 2016 it will be in even better shape, and be a more competitive project.”
The township council in St. Clair supported the Corunna Solar Project, as well as an up to 30-MW ground-mounted solar project proposed by Ontario Power Generation and SunEdison at the idle Courtright Generating Station.
Bird said BluEarth Renewables will continue to consult with St. Clair Township officials, as its proposal develops.
The solar project at the Lambton Generation Station was submitted for this round of the procurement process.
The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) said on its website that a total of 103 proposals were received by the Sept. 1 deadline for the current round.
They include NextEra Canada’s Hardy Creek proposal to build an up to 100-MW wind project in Brooke-Alvinston, Warwick and Adelaide-Metcalfe townships, as well as Suncor’s Nauvoo wind proposal for an up to 75-MW wind turbine project in the same three communities.
The proposals in the current round of bidding are being evaluated, and results are expected to be announced later this year, according to the IESO.
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