On Sunday, 42% of our power came from natural gas, and 41% came from coal. Another 12% came from hydro.
1% came from wind
Ottawa, we have a problem.
What more can Saskatchewan do to keep the lights on?
The “Energy Trilemma” – a super wicked problem
Recently retired SaskEnergy CEO Ken From writes in Pipeline Online about the “Energy Trilemma” – energy security, affordability, and transition; Germany’s folly and practical realities.
There’s a whole lot of cold water splashed on the faces of true believers in the energy transition.
The cultish obsession with renewables – a mixture of managing by pixie-dust and mass delusion – has stymied discussions on real emissions reductions. A recent workshop in Stavanger Norway explored the role of fossil fuels as part of the solution – i.e., how do we maintain energy affordability and energy security within the context of reducing emissions. The participants called this the Energy Trilemma.
Wind in Sask produced an average of 1.3% of its capacity on Wednesday
It turns out that the same day Alberta’s wind power flatlined, so did Saskatchewan’s. SaskPower delays its data reporting two days, which is why it took until Friday to find this out. Note that the 1.3 per cent output was the average for the entire day, meaning that it was even lower for part of the day.
Giant fans didn’t spin too much on Tuesday in the land of living skies
On Tuesday, we didn’t get much in the way of wind power generation, again.
Alberta coffee makers were not powered by wind Wednesday morning, as wind power collapsed, again
Alberta’s electrical grid, with 3,618 megawatts of installed wind generation, was getting just 19 megawatts from wind at 7:26 a.m. on Wednesday. This is after several grid alerts in late November and throughout December.
Buy the damned planes, finally!
In an odd way, Trudeau’s foot dragging on buying the F-35 has resulted in us getting much better planes. But will we get them soon enough?
Virtue signalling gone mad? SaskEnergy finances soap making from CO2 capture at Regina Airport
SaskEnergy announced on Jan. 10 it is financing the installation of a small-scale, really micro-scale, carbon capture device at the Regina Airport. The final product? Soap trade show giveaways. Really.
Year End with Premier Scott Moe, Part 4: Lithium, helium, rare earth elements, oil
Lithium and rare earth elements may be a big deal in Saskatchewan over the next ten years, according to Premier Scott Moe.
Year End with Premier Scott Moe, Part 3: Investment reluctance, LNG and Germany, nuclear
Remember the “no business case for LNG” that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in front of a German chancellor desperate for LNG? Premier Scott Moe talks about that, as well as making a decision on whether to go ahead with nuclear sooner than later. Right now, Saskatchewan is not planning on deciding to go nuclear until 2029.
Year End with Premier Scott Moe, Part 2: oil prices, differentials, federal issues, pipelines and immigration
Premier Scott Moe thinks the reason we didn’t see a spike in drilling when oil prices spiked is a federal government scaring off investment. Part 2 talks about oil prices, differentials, federal issues, pipelines and immigration
Year end with Premier Scott Moe, Part 1: energy security, war, wind, solar and coal
There’s no fluff questions in this year-end interview with Premier Scott Moe. Part one focuses on energy security, the war in Ukraine, wind, solar and coal power.
There are four parts to this interview, to be published this week. Watch for them.
And here’s why we need all that lithium
Because we’re all going to drive electric cars, starting real soon. Didn’t you know?
Wonder where they’re going to get all the power from? Wind?
Cold means less wind, more power demand in Sask
Alberta’s seen its power grid struggle in recent days as cold weather has meant substantially less wind production while demand has spiked.
Well, Saskatchewan is also seeing demand climb, and wind power drop. No grid alerts here, at least yet.
Alberta electrical grid in peril for the third time in 24 hours
The Alberta Electric System Operator issued a grid alert for the second time in one day, third time in 24 hours, and fifth time in three weeks. And at 5:27, demand hit another all-time peak.
Alberta electrical grid alert second time in less than 24 hours, fourth time this month
For the second time in 2 days, 4th time in December, Alberta Electric System Operator declares a “grid alert” as the power system can’t keep up with demand. It’s too cold for the wind turbines. -31C at Lethbridge, -35 C at Pincher Creek
Tuesday in Alberta – frigid cold, wind turbines produce squat, so does solar, and power demand goes through the roof
Did I forget to mention that price spiked at its maximum $1,000 per megawatt, again? And the province is shutting down its last exclusively coal units in a few weeks? The net result is Alberta, one of the most energy-rich places on the planet, just had its third ‘grid alert’ this month, asking people to reduce their power usage at supper last night.
Check it out here.
How the Grinch tried to steal the oilpatch
Everyone’s got a Grinch story at this time of year. This is how the Grinch tried to steal the oilpatch.
Some big policy issues at play with lithium development
In its continuing series on lithium development in Saskatchewan, there’s some significant issues. The first is commercializing a process known as Direct Lithium Extraction, without which the whole idea is going nowhere. The next issue is primacy of rights when it comes to mineral development – whose rights trump whom? And then there’s the government response to the rights issue. But if we can work these things out, there’s serious potential for a multi-billion dollar industry here on the bald prairie.
Those giant stinking fans failed Saskatchewan, again, on Tuesday
SaskPower delays its reporting of power output by two days. But it turns out that on Tuesday, Dec. 13, wind power production in Saskatchewan all but collapsed. Again. You’d think in winter, having reliable power might be a thing? But we are intent on building more, a lot more, wind and solar.
Recently retired SaskEnergy CEO has a thing or two to say about energy transition
Recently retired CEO of SaskEnergy Ken From is a new columnist with Pipeline Online, and he’s got a thing or two to say about this supposed energy transition.