Tag: energy news

Well, that was a smooth move

Climate Cult 53 Comments

Alberta’s last coal plant shuts down, and days later, a grid alert is declared.

Oh, and that new grid-scale battery that SaskPower just went $10 million over the initial announced price on – Alberta has 10 (albeit a different manufacturer). Three haven’t lit a light bulb since March, and they were no shows on Monday.

But that’s okay, the Pembina Institute wrote a piece celebrating the end of coal, which they strongly advocated for over many years. They published it two days before the grid alert.

And it’s going to be hot two more days in Alberta. Anyone want to make a bet there will be more grid alerts?

Again, Alberta has more coal, oil and gas than God, because God gave all of his to Alberta. For that province to ever be running short of energy is a result of sheer incompetence at the top. And Saskatchewan is following that path – shutting down coal, building more wind, solar, and now batteries. SaskPower has had announcements for all three in recent weeks. Will I be writing about Saskatchewan grid alerts, because we failed to heed what is happening west of us?

Guilbeault’s letter to Saskatchewan on Clean Electricity Regulations

Climate Cult 24 Comments
Steven Guilbeault

Read the Government of Canada’s submission, written by Guilbeault

The proposed Clean Electricity Regulations are among the most significant policy moves in recent Canadian history. The fundamental thrust is to all but eliminate fossil fuel combustion from the Canadian electrical grid. On any given day, up to 88 per cent of Saskatchewan’s power comes from natural gas and coal.

If implemented in their current form, they will utterly remake Canada, its economy and society. The Government of Saskatchewan, on June 25, rejected these regulations, based on a report by the Economic Impact Assessment Tribunal, convened under the Saskatchewan First Act. That act, in turn, was brought into law to counter numerous onerous federal climate change initiatives.

Within the tribunals report are all the submissions made by numerous companies and agencies, several of which Pipeline Online is publishing verbatim in the coming days and weeks. But perhaps the most significant was the Feb. 15 submission by Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault, who, with Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson, is one of the leading figures from the federal government on this front. As such, his submission is the stance of the federal government. Notably, he does not explain how Saskatchewan is to replace all of its fossil fuel-based power in the 10 years, five months and 30 days remaining from today. Here it is, verbatim

 

Clean Electricity Regulations, part of the biggest story of our times

Climate Cult 13 Comments
Boundary Dam Power Station

I’ve been saying for a while now, this whole “energy transition” is the biggest story of our times. And the biggest part of that is implementation of the Clean Electricity Regulations, which will affect every person, business and industry in this country. On Tuesday, Saskatchewan said it’s not going to follow them, because they’re impossible to follow.

I will have numerous stories on this over the coming days and weeks, deep dives into what this is all about. I just got off the phone with one cabinet minister and will be talking to another in a few minutes. Watch for that in a bit. In the meantime, this is the executive summary of the report prepared for the Saskatchewan government, a report whose purpose is to give backing to our saying “F off” to the feds. That’s basically what Saskatchewan is doing.

 

 

Saskatchewan, Alberta, to fight back. Manitoba? Crickets

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 30 Comments

Saskatchewan, Alberta governments respond to federal gag law: ‘considering all options to fight back’

As for Manitoba – does its Premier Wab Kinew even know they have an oilpatch? Because the previous NDP government sure didn’t. Back in 2009, I attended a ministerial tour of a new oil pipeline in southwest Manitoba. It had taken the Manitoba energy minister a full year in that position before he bothered to drive outside of Winnipeg to see a pumpjack.

But the Manitoba Conservatives weren’t much better, either. Former premier Brian Pallister once spoke of “oil producing provinces” by conveniently forgetting Manitoba is one of them.

Anyhow – it’s been crickets from the Manitoba premier thus far.

1984, here, and soon to be now

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 15 Comments
Bronwyn Eyre

Remember when Charlie Angus was unsuccessful in his private members bill to muzzle promoting oil and gas? Turns out the NDP-Liberal coalition means he wasn’t so unsuccessful after all, and the Saskatchewan government is crying foul. Is anyone else?

Aleana Young

But if I go to jail for this, the Sask NDP energy critic said she’ll join me and the attorney general in the same cell.

When did we become 1984? Saskatchewan fighting oil and gas gag law inserted in federal budget

What on earth are they thinking?

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 20 Comments

Oil CEOs tell House of Commons committee they support carbon pricing. That’s CARBON TAX, FOLKS!

Here’s some real oilmen for you:

2024 Saskatchewan Oil Person of the Year Del Mondor

2024 Southeast Saskatchewan Oil Person of Year Ryan Birnie

I was just at the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show this week. And former Prime Minister gave an awesome fireside chat as the keynote. Unfortunately, his people didn’t want any reporting on it. So I can’t. But man, I sure wish I could.

Estevan for the reactor win

Ethical Energy Uncategorized youmightbeinsaskatchewan 23 Comments

Premier Scott Moe came to Estevan to announce that if SaskPower builds reactors, they will be near Estevan. It’s been narrowed to two possible sites (maps in story).

Here’s the reactor portion of his speech, verbatim.

And in it, he talks about how SaskPower just might keep its coal fleet in operation until the reactors are built and operating. That would be well past the federal mandate, which Saskatchewan just might ignore.

And the premier’s social media shared the story, too.

 

Trump’s opponents are making effective use of lawfare

Drill, Baby, Drill 37 Comments
Trump on a viewscreeen in North Dakota. No shades of Big Brother here, nope. Photo by Brian Zinchuk

If this hush money thing was such a big deal, why did it take 8 years to get to trial? Why not when he was in office, or right afterwards? Why now? Ask yourself that.

Some might accuse Trump’s opponents of specifically holding legal action against him for various alleged misdeeds until such time that he would otherwise be on the campaign trail. Guess what? It’s working.

Eight years ago, Trump made a big deal out of his North Dakota campaign stop. It’s when and where I got to ask him if he would approve the Keystone XL pipeline. This year, Trump’s legal battles kept him from the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference, which I attended two weeks ago. Unfortunately, I’ve been pretty busy, so I haven’t had the time to write this until now. But the timing is fitting, with the trial wrapping up.

 

 

 

Carbon capture strikes out in Alberta

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 11 Comments

If carbon capture is supposed to be the future, why does it keep striking out? Last week, Capital Power in Alberta cancelled the $2.4 billion carbon capture project for the Genesee Power Station, which is currently being converted from coal to natural gas. It’s the last thermal coal power plant in Canada west of Coronach, Sask.

Also last week, TransAlta canceled a wind project not far from Waterton Lakes National Park.

And Saskatchewan and Alberta are deepening nuclear ties.

TC Energy’s making bank on natural gas deliveries.

For the first time in about two decades, Saskatchewan changes its oil royalties scheme

Drill, Baby, Drill 8 Comments

Are multi-laterals the next big thing in oil? Saskatchewan bets heavy on it with new incentive program. This is the largest change in oil royalties in decades, as the government hopes to incentivize activity and production. It’s a big shift for a government that for its entire 16 years in office said it wasn’t touching a thing when it comes to royalties.

Let me put this into perspective – for the several years Bill Boyd was energy minister, he always gave the same speech, which basically went like this: “The premier has told me to say thank you. Thank you for the jobs, thank you for the taxes, thank you for the royalties and investment. And we’re not touching a thing when it comes to royalties.”

Usually whenever someone mentions royalty changes, it’s with the intention of raising them. This is the opposite, providing a royalty incentive – NOT a holiday – to get more activity and production going.

 

About those multi-lateral wells … and the Alberta grid

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 6 Comments
Photo by Brian Zinchuk

Saturn Oil & Gas has joined the multi-lateral bandwagon, having drilled two open hole multi-lateral wells that the Government of Saskatchewan announced an incentive for yesterday (shared yesterday)

I’ve been saying for over a year the Government of Saskatchewan needs to do something to increase drilling numbers. I’m wondering if this is it?

Also: Alberta’s shaking up its electrical grid by 2027. And in a related story, new rules for power generators in Alberta

Carbon tax, carbon tax, carbon tax

Climate Cult 17 Comments
Leader of the Opposition Carla Beck during Question Period on March 4. Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan

Guilbeault calls Saskatchewan premier ‘immoral’ for breaking carbon-price law.

Estevan MLA Lori Carr tries to show a difference between Sask Party and NDP on carbon tax in statement.

Premier Scott Moe during Question Period on March 4. Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan

That statement was referenced in the exchange between Scott Moe and Carla Beck in Question Period on the federal carbon tax. The NDP thinks Saskatchewan should have negotiated a carve-out deal.

Alberta’s going all-in on its sovereign wealth fund

Climate Cult youmightbeinsaskatchewan 22 Comments
Danielle Smith

Danielle Smith goes all-in on revitalized sovereign wealth fund for Alberta. Saskatchewan had one, once, but that was 32 years ago. Details in story.

Quick Dick McDick: Climate Cult Megaspecial You gotta be $#!++!\ me

He even references “climate cult,” my favourite SDA category!

CJME/CKOM radio host Evan Bray visits the Estevan coal mine, and much learning ensues

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