For the solar doubters

[grassfarmer]

Innovative use of solar powered irrigation system.

[URL="http://www.albertafarmexpress.ca/2017/09/05/solar-powered-irrigation-proving-its-worth-for-alberta-operation-2/?utm_source=GFM+Publications&utm_campaign=d2432307 3d-Canadian+Cattlemen++Weekend+Stories+Oct+11%2C+2015 &utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2da8244677-d24323073d-88078361"]http://https://www.albertafarmexpress.ca/2017/09/05/solar-powered-irrigation-proving-its-worth-for-alberta-operation-2/?utm_source=GFM+Publications&utm_campaign=d2432307 3d-Canadian+Cattlemen++Weekend+Stories+Oct+11%2C+2015 &utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2da8244677-d24323073d-88078361[/URL]

[tweety]

No, can't be. Fake news.

[ajl]

Don't miss the part where government grants covered around 35% of the capital cost. I would like to hear of a project that was entirely completed without any government involvement. That would be news. That said there is possibly some merit to this project and so will be interesting to see if it does deliver over the long run.

[furrowtickler]

No doubt solar power is going to be mainstream, cost effective and widely available in the near future .... good to see.
Just don't tax the *** out of other energy sources and cripple industries like Ag with absolutely useless wealth transfer taxes like carbon tax . That's the issue

[furrowtickler]

Also mandate 50 % bio fuels . That would do more good than any stupid tax from hard working wealth creating people to useless money circulators

[tweety]

Don't miss the part where government grants covered around 35% of the capital cost. I would like to hear of a project that was entirely completed without any government involvement. That would be news. That said there is possibly some merit to this project and so will be interesting to see if it does deliver over the long run.

Probably roughly the cost to be forced to be attached to the grid in order to get the rebate.

[chuckChuck]

No doubt solar power is going to be mainstream, cost effective and widely available in the near future .... good to see.
Just don't tax the *** out of other energy sources and cripple industries like Ag with absolutely useless wealth transfer taxes like carbon tax . That's the issue

Ag is going to be directly exempt in most provinces.

If wealth transfers are your concern then what about the often excessive transfers from consumers to producers of oil, gas, and coal? And just to be fair lets examine all the low royalties and tax incentives given to the fossil energy industry. Not to mention all the hidden costs of air pollution and other environmental costs that are generally not accounted for in the cost of fossil energy. Are you sure fossil energy is the cheapest option?

We still need fossil energy for awhile but we are on track to reduce carbon emissions as we reduce the need with new and better technology and increased efficiency.

Climate change comes with large costs as well. Just ask the insurance industry if your still not convinced.

[furrowtickler]

You could be very well right on some of that .
But the carbon tax is what it is ,a useless feel good tax that is just a wealth transfer.

[blackpowder]

We can buy shares and employ our children in NA companies. ( Wealth sharing). Good luck with resources from countries where they circumcise girls.

[perfecho]

Other things the government coffers helped get off the ground.....oil sands, Al-Pac, railroads, slaughter houses , oil field drilling, computers, etc...etc....

[biglentil]

A Diesel in the Shed.


You can have your solar panels
and your turbines on the hills;
You can use the warmth of sunshine
to reduce your heating bills.

You can dream you’re self-sufficient
as you weed your vegie bed;
As long as you make sure to keep
A diesel in the shed.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Innovative use of solar powered irrigation system.

[URL="http://www.albertafarmexpress.ca/2017/09/05/solar-powered-irrigation-proving-its-worth-for-alberta-operation-2/?utm_source=GFM+Publications&utm_campaign=d2432307 3d-Canadian+Cattlemen++Weekend+Stories+Oct+11%2C+2015 &utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2da8244677-d24323073d-88078361"]http://https://www.albertafarmexpress.ca/2017/09/05/solar-powered-irrigation-proving-its-worth-for-alberta-operation-2/?utm_source=GFM+Publications&utm_campaign=d2432307 3d-Canadian+Cattlemen++Weekend+Stories+Oct+11%2C+2015 &utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2da8244677-d24323073d-88078361[/URL]

It seems we actually agree on this one, I was going to post that same article. What a perfect fit, peak season, and peak hours just happen to coincide with peak sunshine, and the area is also one of the sunniest anywhere. No storage required, which is what makes solar non cost effective for nearly any other application.

[ALBERTAFARMER4]

I'm not a solar doubter by any means, but you have to look into it further. This $400,000 solar system produces $8,000 of energy per year. You do the math. Also any grid tied system will still have a power bill and if you've looked at one of those recently you'll notice that the electricity used is the smallest part of the bill. Alberta has some of the cheapest electricity (0.04/kwh or less) in the world so why spend lots of money to generate it?

[grassfarmer]

With the addition of the transmission charges Alberta has very expensive electricity compared to most jurisdictions. Wouldn't it make sense to produce it on site and not have the transmission charges?

[ajl]

Most transmission charges are fixed and so go on when you are grid tied regardless of the amount of energy used. Also need transmission to distribute the energy produced by the solar when not using it on site immediately. It would be nice if solar was really cost effective as then I would put a system up right now but the reality is that it still take government meddling in the market place for it to work and that I can't stand.