OBAC Reveals Alternative Energy Strategy

Wednesday, June 04, 2008 03:57 PM

Prince George, B.C. – The Omineca Beetle Action Coalition has released the second of it’s 12 economic strategies.

The Alternative Energy Strategy has 6 objectives, 5 recommendations and 38 proposed action items aimed at supporting the goal of responsible and sustainable growth in the regions alternative energy sector.

The recommendations include,

1. The removal of impediments to the flow of wood fiber and other fibrous fuels to biomass energy projects. Minister of Forests and Range, Rich Coleman did that today in announcing the first open bid for tenure for dead standing trees and debris for bio energy.

2. Conduct more applied research on alternative energy opportunities and make the knowledge gained readily available to industry. Community and government decision makers

3. Encourage governments at all levels to provide leadership by example on alternative energy

4. Increase the regional use of alternative energy systems to provide overall economic , social and environmental benefits

5. Provide training and certification for installation and maintenance of alternative energy systems for safe operation of those systems and to help build regional expertise in alternative energy.

Like the mining strategy released last month, the next step will be the development of an action plan.

The unveiling of the alternative energy strategy was the second of twelve being developed by OBAC. Five more are to be unveiled this summer, and work on the remaining five will carry on through the fall.

In order for that work to carry forward, Minister of Forest and Range, Rich Coleman, presented a cheque in the amount of $870 thousand dollars to OBAC. (click here to see video)

That brings to $2.57 million, the amount of money the Province has put into the OBAC coffers since September of 2005 to plan for the stability and diversification of its member communities which have been hit by the mountain pine beetle.

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Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 03:57 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Moses on June 4 2008 5:21 PM

'Like the mining strategy released last month, the next step will be the development of an action plan.'

Pretty exciting stuff - developing an 'action plan'.

That brings to $2.57 million, the amount of money the Province has put into the OBAC coffers since September of 2005.'

Check out all the great things that OBAC has accomplished for that $2.6 million at:

http://www.ominecacoalition.ca/

Posted by: zoopdingle on June 4 2008 8:30 PM

Geez, I'd hate to be an out of work forestry worker. All that money going to ... well, I sure as hell can't figure out where it's going to, but I do know it's not going to those who are affected by the mountain pine beetle.

Tap your heels together and say, "I should have been a politician. I should have been a politician...(or at last a recent immigrant so I can get all those goodies that should have been reserved for citizens but weren't...)

Posted by: northern taxpayer on June 4 2008 9:33 PM

Money tree, money tree what's in it for me? oink oink - saunder up to the trough and slurp some payola is this the limit of our imagination ? how about making some fuel for carbon credits with the karrick process and kicking the new york energy banksters in the unmentionables - maybe if we really did something this study money would have some impact - if we were determined enough!I know we are alone in this fight as gordy is busy kissing up to the banksters so they won't foreclose on our collateral that he used for loan security,might happen anyway.

Posted by: owl on June 5 2008 7:47 AM

September 2005 ..... the third anniversary is about to take place .......

"to plan for the stability and diversification of its member communities..."

One would think that within that time frame the time for planning would have been over sometime in the middle of the second year and that action "on the ground" would have taken place.

So.... we gave those people more $ for planning ... does anyone know of any results of the planning so far?

Has someone started up a business as a result of the assistance they got from the group? Has a government body changed its tactics as a result of the work done by OBAC? Do people in the communities affected feel better about their ability to survive in the next 10 to 20 years as a direct result of the work of OBAC? Do people know what an OBAC is? What it actually does?

Where does the person in Ft. St. James who is out of work go to meet an OBAC and get help from an OBAC to adjust to the new reality?

BTW .... #5 ... train installers ..... I suggest we train designers first so that we can make sure they understand the realities of the payback of the systems as well as the effectiveness of them. Since so little has been done with respect to such systems in North America and in this energy glutton part of North America, most engineers really have little experience with comparing one system to the next.

I do not see the obvious anywhere. Fund the creation of manufacturing operations in the Central Interior of the province to build compnents for the alternative energy system products ...... but hey ... we all know that is the work left for the Germans, Swedes, Finns, etc. etc. and we would not dare encourage such competition with them since we wouild fail miserably at it, right Mr and Mrs OBAC? Money poorly spent ....

Instead recommendations any grade 11 student would come up with in their class project ......

Posted by: Andyfreeze on June 5 2008 8:10 AM

Well said owl!
I spent some time on the OBAC/Omenica Coalition sites and I am still confused as to where it is all going?
"Has someone started up a business as the result of the assistance they got from the group"?
Bottom line.
And that is exactly what I was trying to find out...with little success.
I find the entire process somewhat cluttered and confusing, considering the time fact involved.
A lot of talk,talk,talk,it would seem.