Regina Construction III

[Stormer]

I just want to make a point that should be obvious. The oil and gas industry pays probably the highest taxes and royalties of any industry. There are no net subsidies. Sometimes royalties are temporarily reduced to offset things like investment in enhanced recovery techniques. The Government does this because they recognize that it makes the Government more money in the long run.

On the other hand wind and solar are greatly subsidized by mostly by above-market power purchase agreements, but also by not attributing to them the cost of the base load power that must be built to back them up.

The film industry is off the charts when it comes to net subsidies. They pay zero income tax, little PST and even get some of the income taxes their employees pay, given to them.

[StealthGirl]

The gift of land for $1 and the new YWCA building in Lucy Eley Park are up for discussion at city council tonight. Also discussing Maple Leaf pool and the Cook residence.

[pappcam]

Originally Posted by Stormer

I just want to make a point that should be obvious. The oil and gas industry pays probably the highest taxes and royalties of any industry. There are no net subsidies. Sometimes royalties are temporarily reduced to offset things like investment in enhanced recovery techniques. The Government does this because they recognize that it makes the Government more money in the long run.

On the other hand wind and solar are greatly subsidized by mostly by above-market power purchase agreements, but also by not attributing to them the cost of the base load power that must be built to back them up.

The film industry is off the charts when it comes to net subsidies. They pay zero income tax, little PST and even get some of the income taxes their employees pay, given to them.

We need a "Like" feature here.

[Festivus]

Originally Posted by Stormer

I just want to make a point that should be obvious. The oil and gas industry pays probably the highest taxes and royalties of any industry. There are no net subsidies. Sometimes royalties are temporarily reduced to offset things like investment in enhanced recovery techniques. The Government does this because they recognize that it makes the Government more money in the long run.

On the other hand wind and solar are greatly subsidized by mostly by above-market power purchase agreements, but also by not attributing to them the cost of the base load power that must be built to back them up.

Just wanted to chime in that solar is now cheaper per kW than coal, even without subsidies. It needed subsidization in the beginning because it had the world's largest industry fighting to stop it (fossil fuels), but now that it has scaled up thanks to government, it is profitable at a lower cost.

Solar isn't perfect, but with new battery-farm techniques to store power for days or weeks for when demand exceeds sunlight (Tesla has made a few so far), it is much smarter to use solar now than coal, gas, or oil-fired plants.

It really sucks for SK, but the oil and gas industries have to die.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Festivus

Just wanted to chime in that solar is now cheaper per kW than coal, even without subsidies. It needed subsidization in the beginning because it had the world's largest industry fighting to stop it (fossil fuels), but now that it has scaled up thanks to government, it is profitable at a lower cost.

Solar isn't perfect, but with new battery-farm techniques to store power for days or weeks for when demand exceeds sunlight (Tesla has made a few so far), it is much smarter to use solar now than coal, gas, or oil-fired plants.

It really sucks for SK, but the oil and gas industries have to die.

Solar is definitely not cheaper than coal. SaskPower produces electricity from coal for a about $0.05/KWH. Really cheap utility-scale solar in Sask. is about $0.20/KWH. Battery Storage is many times that. You also must have base load production to back up solar at night which base load (usually natural gas) potentially sits idle during the day at great cost. Solar is much more expensive than natural gas generation.

I am a huge supporter of solar. I plan to put it on my own house, but only because SaskPower gives you a huge capital cost subsidy allows you to net meter (meaning you need no storage or timers) and they credit you full retail price (14 cents/KWH), meaning they lose money after transmission and overhead costs. Why would they need these subsidies, if it was so cheap?

[NotToScale]

[QUOTE=djforsberg;8451971] Our government hates educated people (our universities are at the top in tuitions costs across the country) [QUOTE]

That's a pretty far-stretched statement to make. In what way do they hate educated people?

[blacktrojan3921]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Solar is definitely not cheaper than coal. SaskPower produces electricity from coal for a about $0.05/KWH. Really cheap utility-scale solar in Sask. is about $0.20/KWH. Battery Storage is many times that. You also must have base load production to back up solar at night which base load (usually natural gas) potentially sits idle during the day at great cost. Solar is much more expensive than natural gas generation.

I am a huge supporter of solar. I plan to put it on my own house, but only because SaskPower gives you a huge capital cost subsidy allows you to net meter (meaning you need no storage or timers) and they credit you full retail price (14 cents/KWH), meaning they lose money after transmission and overhead costs. Why would they need these subsidies, if it was so cheap?

https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-power-cost-decrease-2018-5

The cost of solar power is decreasing so rapidly, it's now cheaper than coal, based on a new analysis.

A recent report from Lazard shows how the costs of producing electricity from various sources are changing. Energy from utility-scale solar plants — plants that produce electricity that feeds into the grid — has seen the biggest price drop: an 86% decrease since 2009.

The cost of producing one megawatt-hour of electricity — a standard way to measure electricity production — is now around $50 for solar power, according to Lazard's math. The cost of producing one megawatt-hour of electricity from coal, by comparison, is $102 — more than double the cost of solar.

[Festivus]

To be fair, costs will always be slightly different depending on the location. So solar is cheaper than coal in the US now, but still could be more expensive in SK. However, solar continues to plummet and will soon be cheaper here as well (if it isn't already).

[GeneTheMachine]

There are other environmental costs to wind and solar that never get mentioned. These technologies will eventually replace fossil fuels, but fossil fuels aren't going away anytime soon. They're cheap, they're plentiful. But Big Green wants to keep it in the ground.

[Festivus]

Yeah, "Big Green" isn't really a thing, except for people >40 who don't want to experience global instability due to massive climate-caused migration and wars. Look at how the Syrian War has destabilized political parties across the western world and stoked nationalism. That was only a few million people displaced. What happens when there are 300 million on the move in Asia and Africa due to flooded cities and scorched farmland?

[pappcam]

Cripes. Can a mod clean this thread up? This hasn't been about construction for a while.

Aren't there better places for pushing political agendas?

[StealthGirl]

Well said, pappcam.

Anyone follow the council meeting last night with regard to the preliminary discussions around the Sask Drive corridor project? This proposed study is looking into changing Sask Dr from Winnipeg through Princess into a Grand Corridor. This would be the first study on how to do that and what to do exactly. Stakeholders named include the RPS, Sask Energy, Sask Power, Railyards, etc. Not a lot of space to widen between Broad and Albert, but maybe the post office and Casino stretch are left narrow because those buildings are not going anywhere. Could see reduction of Impark lots west of the Postal Building. Obviously it'll be a while for this study to be done, but interesting idea.

Discussion around YWCA and Eley Park will continue at Council Wednesday night.

[jigglysquishy]

I don't really know what is even possible between Albert and Broad. From Winnipeg to Broad we will see an extra two lanes and a median. They're widening between Winnipeg and Vic too.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by StealthGirl

Well said, pappcam.

He was one of the biggest contributors to the off-track discussion. A little odd that he's the one calling it back to topic.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by StealthGirl

Well said, pappcam.

Anyone follow the council meeting last night with regard to the preliminary discussions around the Sask Drive corridor project? This proposed study is looking into changing Sask Dr from Winnipeg through Princess into a Grand Corridor. This would be the first study on how to do that and what to do exactly. Stakeholders named include the RPS, Sask Energy, Sask Power, Railyards, etc. Not a lot of space to widen between Broad and Albert, but maybe the post office and Casino stretch are left narrow because those buildings are not going anywhere. Could see reduction of Impark lots west of the Postal Building. Obviously it'll be a while for this study to be done, but interesting idea.

Discussion around YWCA and Eley Park will continue at Council Wednesday night.

I didn't follow the meeting, but a browsed through the attachments. There are few redeeming qualities for blocks and blocks. It would be a nice bookmark with College demarcating the north and south edges of the core and Victoria as the north and south edges of the commercial area. But it is a light industrial wasteland for most of it. Saskatchewan Drive needs a few cases of dynamite and a do-over.

[pappcam]

Originally Posted by Nathan

He was one of the biggest contributors to the off-track discussion. A little odd that he's the one calling it back to topic.

Why can't I do both?

How about that construction?

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by jigglysquishy

I don't really know what is even possible between Albert and Broad. From Winnipeg to Broad we will see an extra two lanes and a median. They're widening between Winnipeg and Vic too.

Albert to Broad is already mostly fine with 6 lanes and a median. It is only the stretch from Smith to Albert that needs widening. I understand that the City has already secured a strip of the parking lots to the north to accommodate this.

They have been talking about the Wpg to Broad stretch for decades. This is urgently needed. It is dangerously narrow, especially in winter when the City fails to clear snow right to the curb.

[pappcam]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Albert to Broad is already mostly fine with 6 lanes and a median. It is only the stretch from Smith to Albert that needs widening. I understand that the City has already secured a strip of the parking lots to the north to accommodate this.

They have been talking about the Wpg to Broad stretch for decades. This is urgently needed. It is dangerously narrow, especially in winter when the City fails to clear snow right to the curb.

How will this affect the Sask. Dr and Albert St. intersection. There isn't much room there to widen it.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by pappcam

How will this affect the Sask. Dr and Albert St. intersection. There isn't much room there to widen it.

I am not sure what they are planning there but their is plenty of room on the north side provided they are prepared to build retaining walls.

[pappcam]

Originally Posted by Stormer

I am not sure what they are planning there but their is plenty of room on the north side provided they are prepared to build retaining walls.

The "plenty of room" is basically quite downhill and that can't be changed. It's already awkward with the slopes at that intersection.