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  #81  
Old Posted Apr 25, 2020, 10:22 AM
eltodesukane eltodesukane is offline
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An interesting documentary about the environment,
especially green energy, wind and solar.
Planet of the Humans (2019) (Director: Jeff Gibbs)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12192654/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk11vI-7czE
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  #82  
Old Posted Apr 25, 2020, 2:18 PM
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Originally Posted by eltodesukane View Post
An interesting documentary about the environment,
especially green energy, wind and solar.
Planet of the Humans (2019) (Director: Jeff Gibbs)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12192654/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk11vI-7czE
It's a Michael Moore film (Roger & Me, Bowling for Columbine, Sicko...)

Planned theatre release was in May, but with Covid-19, they decided to post it on Youtube and make it universally accessible.
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  #83  
Old Posted May 20, 2020, 4:04 AM
zzptichka zzptichka is offline
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Gatineau #1 Station (12 MW). Looks like finished refurbishing.



Hull #2 Station (27 MW) being refurbished.

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  #84  
Old Posted May 20, 2020, 12:13 PM
Truenorth00 Truenorth00 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eltodesukane View Post
An interesting documentary about the environment,
especially green energy, wind and solar.
Planet of the Humans (2019) (Director: Jeff Gibbs)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12192654/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk11vI-7czE
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Originally Posted by J.OT13 View Post
It's a Michael Moore film (Roger & Me, Bowling for Columbine, Sicko...)

Planned theatre release was in May, but with Covid-19, they decided to post it on Youtube and make it universally accessible.
It's a terrible movie that is full of holes with plenty of scientists speaking out about it.

https://blog.ucsusa.org/john-rogers/...s-misdirection

I genuinely regret wasting my time on it. I was making a list of everything wrong in there while watching it. In the end, it's not about climate change or corruption in the environmental movement. It's a Malthusian argument for population controls under the guise of concern for climate change.
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  #85  
Old Posted May 20, 2020, 1:03 PM
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It's a terrible movie that is full of holes with plenty of scientists speaking out about it.

https://blog.ucsusa.org/john-rogers/...s-misdirection

I genuinely regret wasting my time on it. I was making a list of everything wrong in there while watching it. In the end, it's not about climate change or corruption in the environmental movement. It's a Malthusian argument for population controls under the guise of concern for climate change.
Michael Moore was on Stephen Colbert just before the movie was released talking about it, saying everyone should watch it, they made it free to maximize viewership and that although it seems depressing, there's a glimmer of hope at the end.

We actually watched it about a week after my post. First off, Michael Moore isn't even in it, so there is no comedic edge to break the depressive tone. The movie criticizes solar and wind power (which is fair in many cases) for the first third of the movie and then moves on to biomass power, and I agree that's arguably the worst form of power generation, destroying countless hectors of living, breathing forests with diesel powered machines just to burn the trees to produce electricity. How in the hell can anyone think that's a good idea?

And in all of that, I did not get the glimmer of hope Moore spoke about. They didn't offer any alternatives. Nothing about hydro electricity. Nuclear was mentioned once with a negative connotation. Neither of those are perfect, but pollution and\or environmental damage is at least localized.

The movie exposes more dumb, corrupt shit happening in the U.S. but it lacks balance.
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  #86  
Old Posted May 20, 2020, 2:18 PM
Truenorth00 Truenorth00 is offline
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Originally Posted by J.OT13 View Post
We actually watched it about a week after my post. First off, Michael Moore isn't even in it, so there is no comedic edge to break the depressive tone. The movie criticizes solar and wind power (which is fair in many cases) for the first third of the movie and then moves on to biomass power, and I agree that's arguably the worst form of power generation, destroying countless hectors of living, breathing forests with diesel powered machines just to burn the trees to produce electricity. How in the hell can anyone think that's a good idea?
I suggested you read the link I posted. His "facts" on solar were total bullshit. Figures that were well over a decade out of date and/or totally made up. On biomass... He's talking about climate change but doesn't seem to understand the carbon cycle or net emissions accounting? That is straight up ignorance.

There's also the tired strawman arguments that any alternative technology should be free of any industrial waste. All in a buildup to the ultimate conclusion that the real problem is too many humans. Falling in line with a long tradition of white western environmentalists complaining about the surplus population and being sympathetic to white supremacists. Google the Sierra Club's support for eugenics.

There's scientists who are now so pissed at it, they are calling for it to be taken down. And I agree with them. The fact that so many oil & gas proponents are cheering this on should tell you all need to know...
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  #87  
Old Posted May 20, 2020, 2:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Truenorth00 View Post
I suggested you read the link I posted. His "facts" on solar were total bullshit. Figures that were well over a decade out of date and/or totally made up. On biomass... He's talking about climate change but doesn't seem to understand the carbon cycle or net emissions accounting? That is straight up ignorance.

There's also the tired strawman arguments that any alternative technology should be free of any industrial waste. All in a buildup to the ultimate conclusion that the real problem is too many humans. Falling in line with a long tradition of white western environmentalists complaining about the surplus population. Google the Sierra Club's support for eugenics.

There's scientists who are now so pissed at it, they are calling for it to be taken down. And I agree with them.
I read the link. I'm sure newer solar panels are much more efficient than the numbers he quoted in the movie and I knew his 10 year life cycle was off as I was watching the movie. For biomass, I don't see any reasonable argument for it, so I take no issue with the movie on that. Even the article you quoted doesn't have anything on that aspect.

It's obviously impossible to produce energy without any sort of waste and the movie doesn't even try to explore what energy alternatives might be better for the environment on any level (waste, emissions, local impact...)

Anyway you look at it though, humans are the problem. No other species decimates the planet like we do. Humans need to stop focusing on the economy and place resources in saving the environment, and that means sustainable energy and reducing waste drastically (with the goal of eliminating waste completely).
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  #88  
Old Posted May 20, 2020, 3:57 PM
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For biomass, I don't see any reasonable argument for it, so I take no issue with the movie on that. Even the article you quoted doesn't have anything on that aspect.
The article didn't go into it. But I'll call it out. It's almost as ignorant as the solar stuff. There's lifecycle emissions accounting and we just how much biomass adds. It's orders of magnitude closer to carbon neutral than say an oil, gas or coal power plant. It's not perfect. But then again, there's no magic bullet for renewable power. Storing wind and solar power overnight requires a massive carbon investment in batteries and much higher initial investment at further latitudes from the Equator. The only applicable critique to biomass was from the perspective of forest management.

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Anyway you look at it though, humans are the prob
The fundamental problem with this being the core of an environmental discussion is that you have to inevitably discuss which humans. The Earth could support 10+ billion if the ecological footprint of those residents was that of an Indian. Can only support 2 billion if the ecological footprint of those residents was on par with the average American.

A vegetarian urban dweller in India has a very different footprint than a suburban dwelling American. Leaving that uncomfortable fact unmentioned provides the cover for all the bigots and those who want to excuse inaction, to blame the masses of the developing world for climate change when most of the carbon in the atmosphere today has been emitted by the developed world. Moore should have known better.
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  #89  
Old Posted Jun 24, 2020, 3:41 PM
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From Jon Willing:

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Council is hearing the annual update from Hydro Ottawa, which is delivering a $22.6M dividend this year to city hall. #ottpoli
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The utility, it seems, was ahead of most other orgs when it comes to reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. It already activated its pandemic plan in late January.
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Interesting little tidbit from hydro chair Jim Durrell on the annual question of Hydro Ottawa acquiring Ottawa-based Hydro One customers. Still no, but the discussions that were happening a few years ago contemplated an acquisition of customers through Hawkesbury to Kingston.
https://twitter.com/JonathanWilling/...94981907767296

I'm always highly impressed with Hydro Ottawa. Very organized. Ahead of the curve, even with a pandemic most shrugged off until the very last minute. And their efforts to try and purchase more Hydro One customers could mean further dividends to the City in the future. I do hope they can purchase more customers within the Ottawa city limits.
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  #90  
Old Posted Sep 23, 2020, 1:41 AM
zzptichka zzptichka is offline
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Looks like they are building another viewing platform between two heritage buildings they are restoring. Sweet.



This place a year ago: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D9TUv2tXUAcXjVM.jpg
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  #91  
Old Posted Sep 23, 2020, 5:04 AM
kevinbottawa kevinbottawa is offline
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Looks like they are building another viewing platform between two heritage buildings they are restoring. Sweet.



This place a year ago: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D9TUv2tXUAcXjVM.jpg
Those platforms were a part of the original plans. I thought they had decided to scrap them. Glad I was wrong.
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  #92  
Old Posted Sep 23, 2020, 4:09 PM
zzptichka zzptichka is offline
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Those platforms were a part of the original plans. I thought they had decided to scrap them. Glad I was wrong.
Do you have the plans? I don't think I've seen them.

On another note, we should probably separate Chaudiere reconstruction project from general Hydro Ottawa discussion and move it to another forum. If mods feel like doing it.
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  #93  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2020, 4:52 PM
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Inside one of the buildings.

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  #94  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2020, 3:17 AM
zzptichka zzptichka is offline
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Pretty cool place (it's not open to public yet, I had to squeeze by the fence).





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  #95  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2020, 3:49 AM
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Are they just keeping that empty building there for visual appeal or will they be giving it a new use?
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  #96  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2020, 5:24 AM
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I'm glad they're using relatively robust railing instead of the cheap wire fencing they used in the earlier parts of the area. The barriers closer to the dam were easily vandalized.
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  #97  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2020, 2:27 PM
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Pretty cool place (it's not open to public yet, I had to squeeze by the fence).
We appreciate your scofflaw behaviour.
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  #98  
Old Posted Oct 28, 2020, 7:08 PM
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I am surprised no one is discussing the new Electricity Rate Selection options. I don't know what others think, but it seems to me that they are priced such that for most people, the Tiered rates option would be cheaper than the Time-of-use rates option. The only exceptions I can think of are:
  • Those who always leave their home empty during the day (work away from home and have no kids), and
  • Those who charge an EV at home (and drive it a decent amount each day)

This seems silly as surely they want to make TOU rates cheaper for the average person and only make Tiered the better option for those in exceptional circumstances.

Ever since the TOU plan came into effect, I have tried to shift my use to off peak. Surprisingly, when I did an analysis of what the new rates would have cost (had they been options) using my historical data since May 2018, I found that for me, Tired would have been slightly cheaper every month until I bought my EV in late June 2019. It wasn't cheaper by very much (only an average of $1.71 a month) but I was surprised it was cheaper at all.

After I bought my EV and started charging at home overnight, TOU became the cheaper option every month up until COVID hit, but only by an average of $7.61 a month. This surprised me as I thought with charging an EV off-peak would have made TOU a significantly cheaper option.

Doing the analysis after COVID was more difficult, as Hydro Ottawa lists all electricity used as Off-Peak, so I had to download the hourly usage and split it up On-, Mid- and Off-peak and then sum the monthly usage back up again. Since I wasn't driving as much, it went back to Tiered being the cheaper option most months (though there were 2 months that I did drive more, so for those TOU was cheaper).

In the end, for me it is so close that it probably doesn't matter which I choose, but I did find my results surprising.

I also find it frustrating that Hydro Ottawa isn't providing any good tools (that I know of) to help people do this analysis, especially with the limitations of how electricity was billed since March 2020.

Last edited by roger1818; Oct 28, 2020 at 7:46 PM. Reason: made some clarifications.
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  #99  
Old Posted Oct 28, 2020, 7:26 PM
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I had no idea this was even an option. Thanks for posting!

I'll have to do the math and see which option would be best for us, but I imagine tiered will win out.
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  #100  
Old Posted Oct 28, 2020, 7:50 PM
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I had no idea this was even an option. Thanks for posting!

I'll have to do the math and see which option would be best for us, but I imagine tiered will win out.
No problem! It didn't seem to be very well promoted to me, but I thought maybe I just missed it.
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