Oh, and the Bloc Quebecois has something special in store for oil producers if they prop up the Liberals.
Surprised no one brought out a pitchfork
Pipeline company comes to oil town to build a wind project, and gets hostile response
You’d have thought they were proposing a pipeline in Nebraska.
This was a very hostile crowd. I’m surprised no one brought out a pitchfork or torch. I’m sure the Enbridge folks figured they were now working for TransCanada, running a Keystone XL open house in the States.
Meanwhile, in Alberta, on Sunday:
That followed this story on Friday which went viral:
Alberta’s wind power flatlines again this week, hitting 1 megawatt out of a capacity of 4748
And if you didn’t see this, it’s worth the hour.
Jordan Peterson Podcast: Danielle Smith on Bill C-59, freedom of speech, CO2, wind, solar and more
Facebook loved it so much, they immediately pulled down the post, claiming it “violated community standards” as spam.
Big fat zero from Alberta’s giant fans on Tuesday
And, as promised yesterday, more on those Clean Electricity Regulations that mean even MORE wind and solar, and no more coal or natural gas without carbon capture.
Clean Electricity Regulations: Cenovus Energy (Detailed, with recommendations)
And maybe Wilkinson thinks aforementioned wind turbines will power all those electric heat pumps, when it’s cold, and when it’s hot. What am I saying? Of course he does.
Liberal energy minister promises ban on oil furnaces for new builds as soon as 2028
Also:
TC Energy’s US$15B Keystone XL claim thrown out by trade tribunal
Steven Guilbeault says so, so it must be true
He even has an economist agreeing with him!
Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault takes to X to explain how pricing on carbon dioxide emissions fixes everything from global warming to health to your pocketbook.
He seems to think there’s a lot of “misinformation about carbon pricing.”
And on that carbon front:
It looks like something’s up. Hearing cancelled for Saskatchewan’s bid to stop federal collection of carbon money
Also:
Frontier Centre for Public Policy: Is hydrogen really the solution?
Clean Electricity Regulations: the fight heats up
Three stories in the ongoing Clean Electricity Regulations saga, more to come.
Guilbeault counters Saskatchewan’s defiance of Clean Electricity Regulations, Eyre fires back
Sask NDP response to Clean Electricity Regulations tribunal report
Clean Electricity Regulations: Longhorn Oil & Gas submission
First implementation of the Sask First Act – Saskatchewan won’t follow Clean Electricity Regulations
For a long time, Premier Scott Moe has been saying it’s impossible to comply with federal regulations regarding getting rid of our fossil-fueled power generation, in the timeline the federal Liberal government wants.
It’s coming to a head.
This is the first action of this type thus far under the Saskatchewan First Act. This is what it was meant for.
If implemented in their current form, the Clean Electricity Regulations mean to all but eliminate the burning of fossil fuels for power generation in 10 years, six months and three days from now. Saskatchewan relies on natural gas and coal to produce the vast majority of its power, up to 88 per cent on some days. And if implemented, these regulations will fundamentally alter Canada and its economy, and affect all of its people in one form or another. It’s one of the most important policy pieces in generations, seeking to remake Canada.
Saskatchewan won’t follow Clean Electricity Regulation, citing Economic Assessment Tribunal report.
Executive summary of the report
The government released all the submissions to the tribunal. I will be reprinting many of them over the coming days, maybe weeks. There’s a lot. And there’s a lot to be said.
Lithium, geothermal, carbon tax, drilling, plastics, loans – a bit of everything
Geothermal project near Estevan has major update, with a greenhouse now in the works to make use of surplus heat that would otherwise go to waste.
First Nation wants voice in plastics treaty. Guess they don’t like plastics.
This might have been posted yesterday. Trudeau calls out Moe on carbon tax fight. (Yes, I use the Canadian Press – as a one man band, I can’t do everything!)
More on carbon tax fight, from Trudeau
Quick Dick McDick puts the old farm truck out to pasture. It makes me sad, because my gas guzzling Canyonero of a Ford Expedition is nearing its end of life, too.
For some reason, this didn’t post yesterday:
And when they’re not working on lithium, ROK Resources plans on six oil wells after breakup
Lithium in SK, Part 28: Hub City Lithium operating direct lithium extraction pilot in Estevan
Trudeau says Saskatchewan to get carbon rebates despite province not paying levies
Freeland says $5 billion just a start for Indigenous loan guarantee program
Minister Guilbeault issues statement on high-level meeting as INC-4 begins, verbatim. This is that plastics ban thing. In Pipeline Online’s never-ending quest to ensure the Canadian Public knows exactly what Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault is telling us on how to save the planet, here is his verbatim statement issued on April 23 about the evils of plastic.
An ‘ambitious’ global plastic treaty demands limits on production, Guilbeault says
Read Minister Guilbeault’s Statement on Canada and @WWF bringing together ministers and high-level representatives in Ottawa ahead of #INC4 to #BeatPlasticPollution: https://t.co/wFyYPeFPuH pic.twitter.com/xa3LZi1Mfy
— Environment Canada (@environmentca) April 23, 2024
To hell with it is “definitely on the table”
Saskatchewan fights back on federal oil and gas emissions cap, Methane 75. Saying “to hell with it” is “definitely on the table,” says minister when asked.
Province invokes Saskatchewan First Act, again, building its case against the federal government’s never-ending smothering greenhouse gas emissions rules, regulations and legislation.
I was up in Saskatoon Monday to cover this important announcement. Saskatchewan’s not going to take it, anymore. Kinda like Twisted Sister. For some reason, I keep referencing that song.
About that walk in the snow… SaskEnergy minister takes a walk in the rain
Justin Trudeau may not have taken a “walk in the snow,” like his father did 40 years ago on this day, but Dustin Duncan took a walk in rain in front of Parliament, and decides we’re not remitting carbon tax to the feds.
This is the guy who, by a recently passed law, gets to be sacrificed on the cross for our carbon tax sins.
(The decision was clearly made before, but it makes good political theatre.)
No forecast for snow in Ottawa today, unfortunately. Maybe the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change changed the climate?
Better get back to building those wind turbines, Alberta!
Two days before Alberta is to lift its renewables pause, wind output falls to zero. Real reliable, that wind.
So they’ve built 45 wind farms so far, and they, in total, produced zero power. If they built 450, would that solve the problem?
And no, they’re not built with taxpayer dollars. But many are built for credits of all sorts.
One step forward, two steps back
While voicing its opposition to federal oil and gas emissions caps, Saskatchewan goes to Houston to seek investment
Saskatchewan’s letter to Guilbeault opposing oil and gas emissions cap.
Saskatchewan’s letter to Guilbeault opposing Methane 75 emissions.
Alberta’s going all-in on its sovereign wealth fund
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
The nuclear renaissance coming to Saskatchewan
Weekend Watch: Juice: Power, Politics & the Grid
This video series is a spectacular take on many of the energy issues of the day. It starts with the February, 2021, Texas blackouts, and goes on to tackle renewable power in the form of wind and solar. It doesn’t speak too fondly of coal, but goes broadly into the adoption of nuclear power. Canada and its experience with nuclear figures heavily into this series, including the influence of Dr. Chris Keefer, a Toronto ER physician who had lead the crusade to bring nuclear power back to the fore. And the series gets into why nuclear all of a sudden is in a renaissance after decades of being in the dumps.
This applies directly to Saskatchewan, where just last week, SaskPower inked a deal with GE Hitachi Canada to continue the development path of small modular reactors. And in that press conference, SaskPower president and CEO Rupen Pandya, when asked by Pipeline Online how many reactors we’re going to build, said Saskatchewan’s grid is expected to grow from 5,400 megawatts currently to 13,000 to 15,000 megawatts by 2050. That’s about 2.5x what it is now. And nuclear appears like it’s going to play a huge part in that. So the issues presented in this series are very topical for this province.
Juice really highlights a lot of the issues Pipeline Online has been focusing on for the last two years. In particular, reliability trumps all, and wind and solar can only be relied upon to be utterly unreliable.
I strongly suggest anyone in the decision chain of Saskatchewan going nuclear – all MLAs, including cabinet and opposition, all executives, board and management of SaskPower, and union leadership and membership, take the time to watch this at some point in the near future. This is the reality Saskatchewan is rapidly heading towards.
This series was put together by Robert Bryce and Tyson Culver. Bryce one of the most astute energy analysts out there. You can follow his Substack at https://robertbryce.substack.com/
This was originally a feature, but broken up into manageable chunks and posted for free on YouTube. Each episode is around 22 minutes long. It’s definitely worth watching all five. All five videos are in the story link above.
Alberta’s wind power sputtered to next to nothing Sunday night, again
It’s starting to get cold out. The sun was down and Alberta’s wind power generation fell to next to nothing last night – less than half a per cent capacity.
Meanwhile in Saskatchewan, we’ve had several days of minimal wind power generation.
In other news, they’ve started to bring in floating accommodations for the staff to build the Woodfibre LNG facility.
And Precision Drilling meets debt reduction goal, on track to repay $500 million by 2025.
Oil windfall in New Mexico, carbon tax farmer revolt in Germany
It wasn’t that long ago North Dakota was the second-largest oil producing state. New Mexico has since eclipsed them, and the money is rolling in. What to do, what to do? (Gee, what could we do with more oil production?
Meanwhile, German farmers aren’t taking too kindly to carbon taxes on diesel. But how are they supposed to save the planet and feed the people, too?
Wind power zeros out on Jan. 2 in Saskatchewan. As in nothing. Zip. Nada.
Wind power flatlined in Saskatchewan on Jan. 2, after days of strong winds. Flatlined, as in zero power, at night, so no solar, either.
Zero reliability, this wind thing. And I had to start wearing my parka this week, too.
Put our trust in wind, and we’ll all freeze. In the dark.
Also, switching to third person:
Pipeline Online editor and owner Brian Zinchuk is back on the air with CJME/CKOM’s Evan Bray Show. He was on the air for a full hour on Wednesday, Jan. 3. Here’s the podcast of that appearance, including responses to several calls. One was on whether or not the Trans Mountain Expansion will ever be finished. (With the ads and news breaks removed, it’s only 35 minutes).
And the winner is…
Op-Ed: Ruthless, reckless, damaging: the Hon. Steven Guilbeault is MLI’s Policy-maker of the year. Pipeline Online would agree.
So long carbon tax!
So long, carbon tax on home heating in Saskatchewan!
And that’s what my dad, an 80-year-old retired farmer pensioner, paid in carbon tax last January, when it was still $50/tonne. And April 1, it will be $80 per tonne. How the hell is he supposed to make those payments on the carbon tax? Just not eat? Thankfully, we removed the shop heating, so that will make a huge difference. Now the neighbour gets to deal with that.
Guilbeault thinks he’s getting his wish. Is he?
“We reached a historic consensus to move away from fossil fuels in energy systems,” Guilbeault’s statement on the conclusion of COP28, verbatim.
And the Canadian Press version:
Guilbeault hails ‘monumental’ COP28 deal, others warn of ‘dangerous distractions’
Also:
COP28 Agreement Signals “Beginning of the End” of the Fossil Fuel Era: the verbatim press release
And the conclusion from yesterday’s op-ed:
Op-Ed: Deidra Garyk: The Impact of ESG on the Energy Sector, Part 2
And since it’s the Christmas season, and Die Hard IS a Christmas movie, here’s a little Hans Gruber. Notice any resemblance to anyone? And if you don’t think Die Hard is a Christmas movie, fight me! Yippee Kai Yay, …
My thoughts on the current situation at #COP28, and why we must deliver on a solid agreement. pic.twitter.com/Uq0U4mfabA
— Steven Guilbeault (@s_guilbeault) December 12, 2023
COP28: Canadian gov’t focused on shutting down oil and gas while Saskatchewan was speaking for it
Feds “focused on targeting the shutdown of a complete industry, regardless of whether they’re going to meet their emissions targets or not,” says Saskatchewan Premier Moe in Dubai
Pipeline Online speaks with Premier Scott Moe at conclusion of Dubai COP28 trip. (Another reporter asked questions, too, like do you believe the planet is warming…?