Information session on adding solar water heating to your home presented by the Toronto Green Community.  I understand that unlike photovoltaics (solar panels), which generate electricity but can take years to pay off their investment, or never pay it off at all, solar hot water heating systems are often immediately economical.

Solar Water Heating at Home.
Monday, 2006 October 23 at 7 pm.
Northern District Library, 40 Orchard View Blvd
(west off Yonge, just north of Eglinton) Free.

RSVP Info@ntgc.ca or 416-781-7663.

This is a Coalition for a Green Economy event.  Coalition events are always at City Hall, and in my experience involve kindly people calmly introducing bright ideas for a better future, followed by crossing the street and getting all tipsy and giggly at a pub.

Biogas Opportunities and Challenges for Ontario
Highlights of Canadian Biogas Association’s “Farming for the Future” 2006 Conference at Trent University
Monday, 2006 October 23 at 7:30pm to 10:00pm.
City Hall, 100 Queen St W at Bay St, committee room 1.
Free.

A city event at City Hall, the Green Toronto Festival and Energy Challenge.  Learn what the city is doing and what you can do. There will be exhibits and coupons, food and music.

Friday, 2006 September 29 at 10am to 3pm.
Nathan Phillips Square. Free.

I’d like to thank Steve Downie, Susan Crofts and Dave Toderick for alerting me to the Toronto Star article about the sale of Canadian flow batteries to an Irish wind-power developer to even out the variations in wind electricity generation.  This is exciting news, and supports what the Realistic Energy Plan for Toronto, which I coauthored, proposed.     Read more »

Minister Cansfield suggests that “It takes time to change a culture” when explaining why the Liberals believe that the people of Ontario can not conserve energy. I am sure that this has little to do with virtually no government investment in helping the economy become more efficient, nor would the active manipulation of electricity prices to manage political sentiment create disincentive to conserve.  It’s “the culture’s” fault.

If it is in the culture I would suggest to the Minister, the candidates in Toronto-Danforth, journalists and energy users to recognise that responding to peak electrical demand in the summer in Toronto has little to do with keeping lights on. It’s all about keeping air conditioners running. So let’s change the language and alleviate the fear of blackouts. At least that way, the culture can start to make an informed decision about turning their houses into refrigerators when it’s 25 degrees outside.

Greg Bonser
Toronto, Ontario