Interview: Dr. Kenny Corscadden, the Industry Research Chair in the Department of Engineering at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College
A feed-in tariff is a system whereby governments and utilities agree to buy and “feed in to the grid” electricity from any producer that can supply renewable sources of energy, such as wind, solar, tidal, etc. . The most notable feed in tariffs are in Germany and Ontario where the renewable energy industries are taking off. Here in Nova Scotia, we have the recently announced COMFIT program… standing for Community Feed In Tariff. It’s similar in principle to program like that of Germany and Ontario, but differs in some key ways. Firstly, COMFIT does not include solar power, the power generation most available to urban dwellers and homeowners. Secondly, COMFIT is limited to community organizations or associations, including municipalities and native bands. Private landowners are not eligible to sell their electricity to NS Power. There’s been plenty of criticism of COMFIT for these limitations, but many are figuring out how to work within them.
Erica Butler spoke to Dr. Kenny Corscadden, the Industry Research Chair in the Department of Engineering at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Kenny is working on a project to look into the potential for Nova Scotia farmers to take advantage of the COMFIT program by forming co-ops, which would then qualify for feed in tariffs.
Interview: Heidi Verheul, Sierra Club, Atlantic Chapter
The Sierra Club has recently reported that Nova Scotia is currently accepting and processing waste for ‘fracking’ operations in New Brunswick, even during its own review of the fracking industry to establish how it should be regulated. Habitat spoke to Heidi Verheul of the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, to find out more about the fracking waste situation in Nova Scotia.