Thoughts on Energy
On November 1, 2006 the price for a barrel of oil was $65.0 U.S and on Thursday July 4, 2008 it was $146 per barrel.
Everywhere we turn today, we are hearing about the economic and environmental pressures that fossil fuels are placing upon our planet. The cost of gas is going up. The planet is warming up and quite frankly cities are the biggest part of both the problem and the solution.
Reducing our City’s dependence on oil would save money and also address an environmental threat to our sustainability by reducing our carbon footprint. The first question is what will replace oil as we reduce our dependence on oil. Here are some ideas that were suggested in the June 21, 2008 edition of “The Economist” that seems quite practical and reasonable.
But what does this mean for Ottawa?
We have been working hard to find a better waste solution for Ottawa through our conditional contract with Plasco and identifying ways to divert both residential and IC&I waste from our City’s landfills. Now I feel we need to focus some of our efforts on energy and address the major issues associated.
So as a first step, I want to hear your thoughts on how Ottawa can address rising fuel costs and relieve the pressure we put on the environment. In late fall I will establish a Taskforce on Energy and members will be asked to evaluate and recommend strategies to reduce our reliance on oil and also recommend the best options for our City in developing renewable energy sources.
This would be my fourth task force and I have found those on Transit , E-Government, as well as the ongoing Taskforce on Governance to be valuable contributors to the debate on the important issues facing our City.
I want to get the discussion on energy started early and I want to hear from you. Please leave your comments below or email me at larry.obrien@ottawa.ca
July 11th, 2008 at 2:08 am
Dear Larry,
One way to cut down the use of oil in Ottawa is to encourage biking. The OCP acceleration and passage is a good measure.
I think the City should also lead the way by:
- reimbursing employees for using bikes at the same rate as cars
- putting a greater proportion of police and paramedics on electric bikes, day and night (Canadian Tire sells electric bikes for $500). This would also increase their mobility in traffic - they can more easily get to jams, park, and unsnarl them. Not to mention more serious offences…
- put parking officers on bikes instead of cars when there’s no snow. It really bugs me to see parking officers park illegally to give tickets for illegal parking! Aren’t we equal before the Law?
- requiring shower and locker facilities in all commercial buildings
- sponsoring a “Velibe” type short-term bike rental system across Ottawa
Many cities have a special “Active Transportation” day where they devote a major artery to bike/skate transportation only - no cars or buses. Montreal has such a day. Bogota has a permanent one! We could try out different arteries, one a month, and then decide which we could use on a more regular basis in the clement months.
These would save gasoline and diesel like mad!
You could also encourage transit and cycling by creating more exclusive bus/bike lanes along Montreal Road, Rideau, Bank, Bronson, Wellington, and other arterials, at least in rush hour.
Higher parking charges in congested areas would free up parking spaces by encouraging other forms of transport. Why should residents subsidise car owners? Let drivers pay their own way if they’re using city land.
You should also consider upgrading building insulation requirements, and requiring big buildings to have green roofs.
tOM
July 11th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Mr. Mayor,
the City fleet, like most of us, is an oil junkie. The suppliers are raising the price, and we are cutting back on necessities to finance our habit.
Some solutions, short term and long term, are available here:
http://www.econogics.com/en/savefuel.htm
Personally, I have been driving electric vehicles for 30 years now, for the environmental benefits. However, there are clearly security of supply and economic benefits as well.
This has been coming a long time, and ostrich-like, we have been ignoring the inevitable. Like ostriches, that has left our butt hanging out, and now the oil industry is kicking it.
This is a systemic problem, and needs to be approached on a broad basis.
A few things to be considered would include:
increasing the shift to biofuels (especially collection of used cooking oil through the regular garbage collection as a feedstock for biodiesel production),
encouraging the use of public transit by city staff instead of using fleet vehicles, and
providing parking by-law enforcement with electric vehicles like the ZENN for their patrols (will require a by-law permitting these Low Speed electric Vehicles in Ottawa because Ontario won’t accept them, unlike BC and Quebec).
Make sure your staff (and Task Force) see movies like Crude Awakening and End of Suburbia to make sure they understand the underlying context and why band-aid solutions are not the way to go.
I would be happy to discuss additional options at another time, but right now I have other priorities.
Darryl McMahon
Econogics
July 11th, 2008 at 10:34 am
How much are all of your task forces going to cost taxpayers?
July 11th, 2008 at 10:44 am
[…] latest task force will be studying high oil costs and the impact they have on the city and ways to reduce oil consumption. Coming next week is an announcement to drum up a task force on the effects of oxygen on […]
July 11th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
I met with Mayor O’Brien at the recent FCM Conference in Quebec and we discussed the possibility of electrifying OC Transpo’s transitway with electric trolleybuses similar to those Vancouver recently purchased. The Swiss cities of Zurich, Geneva and Lucerne have all bought into the latest 80 foot megatrolleys that carry up to 200 passengers, or double what the current bendy buses hold. Ottawa has over 1000 diesel buses so starting to replace those with electric would be a big step towards getting off oil.
July 12th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Management at City Hall are doing good work looking for ways to reduce the use of fossil fuels as well as other energy savings activities. But as both Darryl and Tom point out we also have to think about a more systemic approach to alternative energy for the long-term (The plug in car is a one example, more biking another). The Task Force on Energy will be asked to define the Ottawa solution for alternative energy based upon our specific needs and concerns. Cutting back will require disipline….alternate energy planning will require insight and ideas and based on my experience with other task forces Ottawa has an abundance of talented people who want to help the City improve.
We have a very busy fall as we focus on transit planning, budget work and tax fighting, governance changes to improve decision making at City Hall and my focus will be those agenda items until the end of December. Then as we move into 2009 we can address the next highest priority and we will have the task force report available at that time to start the longer term thinking about energy solutions for Ottawa. Another poster asked…about the cost of task forces…The task force membership has been volunteer with a small budget for printing and editing that is part of the Mayor’s budget. The value to Ottawa from the inputs of these professionals has been dramatic and I thank them for the support they give our City every time I get the chance.
July 15th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Pedaless Bikes Corp has put forward a proposal for the City of Ottawa on how you may reduce your carbon footprint with the use of LSVs. A prelimanary copy of the document, along with a presentation from the Electric Vehicle Council of Ottawa encourage the use of electric vehicles, was presented on March 18 to the roads and cycling committee. We’ve recently developed a new plan which is more specific. In short, Pedaless Bikes Corp is working on an Low-Speed electric Vehicle (LSV) pilot project which would test these vehicles on road in mixed traffic conditions. (ex.: ZENNCars.com - Though we are open to the idea of testing any type of LSVs). We’ve sent a copy to Sue Lo at the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) and various copies are currently circulating around. The MTO is interested and waiting for a reply from our collaborators in this matter. This includes the City of Ottawa.
The LSV Pilot Project Proposal (LSV-P3), is a pilot project that creates and supports new sustainable transportation options for Canadians. The LSV-P3 meets the primary objectives of the Federal Government’s Moving On
Sustainability Transportation (MOST) program.
It is also holds true to Pedaless’s Mission:
“To protect Canada’s clear skies by providing sustainable,
economical and environmentally friendly transportation
methods.”
The project data is primarily intended for the use by transportation legislators and is expected to last 2 & 1/2 years. It is believed that one of the challenges that Canada’s transportation legislators face in permitting the use of LSVs for on road is a lack of empirical data and evidence to validate their decisions. This project will gather and supply the necessary information to the general public and legislators alike; making Canada a lead tester in sustainable methods of transportation.
The project, however, is currently in development and plans to test
LSVs on road in collaboration with the University of Ottawa, Algonquin College and the City of Ottawa. It would be the first project of its kind in Ontario (despite the current Pilot Project taking place in provincial parks) and could attract much media attention. Though our preliminary proposal to the city of Ottawa on March 18th 2008 was approx. 190,000$ we have re-evaluated the proposal. The original plan did not take into consideration having to make 16 official reports but only one final report. The total cost is estimated at approx. 324′000$ with half of the funding coming from a federal grant called the Moving On Sustainable Transportation (MOST) program.
By July 2008, Pedaless should receive confirmation in whether the MOST program was approved. If all goes well we hope to have the vehicles operating on road by October 2008. For the program to function according to plan the City of Ottawa and the MTO would need to permit the
operation of LSVs on road in Ontario. This may be accomplished under the HTA’s Pilot Project Clause and Bill 160 and via Pedaless’ Collaborative communications with the MTO.
We currently believe the LSV P3 project, which includes the Orleans LSV, University of Ottawa and Algonquin College Pilot Projects, will be an interesting opportunity to not only test these vehicles but build a stronger public relation within Ontario and Canada’s communities.
Pedaless (http://www.pedaless.ca) is also looking for any
“value-in-kind”, such as an “peer review” and commentary
assistance, contributions.
Thank you for your consideration
July 16th, 2008 at 11:05 am
I find it a bit coincidental that you would be announcing the formation of a “Task Force on Energy” shortly after meeting with members of the Sierra Club. Perhaps you could arrange a similar meeting with Prof. Tim Patterson of Carleton University or an organization recommended by him.
This would allow you to gain a balanced view of current scientific opinion as it relates to Anthropogenic Global Warming/Climate Change. This ‘balanced view’ might help prevent the wasting of my tax dollars on another feel good-do nothing boondoggle.
I would also suggest that the members of this task force be selected from groups representing all sides of the issues and not just groups such as The Sierra Club.
Pandering to the ‘crisis’ of the day will not secure my support at the ballot box. Intelligent, well informed, objective and consistent leadership will.
Thank you for your time,
Mike
July 19th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
To Mike
I agree completely that the Task Force needs to be balanced and represent the views of a wide variety of Citizens of Ottawa. So far we have been fortunate that my Task Forces have all been composed of highly qualified professionals with a single common goal– to make Ottawa the best that it can be. As I put the Task Force together in the late fall I will use the same high standards that have been used to date.
Larry O’Brien
Mayor
October 19th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
The very idea of a “task force” is a joke. These are the same people that refused a councilor trash cans while setting aside money for benches? What is needed is people with a brain and some common sense.