Innergex investing in all kinds of renewable energy

Richard Blanchet is the senior vice president for the western region at Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. and In recent history Innergex made a major acquisition of Cloudworks Energy in British Columbia, “We’ve been expanding the past 11 years, especially in British Columbia, and today 49 percent of revenues for Innergex are coming from B.C..” Innergex is generating power from projects spread over three provinces. and each jurisdiction has a concentration on First Nation economic development as the “core part of our development.”

In B.C., Innergex is operating 9 run-of-river renewable energy projects and presently engaged in the construction of two new projects “pipeline development of, and two projects in run of river renewable energy for 178 MWh. “We are very busy and these two new run-of-river projects together represent $270 million investment in BC,” said Blanchet. The really important statistic is the employment situation with First Nations. First Nations occupying well over 40 percent of the jobs in the largest construction project. company. “We are deeply engaged in First Nations training and capacity building and the fact is we have second and third generations of First Nations in our projects. These folks are advanced and moving up the ladder into skilled jobs, providing mentorship, building the social licensing (or social capital) of their communities.”

Innergex takes pride in their long record of successful First Nation partnerships, “and we look at the long term plans for First Nations in these partnerships toward sustainable development of energy projects and what the projects mean in these communities.” Communities are transforming in very positive directions like the Douglas First Nation who took on a hydro project with Cloudworks at the beginning of the last decade. “These projects are building the business activities in local communities through sub-contracting and business building. A good example is the Umbata Falls hydro project in Ontario with Pic River Ojibway, 51 percent owned by the First Nation and opened for power generation in 2009,” says Blanchet. “Here we are starting to see the benefits to these communities.”

Founded in 1990, Innergex formed in anticipation of a call for independent power production by Quebec Hydro. “The first call for private power production in Quebec came in 1991,” and Innergex was successful and expanded to Ontario, then B.C., then the USA in early 2000. “We have an office in B.C. with 30 staff, nine projects in operation in B.C.. In Ontario we have three four operational projects and in the USA one.” In Quebec they run seven hydro projects and five wind farms.

Blanchet says, “The First Nation aspect has been a key success in our development. It was during the first few projects in Quebec that this came to be at the centre of Innergex core values. We asked ourselves, what is in it for the First Nations? These communities will see the impact in construction and will see change occur in their communities and these communities must have something in return.”

In B.C. presently, the Kwoiek Creek Hydro Project is under construction near Lytton in the Fraser Canyon, “an area that has been bereft of opportunity with downturns in forestry, but now we have a $180 million investment underway with 90 plus jobs.” There are new skilled workers, and money is being spent with on-site training that will be opening the doors to employment on other projects. Blanchet notes, “And that's the thing about these projects, they are capital intensive.  It's a huge commitment in up-front costs while operational costs are low and renewable energy flows for decades. Water rentals are becoming an ongoing expense paid to the province and apparently the province of B.C. has started arranged to share an important part the water rental revenues they receive from us revenue-sharing with the First Nations in the province to share an important part something like 70 percent of provincial water rentals.”

The future of Innergex is based on building partnerships based on core values of integrity, responsibility, transparency, teamwork, and resource-sharing. “Most projects involve First Nation in the review process, and we provide capacity for land use studies and other background proceedings. These projects are long term and we obtain financing from investors like pension funds. These investors like the stability of renewable energy.” 

Innergex did a solar project recently in Ontario, “33 MWh came into operation in Ontario, and that's a new one. We arrayed the solar panels on 300 acres of non-arable land.” Blanchet came to the west coast to work in Vancouver eight years ago, “I commuted from Quebec for the first two years,” he laughs.

“Things are advancing very well in the Fraser Canyon. We built a tram to transport building materials, and the neat aspect of the tram is the way it travels from reserve to reserve at Kanaka Band.” This tram may have a future since they had been losing access to their side of the river, it’s a long drive and under certain conditions it is a long with very bad driving conditions. Presently they are pouring concrete at power house (on-reserve), and at site the construction of penstock underway, with the transmission line under construction. Innergex expects Kwoiek to be generating electricity beginning in October 2013. 

Electrifying potential in the Pacific North West

British Columbia energy project

The Highway 37 Project of electrical transmission is important news for economic development in the province, according to Pierre Gratton, President and CEO of the Mining Association of BC. The transmission line creates an array of opportunities within the North West Pacific, especially Kitimat Valley, last major water basin in the world to await such economic expansion.
     

Gratton is talking about electrical transmission that could transform a region for all those who live, work, and play in North West B.C., not the least of which would be First Nation communities. He told Vancouver Board of Trade and media this month, including First Nations Drum, about a recent MABC study showing the potential of this backbone-sized infrastructure project.
     

The study of last Sep. ’08 said the Highway 37 Project will attract more than $15 billion in investment, create 10,700 jobs, and generate $300 million in annual tax revenues to governments.
     

Here’s something else it would do, “provide access to green power for up to ten known mining projects,” and furthermore, “the North West possesses the greatest new potential in hydro power development in the province, the study identifying 700MW of small hydro and up to 1,500MW of wind projects,” says Gratton.
     

While at the same time as MABC is making opportunity clear other developments are occurring, including a $7 million investment fund created by Ecotrust Canada administered by First Nation economic developers like TRICORP in the Pacific North West. This fund’s goal is creation of First Nation-owned Green Energy hydro developments in Gitxsan, Nisga’a, Tsimshian, and Haida lands and waters (but not exclusively those nations).
     

The MABC report stated that “Immediate greenhouse gas emission reduction from the shutdown of current diesel generation combined with the estimated avoided emissions from the generation of green energy (of approved and licensed run-of-river projects), is almost 100,000 tonnes of CO2e or the equivalent of taking over 17,000 cars off the road.”
     

First Nations Drum reported (May 2009) on a unique energy transmission company in North Ontario owned exclusively by First Nations along James Bay. Five Nations Energy Inc. is owned by Ft. Albany, Kashetchewan, and Attawapiskat First Nations and two other tribal affiliates in Timmons, Ontario. FNEI supplies electricity to their own communities and worked closely with DeBeers Victor Diamond Mine on a 90km extension to the property operating in Musqugewon Cree Nation.
      

Looking skyward for economic opportunity and diversity
      

Solar power is energizing the T'Sou-ke Nation on the southern end of Vancouver Island (west and north of Victoria, B.C.), in a project named “Sum-SHA-Thut”, Sencoten for “sunshine.” Chief Gordon Planes, T’Souke Nation said, Sum-SHA-Thut inspires remote and diesel dependent communities to learn about solar power.
      

T’Souke Nation is aiming at drastic reductions in fossil fuel emissions, hoping to improve the health of First Nations people by reducing particulates and pollution-related diseases. Sum-SHA-Thut will develop sustainable “green-collar” jobs in communities hit hard by job losses in forestry, fisheries, and recession.
     

T’Souke’s leadership will contribute to First Nations stepping into green-technology energy solutions. "For most of our history First Nations were rooted in the traditions of sustainable living and respect for the land," says Planes, "and the Sum-SHA-Thut project is the first step in achieving energy self-sufficiency once again." 
      

"Starting with support from the Innovative Clean Energy Fund, T'Sou-ke Nation is making a real community success of their solar energy project," adds Small Business, Technology and Economic Development Minister Ida Chong, who was onsite in May 2009 to open the Sum-SHA-Thut photovoltaic system.
      

"Energy self-sufficiency is a contemporary objective linked to T'Sou-ke Nation's deep cultural connection to the natural environment,” says Minister Chong, “and will play a vital role in supporting future economic opportunities.” 
      

Chief Planes notes the T'Sou-ke Nation is sponsoring a Solar Gathering on Sat., Jul. 11, 2009 to promote awareness of solar voltaic and offer insights into financing. “It will be consistent with our Longhouse ideals,” says Planes. “We are giving this information away free of charge to show how sustainability can be achieved once again, using the power of the sun, wind, and sea.” 
      

“T’Sou-ke is a proving ground for community-wide solar hot water,” said Joe Thwaites, from Taylor Munro Energy Systems, with respect to the partnership with T’Souke, “a project that demonstrates a sustainable alternative to diesel for remote First Nations communities.”  
      

Making solar power accessible involves ramping up training, “The customized training that graduated nine trainees in May 2009 breaks ground by teaching in an ‘oral-tradition’ approach, which respects culture and harnesses the diverse skills of the community as both teachers and learners,” said Donna Morton of First Power, a unique business and non-profit organization dedicated to supporting First Nation energy autonomy.
      

Morton says the program is tailored to promote learning as a team, “orally and hands-on,” and 60 percent of the PV equipment in Sum-SHA-Thut was installed by First Power trained personnel. (Donna notes the project has reduced BC Hydro bills in T’Souke by 15 percent and greater reductions will accrue.)
      

Alec Tully, Public Affairs Officer, B.C. Ministry of Small Business, Technology, said the T’Souke project, “is the largest Aboriginal-community-based solar project in the world. It’s about community development,” and the Band Office and a new fisheries facilities are solar powered, with 25 homes on the internal system for hot water. Alec notes, ICE Fund will spend over $75 million in three years to bring projects like Sum-SHA-Thut into being.