You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Education & Careers’ category.
Wind power co-exists peacefully with crops and livestock
Stettler Alberta – I am back on the wind-farm. The late September weather is warm still, and our days long. 150 workers are now onsite at Capital Power Corporation’s 150 megawatt Halkirk 1 wind power development. The site is managed by RES Americas, and the tower erection and electrical installation is being performed by my employer, Eagle West Wind Energy.
Its a fantastic thing to be involved with. Each Vestas turbine now standing (there will be 84 by the time we are finished in early November) stands like a sentinel for a more sustainable future. It’s a literal metaphor, as the Paintearth and Vesta (I know coincidence right?) coal mines, and Battle River coal power-plant lie within sight just a few kilometers away, and the turbines suddenly appearing on the horizon captures the energy war now underway perfectly.
When complete Halkirk 1 will be Alberta’s largest single wind power property, capable of churning out enough electricity for about 45,000 homes. Alberta, long disparaged as overly reliant on fossil fuel energy, will with this project surpass 1,000 megawatts installed and over-take Quebec as the Canadian province with the second highest wind power capacity behind Ontario.
I have joined an electrical terminations crew. We work from top to bottom, completing the majority of the necessary electrical connections between the tower’s various systems. The day begins for me with a 5 minute climb 80 meters up the ladder to the nacelle, where wiring for communications as well as the main power transformer are completed. We then climb down, stopping at several platforms to hook up lights and plugs. In the “cellar” and the main floor is where the lion’s share of work remains, with everything from grounds to elevator power. Then on to the next tower asap, as the project, now about 8 months in construction, races to complete before winter begins.
This project marks an important turning point for the Terra1 journey, as I work to complete an electrical apprenticeship and introduce a renewable energy trades service to the agency.
Other Wind news:
Canadian wind and solar associations join forces to power 2013 conferences
Business leaders urge US Congress to extend imperiled wind tax credit
World’s largest wind-farm, the London Array under construction
Do you remember the original Earth Summit in Rio, and society’s first modern wave of green thinking?
Archived summary of the original event, with reference to Canadian national context (1992)
Leaving aside commentary, this post is a short reference for reading concerning the current Rio 20 activities and resources. Extensive selection of pdf publications here made available here.
Well-referenced article from Paula Alvaro at Treehugger.com, providing a list of probable focus areas and outcomes around the 2012 event What to Expect from Rio+ 20
What is certain is that this pair of events mark epic environmental milestones in humanity’s evolving global consciousness, and whether we succeed in abandoning fossil fuels and scarcity/competition models of growth, while erecting a dynamic new model of sustainable development
, or we fail spectacularly to prevent an apocalyptic reset, leaving our children to resiliently pick up the pieces… What is certain is that the Rio events symbolize the very best of our collective intentions.
Post-event note: Rio +20 has officially been panned, deemed a failure in the scope of outcomes. The non-binding pledge of $500B+ means little in the absence of winning spirit and common interest.
Silviculture refers to the science and practice of establishing and maintaining healthy forests. This post describes it in terms of the different forestry-related jobs that fall under its umbrella.
Cone-picking: The beginning of the process. Usually done in the winter months, ripe cones are identified and collected, to supply seedling nurseries with a healthy stock of seeds for germination.
Tree-planting: The most well-recognized Silviculture job, tree-planting is a labour intensive program of physically reforesting harvested landscapes with a variety of tree species. Generally trees are selected for their commercial value and suitability for the particular landscape to be planted. Tree-planting, in spite of its ‘green-jobs’ image, is most often employed in connection with clearcut harvested sites.
Spacing/thinning: Once a reforested area has achieved a certain average tree height and/or density of trees, its important to remove trees to ensure a healthy stand. No different than thinning the carrot patch, except with a chainsaw.
Brushing: Somewhat similar to thinning, this involves removing under-brush from the young tree stand, to reduce competition for light, nutrients etc.
Wildfire fighting and controlled burns: Though wildfires are a naturally-occuring event, regions that have a big commercial forestry economy will invest millions every year in stopping fires from burning through forests. Recently, ground-level controlled burns have become a more popular method of allowing fire to do its regenerative work under the canopy, as well as to help reduce dry fuels, especially near populated areas.
Herbicide application: Chemical spraying is commonly used to control competing foliage. A cheaper alternative to brushing by hand.
Harvesting: Within the industry, it is the harvesting, or logging, stage of the process that defines which silviculture approach will be taken in a particular stand. These include clearcutting, shelterwood, and selection.
Further Resources:
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Thinking of planting? Interesting read full of tips and tricks at HardcoreTreeplanters.com
TreePower delights in educating investors about opportunities in protecting the environment. We also love to inform environmentalists about the power that ethical investing/capitalism can now have in protecting the environment, as well.
In addition to the new weekly poll below (your feedback appreciated!), here are the ventures currently featured in TreePower’s 2011/Q4 ecological investing update:
Company: Bedford Biofuels
Headquarters: Calgary Alberta, Canada
Primary project: 10,000 hectare Jatropha biofuel plantation in Kenya. Also developing secondary lines in agriculture and hardwood timber.
Primary project: Titled real estate + managed biofuel plantations, Costa Rica’s Southern Zone.
Company: Greenleaf Global
Headquarters: UK
Primary project: Jatropha oil plantation in Togo, West Africa
Company: Panama Teak Forestry
Headquarters: Panama
Primary project: Reforestation, agroforestry, processing mill and kiln, and more
Company: Living Forest LP
Headquarters: Victoria BC, Canada
Primary project: Elkington Forest, in Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley, is a one-of-a-kind blend of community, green real estate and Eco-forestry development
Company: Grosvenor Park Investment
Headquarters: London UK
Primary project: Expanding Bamboo plantation by 1800 hectares in Nicaragua, adding to existing plantation of 1100 hectares.
Networking for Forests: TreePower Services is entering an exciting new relationship marketing business, making a difference through carbon forestry in Africa by leveraging the power of duplication with Ausante Ltd. Our goal: 4.5 million indigenous trees planted in Zambia by end of 2012.
The Q4 email update also includes stats on each project including recent news, ROI, and minimum investment. Message TreePower now to have it delivered to your inbox!
Also, please take a moment to answer this week’s poll. Thank you!
Selkirk College, located between several campuses in Castlegar and Nelson, BC, has a very well established forestry program. Its been turning out grads with a solid, hands-on-trees education for more than 40 years. Its strong ecological approach to forest resource management is a good match with the rich biodiversity of the Kootenay woodlands.
Subjects covered include: applied ecology, planning, regeneration, inventory, hydrology, habitat protection and engineering, resulting a a highly practical diploma and a wide scope of employability. Successfully achieving the two year degree can also act as a bridge to a Bachelor’s in GIS (geographic information systems).
TreePower is all about heading back to class, right here, in September 2012.
Terra1 Communications 