*****TRANSFORMING CLIENTS INTO CITIZENS******
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION
Well dear readers.... its been interesting and the kind of preliminary probing discussion you've engaged in has been stimulating. It's the way the democratic process most effectively begins to weave its magic of thoughtful consideration, analysis, discussion (and sometimes debate and informed civil discourse) on its way to creative community decision-making in healthy and economically competitive social environments.
Now, we need to move on to the next stage...... the organization of data, analysis of options and development of strategies to support constructive action. Here are the bare bones draft specifications for analysis of our energy options and development of a Strategic Plan for Energy self-sufficiency in Shelburne County. These would of course have to be fleshed out and have timelines added to them but I believe they give us a start.
DRAFT
SHELBURNE COUNTY
ENERGY SELF-SUFFICIENCY STRATEGY (SCESS)
Scope of Work
Reporting to the community group charged with the conduct of this development Strategy the team will assume responsibility for the gathering of information about energy needs and technology options and opportunities in Shelburne County, risk associated with various options, costs, benefits, financing options potential spin-off benefits, possible associations and structures for managing the development and long-term management of energy facilities in Shelburne County.
Terms of Reference
More specifically, the Team will:
a. gather information about present energy consumption in the County and develop a low-growth, medium growth and high growth projection of energy needs within the County (highlighting the projected needs of the towns of Lockeport, Shelburne and Clarks Harbour and the Municipalities of Barrington and Shelburne) over the next 25 years;
b. gather information about technology options and potential opportunities for hydro, wind, wave, tidal, biomass and geo-thermal;
c. identify specific projects dealing with each of the potential energy options identified above;
d. undertake SWOT Analysis of each of the options identified and reviewed above;
e. complete preliminary cost/benefit analysis of the options being considered with the attendant sensitivity analysis of the three most important variables for each;
f. identify potential financing options for each possible energy development and detail the strengths, weaknesses and risks associated with each;
g. identify, describe, qualify and quantify potential industrial and other spin-off benefits associated with possible implementation of each option; and
h. propose potential organizational and corporate structure options for management of the development and management of the strategy and resulting facilities.
And so we start the process of organized consideration of Shelburne County's Energy Options given our location and other natural and demographic attributes.
As some of us/you embark on that journey I want to talk to you about other journies we might take associated with our location on the South Shore of Nova Scotia..... BUT THAT'S FOR NEXT TIME!
In the meantime, vote on the new survey question, submit your questions and comments, suggestions and criticisms and identify what you think we should do next to become energy self-sufficient and.... who should do it... private citizens.... municipal governments on their own or as Team Shelburne, our new RDA.... old RDA?
