(Sept. 15, 2011, Toronto, ON) Responding to the growing discussion about the future of green energy in Ontario, the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) today unveiled a pair of television advertisements profiling the strengths and benefits of an Ontario-made green energy economy.

In the lead up to Ontario’s provincial election in October, the renewable energy industry has become a political football with rapidly growing investment risk.  Campaign policy platforms range widely including the removal of the private sector from the electricity market, the early termination of power purchase agreements (PPAs) for projects under construction and staying the course on a rapidly growing renewable industry.  Risk management, rather than investment planning has become the new focus for the industry.

“There is a tremendous amount of fear-mongering going on right now about wind power in Ontario,” said Adam Scott, Green Energy Program Manager, Environmental Defence. “This report aims to introduce some real facts into the debate so that communities can make well informed decisions about wind projects.”

Working closely with its members, OSEA played a major role in this campaign taking it on the road to communities throughout Ontario to educate people about the need for such legislation and encouraging them to press their elected representatives to support a Green Energy Act. OSEA’s members and partners rose to the challenge issuing press statements supporting a Green Energy Act, petitioning the government and providing their input on what was needed in the legislation.

The OSEA road show was welcomed everywhere it went and the enthusiasm of the public for renewable energy was evident.

Once the legislation and its subsequent regulations were drafted, OSEA participated fully in the stakeholder engagement process, providing valuable insight derived from the experience of its members endeavoring to build renewable energy projects. Now that the Green Energy Act has been passed, OSEA will monitor how it is applied and its effectiveness, especially in supporting community power groups.

Mr. Tabuns laid out the following key points:

• The province’s current approach places too little emphasis on efficiency and conservation
• Nuclear power consistently goes over budget creating large cost overruns to be paid by the taxpayer or the customer. The current assumption that nuclear remains the source of half of our power needs to change.
• The partial privatization of our electricity system has resulted in “hundreds of millions of dollars being paid to energy traders and producers who game the system.”

To Ontarians in general, Mike Schreiner says: “Be wary of false choices. The Progressive Conservatives want to scrap the Green Energy Act. The Liberals support corporate “big wind” projects. The Green Party want people in communities to lead the way. Develop in ways that benefit your community. Capture the benefits of clean green power in community and hybrid projects.”