Alternative Energy Sources Make Coal Plants Extinct

Apr 16, 2014

Biomass the Clean Energy Replacement

The Ontario government says that it has completely eliminated coal as a source of electricity. Ontario is the first jurisdiction in North America to have achieved this goal, now that the last coal has been burned at the Thunder Bay Generating Station.

The good news for producers in Ontario is that coal has been replaced with a number of electricity sources that can be produced on the farm. Sources like wind, solar, and biomass are all seen as opportunities for Farmers. The Thunderbay Generating Station facilities will be converted so that it can continue to generate electricity by burning a specialty black pellet -- advanced biomass. The fuel procurement process for this plant is already underway. This conversion will allow the facility to retain 60 jobs at the plant.

“Getting off coal is the single largest climate change initiative undertaken in North America and is equivalent to taking up to seven million cars off the road,” comments Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli. “Today we celebrate a cleaner future for our children and grandchildren while embracing the environmental benefits that our cleaner energy sources will bring.”

In January, Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operators (IESO) released the 2013 Ontario Electricity Data report showing that wind energy production in Ontario has doubled over the past four years. According to the report, the annual Ontario production of wind energy has grown from 2.3 TWh in 2009 to 5.2 TWh in 2013. That translates into wind generating enough electricity to power 550,000 Ontario homes in 2013. CanWEA predicts that wind energy will continue to increase significantly over the next few years as more energy projects get added into the power grid.

Video: U.S.-China Trade “Truce” + U.S. Fed Cuts Rates Again

The market was hoping for a US-China trade deal, but we got a trade “truce” for now from the keenly awaited Trump-Xi meeting at the APEC Summit.
China commits to minimum purchase commitments of 12 MMT of U.S. soybeans during the “current season” and a minimum of 25 MMT annually through 2028.
U.S. Treasury Sec Bessent said other Asian countries have agreed to buy additional 19 MMT of US soybean.
Soybean futures trading above $11 now- they normally tend to rally to $12.
As expected, US Fed cuts interest rates by -0.25% again in October to 3.75%–4.00%. No further cuts promised for this year but trade looking out to the Dec FOMC.
The Bank of Canada cut interest rates to 2.25% but raised concern over trade war damage.
Soy meal futures, remarkably, have had 14 consecutive higher close sessions. A bull market in soybeans is a bull market in soy meal!
Cattle futures lower as funds unwind out of cattle for now due to Trump headlines and objective to lower beef prices.
All major stock indices climb to new record highs. It was Mag 7 reporting week, which had mixed results. But we now have the first $5 trillion company in Nvidia!