In discussions about renewables such as wind and solar we often forget to talk about the challenges of using these technologies in certain climates. The same goes for electric car batteries and biodiesel. Folks in California probably don’t give this much thought, but being Canadian — and having shovelled my driveway four times this month — it’s a reality that can’ t be avoided.

Take earlier this month. I was supposed to visit OptiSolar’s solar farm in Sarnia but the forecast called for snow — lots of it. We cancelled the visit, thank god. Later on the news that night I watched as police on snowmobiles rescued people whose cars were stranded in snow-filled ditches at the edge of the highway — the main highway into Sarnia that I was supposed to take. Needless to say, OptiSolar’s panels got blanketed by snow, again, and again, and again this month.

The New York Times has an interesting story about winter and its impact on renewables. It talks about snow on solar panels, ice on wind turbines, and how the cold can turn biodiesel into thick goo. But winter, it should be pointed out, does have some advantages: the wind blows better in the winter and solar panels are more efficient in the cold (though the days are shorter).

The story also talks about the new work opportunities that winter presents. Removing snow from neighbourhood solar panels or solar farms could be the new “green-collar job” for local kids!

In the Ontario context, the power planning agency has dramatically underestimated the cost of building new nukes, and while one could still argue that even at the higher price it’s still worth pursuing, that case needs to be made before we head down a path that at some point becomes irreversible.

Another point, which I didn’t mention in the column, has to do with loan guarantees. The U.S. Department of Energy, for example, has received 19 applications from 17 electric-power companies asking for loan guarantees totalling $122 billion (U.S.), which would backstop construction of 14 new nuclear plants (21 new reactors).

In this market, other forms of emission-free power generation should be given equal treatment. Why should the nuke builders get such massive loan guarantees while a wind, solar or geothermal developer trying to raise debt capital in a difficult market doesn’t?

This story gives a good sense of where Smitherman is coming from, and where his commitments lie. He’s clearly enthusiastic about what can be done with renewables and conservation, and while he’s not about to backtrack on the province’s nuclear targets, he is sending a clear message that his expectations for renewables/conservation are high and that he’s intent on raising the bar.

Having earned the nickname “Furious George” as health minister, his previous gig, Smitherman is probably the best equipped politician in the Liberal government of Premier Dalton McGuinty to follow through. He’s hands-on, dogged, and has appreciation for strategy and vision. It will be interesting to see how things roll out over the next six to 12 months.

It’s encouraging. But as environmentalists were quick to point out, the government is still not changing its plans to maintain the province’s nuclear fleet at 14,000 megawatts. Personally, I wouldn’t expect them to, because they’ve been caught before making promises they can’t keep.