The idea renewable energy production is some far-fetched science experiment and governments shouldn't be investing taxpayer money in its development is an antiquated and illogical train of thought.
The oilsands — the granddaddy of so-called government-funded science experiments — continues to sustain thousands of Albertans in well-paid jobs and provide billions to the province's coffers. This was and is possible thanks to a century of government funds for research as well as capital investment tax and royalty breaks.
Medicine Hat has been on the cutting edge of innovation in the field of renewable energy in recent years.
The city's subsidy program for micro-generating solar panels coupled with the federal tax write-offs available for the equipment has seen dozens of businesses and households take both social and financial advantage of zero-CO2-emitting energy production.
The soon-to-be-built solar-powered electric turbine at the city's power station is another example of forward thinking.
But city hall is stalled on building a municipal windfarm.
The city has the wind energy, it owns the land and most importantly it has the regulatory approval. However, it lacks the will.
There are several points citizens and aldermen should be aware of before totally turfing the idea of a municipal windfarm.
There will be those who say with natural gas prices in the toilet there is no economic advantage to complementing the city-owned gas-powered power plant. But the price of natural gas can spike or drop four-fold or more in a matter of months.
Couple such a jump with electricity prices in a deregulated market that are set to skyrocket as demand for energy from the rapidly expanding oilsands and the risk for an energy crisis increases exponentially.
The city's gas reserves are set to exhaust in a decade or less if new fields aren't acquired.
The $25 million four-turbine provincially-approved city windfarm won't generate a huge amount of electricity but it will be at worst price neutral under current forecasts and demand outlook.
A windfarm, combined with a new and beefed up city subsidy program for renewable energy production, as well as continued support for the HatSmart program, would see Medicine Hat continue to be the envy of municipalities seeking energy self-sufficiency.
We would also expand the life span of current and future city-owned gas plays.
Many people don't like change but the facts are clear: Oil and gas will eventually either run out or price themselves out of existence while driving up the cost of electricity in Alberta in the process.
It's far better Medicine Hat be on the tip of the sword than the blunt end of the hilt if we are to take a stab at tackling the pending energy crisis.
(Alex McCuaig is a reporter with the Medicine Hat News. You can comment on this and other editorials online at www.medicinehatnews.com/opinions.)