Latest news with #CrownLand
CBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Some N.L. hydrogen companies behind in bills as industry hype 'boils off'
Newfoundland and Labrador is owed millions of dollars in fees from green energy companies, underlining growing doubts about whether promises of major projects and multi-billion dollar investments will pan out. Six companies are vying to create new operations in the province that would use wind energy to produce hydrogen for exports overseas. Figures obtained by The Canadian Press reveal some owe a collective total of $13.7-million in fees due in 2024 for the use of Crown land. Russell Williams, an associate political science professor at Memorial University in St. John's, said he's not surprised. "I think it highlights the extent to which the public should be skeptical about megaprojects, and about governments getting very carried away, very early, with the idea that there are huge benefits from these kinds of natural resource developments," said Williams. However, the province insists the money will be collected. "The provincial government has not written off any outstanding Crown land reserve fees and expects to collect all revenue owing for these fees," said an emailed statement from Steve Crocker, minister of industry, energy and technology. The industry began paying the fees after the provincial government invited companies to bid on Crown land to use for wind energy projects in December 2022. By paying the fees, the companies have the option to lease the land if they choose to move forward with projects. But it's not clear which developments will proceed, even though the companies have now reserved roughly 3,944 square kilometres of Crown land. Executives from the six companies told an energy conference in St. John's last week that it's been tough to find buyers on the overseas market to make their projects viable. Some companies said they were considering other options in the meantime, including an anticipated call for renewable energy for the local grid in Newfoundland and Labrador. "In 2021, 2022 the world thought everything was going to be running on hydrogen," Karlis Povisils, with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, told reporters during the conference. "I think the hype has boiled off, and that's a healthy thing. The players that are left are the ones that are serious and committed." The companies owed a collective total of about $22.1-million in Crown land reserve fees for 2024, Crocker said. The province collected just $8.4 million, according to figures obtained through access to information legislation. In 2023, the province received $5,491,316 in Crown land reserve fees — exactly the amount it was owed, the department confirmed. Only three of the six companies confirmed to the Canadian Press their fees were up to date: North Atlantic, Pattern Energy, and the Exploits Valley Renewable Energy Corporation, or EVREC. Other companies weren't as clear. A spokesperson for World Energy GH2, which proposed a $16-billion wind-powered hydrogen operation in western Newfoundland, said the company has paid "millions" in Crown land reserve fees. She did not confirm if it had paid all of its fees for 2024. "We continue to reserve Crown lands, and incur fees related to our reservation, and will continue to service our obligations," Laura Barron said in an email. A spokesperson for EverWind, which has proposed wind-to-hydrogen projects in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, said the company has paid $5.6-million in reserve fees, "but we cannot comment further as we are in ongoing land reservation discussions with the province." EverWind Fuels is one of two companies that have asked the province to reduce the amount of land held in reserve for its proposed development. Using the reduced land reserve, the company would have owed more than $8-million in 2024. ABO Energy, which is working with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners on a project in eastern Newfoundland, has also reduced its Crown land reserve. The company said it is working with the government "to ensure compliance" with reserve fee conditions. "And indeed, we are working to create the ecosystem that this nascent industry demands," said spokesperson Heidi Kirby in an email. Tom Cooper, a business professor at Memorial University, said forgoing the land fees could be a way for the province to fund the developments, "without handing over hard cash." Williams added that the fees are quite small compared to the cost of some of the projects. He worries the provincial government undervalued its resources and got swept up in "pie-in-the-sky" promises of megaprojects that would produce jobs. "One of the things that always gets lost in those calculations is the public interest," Williams said. "The public interest here is what kind of royalties and revenues was the province going to get ... and it looks like, unless something changes, the benefits are tiny and in arrears."
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Some Newfoundland hydrogen companies behind in bills as industry hype ‘boils off'
Hydrogen storage tanks are visible at the Iberdrola green hydrogen plant in Puertollano, Spain, on March 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Bernat Armangue ST. JOHN'S — Newfoundland and Labrador is owed millions of dollars in fees from green energy companies, underlining growing doubts about whether promises of major projects and multi-billion dollar investments will pan out. Six companies are vying to create new operations in the province that would use wind energy to produce hydrogen for exports overseas. Figures obtained by The Canadian Press reveal some owe a collective total of $13.7 million in fees due in 2024 for the use of Crown land. Russell Williams, an associate political science professor at Memorial University in St. John's, N.L., said he's not surprised the companies have land fees outstanding. 'I think it highlights the extent to which the public should be skeptical about megaprojects, and about governments getting very carried away, very early, with the idea that there are huge benefits from these kinds of natural resource developments,' Williams said in a recent interview. However, the province insists the money will be collected. 'The provincial government has not written off any outstanding Crown land reserve fees and expects to collect all revenue owing for these fees,' said an emailed statement from Steve Crocker, minister of industry, energy and technology. The industry began paying the fees after the provincial government invited companies to bid on Crown land to use for wind energy projects in December 2022. By paying the fees, the companies have the option to lease the land if they choose to move forward with projects. But it's not clear which developments will proceed even though the companies have now reserved roughly 3,944 square kilometres of Crown land. Executives from the six companies told an energy conference in St. John's, N.L., last week that it's been tough to find buyers on the overseas market to make their projects viable. Some companies said they were considering other options in the meantime, including an anticipated call for renewable energy for the local grid in Newfoundland and Labrador. 'In 2021, 2022 the world thought everything was going to be running on hydrogen,' Karlis Povisils, with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, told reporters during the conference. 'I think the hype has boiled off, and that's a healthy thing. The players that are left are the ones that are serious and committed.' The companies owed a collective total of about $22.1 million in Crown land reserve fees for 2024, Crocker said. The province collected just $8.4 million, according to figures obtained through access to information legislation. In 2023, the province received $5,491,316 in Crown land reserve fees — exactly the amount it was owed, the department confirmed. Only three of the six companies confirmed to the Canadian Press their fees were up to date: North Atlantic, Pattern Energy, and the Exploits Valley Renewable Energy Corporation, or EVREC. Other companies weren't as clear. A spokesperson for World Energy GH2, which proposed a $16-billion wind-powered hydrogen operation in western Newfoundland, said the company has paid 'millions' in Crown land reserve fees. She did not confirm if it had paid all of its fees for 2024. 'We continue to reserve Crown lands, and incur fees related to our reservation, and will continue to service our obligations,' Laura Barron said in an email. A spokesperson for EverWind, which has proposed wind-to-hydrogen projects in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, said the company has paid $5.6 million in reserve fees, 'but we cannot comment further as we are in ongoing land reservation discussions with the province.' EverWind Fuels is one of two companies that have asked the province to reduce the amount of land held in reserve for its proposed development. Using the reduced land reserve, the company would have owed more than $8 million in 2024. ABO Energy, which is working with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners on a project in eastern Newfoundland, has also reduced its Crown land reserve. The company said it is working with the government 'to ensure compliance' with reserve fee conditions. 'And indeed, we are working to create the ecosystem that this nascent industry demands,' said spokesperson Heidi Kirby in an email. Tom Cooper, a business professor at Memorial University, said forgoing the land fees could be a way for the province to fund the developments, 'without handing over hard cash.' Williams added that the fees are quite small compared to the cost of some of the projects. He worries the provincial government undervalued its resources and got swept up in 'pie-in-the-sky' promises of megaprojects that would produce jobs. 'One of the things that always gets lost in those calculations is the public interest,' Williams said. 'The public interest here is what kind of royalties and revenues was the province going to get ... and it looks like, unless something changes, the benefits are tiny and in arrears.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2025. Sarah Smellie, The Canadian Press
News.com.au
04-06-2025
- General
- News.com.au
NSW Labor back controversial plan to expand access for hunters
The NSW government will back a controversial proposal to expand access for hunters to Crown land and pave the way bounty killings of feral animals. The Conservation Hunting Bill was first tabled by NSW Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers MLC MLC Rod Borsak earlier this year. Proponents say the Bill will incorporate hunters into nature conservation and pest control by opening up state-owned land to hunters. It would also pave the way for bounty killings of feral animals, and seeks to establish a new hunting minister and authority, and allow hunters access to suppressors. Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said Labor would back the proposal, but admitted it had 'some issues' that would be addressed through amendments. 'In 2023, 24 hunters removed over 17,500 pest animals from public land,' Ms Moriarty said. 'Recreational hunting is, of course, not a cure-all for pest management, but it is a practical way to extend the reach of government funded programs.' Ms Moriarty acknowledged there were 'strong and differing views' about recreational hunting, but that the Bill was a 'sensible middle ground'. Under the Bill, some Crown land would automatically be designated for hunting, though Ms Moriarty said it would not create an automatic entitlement to hunting there. Ms Moriarty said the Bill was not a return of the Game Council – shuttered in 2013 – and that key rights and regulations would remain within the government. Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said local land services and other land managers were currently 'spending millions' to deal with feral species. 'This is incredibly important. We need to protect diversity. We need to protect conservation areas, communities and neighbouring primary production,' she said. In 2023-24, the National Park Service removed more than 55,000 animals through aerial shooting, mustering, ground shooting and trapping, Ms Sharpe said. Some 24,000 hunters are licensed in NSW, and the Bill proposes giving them access to a new conservation hunting licence. With oversight from a new conservation hunting authority, it also seeks to open up hunting in private and declared public lands, excluding national park. The Bill was not opposed by the Opposition – again, with amendments. Nationals MLC Sarah Mitchell described the Bill as a 'reforming of the former Game Council under another name'. She noted it would ensure regulatory compliance 'which was one of the major issues with the Game Council'. 'It will be maintained within the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, which is something that we think is very important,' she said. The Bill does not specifically mention bounty killings and instead paves the way for their introduction following an administrative process. Ms Mitchell said the issues of bounties was an important one, but that the government had been 'reluctant' to introduce them. Also describing the Bill as a return of the Game Council, Greens MLC Sue Higginson said it was a 'Labor zombie'. 'A reminder of morally deficient political mistakes of more than 20 years ago,' Ms Higginson. 'What we are seeing is the reconstitution of the former Game Council of NSW, a statutory body abolished in disgrace in 2013 following a devastating independent review.' Ms Higginson described the Bill as a 'political tradeoff' and a 'transactional arrangement' designed to shore up support. The Greens have argued using hunters for controlling invasive species has no 'scientific backing' and that the Bill would set the state backward. Animal Justice Party MLC Emma Hurst told the Council 'recreational hunting is not about conservation' and that she had received threats over her views. She said she had received messages including 'Can someone kill you?' and 'This c**t needs a bullet'. 'This Bill is a betrayal of animals, of public trust and of the values the NSW government was elected to uphold,' Ms Hurst said. Labor, the Liberals and the Greens opposed provisions surrounding the use of silencers, as well as the designation of a Minister for Hunting and Fishing. The bill has stirred controversy since Premier Chris Minns first floated the idea of introducing bounty killings for feral animals. The Invasive Species Council called on the NSW government to not support the Bill on Wednesday morning. Chief executive Jack Gough said the Bill would in effect bring back the 'disgraced' former NSW Game Council, which was dissolved in 2013. 'Recreational hunting is not conservation,' he said. 'It rarely delivers environmental benefits, and in many cases actively obstructs professional control programs. 'You don't reduce invasive species by doing a bit of weekend pig shooting. 'You need coordinated, expert-led programs like aerial shooting, baiting and trapping – the kind of methods the Shooters Party oppose.' Mr Gough said the Bill would increase the influence of hunters over the management of state forests and Crown land. Debate on the Bill will resume later this month.
