This came across my desk today:

Finavera Renewables Welcomes BC Hydro Decision on Clean Power Call

Vancouver, Canada, August 24^th, 2009 – Finavera Renewables Inc. (‘Finavera Renewables’ or the ‘Company’) (TSX-V: FVR) is pleased to provide an update on the BC Hydro Clean Power Call (“CPC”) process. BC Hydro has announced energy purchase agreements under the 2008 Clean Power Call are anticipated to be awarded in the Fall of 2009. The Clean Power Call timing was affected after the British Columbia Utilities Commission recently rejected portions of the BC Hydro Long Term Acquisition Plan. In its update, BC Hydro also states that it will be assessing the status of First Nations consultations to determine whether adequate consultation has occurred with respect to the proposed sale of power to BC Hydro.

Finavera Renewables CEO Jason Bak said, “The news that BC Hydro will be proceeding with the Clean Power Call sends a strong message to British Columbians and the renewable energy industry that this province is committed to clean electricity generation. The government of British Columbia and BC Hydro have been consistent in their support of the Clean Power Call and this update provides clarity for investors and the industry as a whole. We also welcome the increased scrutiny of First Nations consultations given our commitment to an ongoing and respectful dialogue with First Nations in our project areas.”

Finavera Renewables has submitted four projects totaling 293 megawatts into the Clean Power Call. Final turbine suitability studies, wind analyses, and civil, electrical, mechanical, communications designs and contractor cost estimates have been prepared for each project and incorporated into the proposals to BC Hydro. The projects represent an optimal mix of attractive firm energy pricing combined with accurate and realistic capital costs and secured financing. All necessary permits for securing exclusive access to the lands for development of wind energy are in place and in good standing. All other permits are on track for the proposed timelines.

To view the BC Hydro update, please visit: www.bchydro.com/planning_regulatory/acquiring_power/clean_power_call.html

Jason Bak, CEO

For more information:

Finavera Renewables Myke Clark SVP Business Development Finavera Renewables 604-288-9051 mclark@finavera.com

About Finavera Renewables Inc. (www.finavera.com)

Finavera Renewables Inc. is dedicated to the development of renewable energy resources and technologies. The Company’s objective is to become a major renewable and green energy producer by developing and operating its assets in the wind sector. Finavera Renewables is developing wind energy projects in Canada and Ireland. In British Columbia, Canada, projects totaling 293 MW have been bid into the 2008 BC Hydro Clean Power Call. In Alberta, one 75 MW project is being developed. In Ireland, two pre-construction wind projects are under development with a potential capacity of 175MW. Data collection and environmental studies have been continuing at a number of sites in both countries.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. This press release contains “forward-looking information” that is based on Company’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements with respect to the strength of the Company’s proposed wind farms, outlooks and business strategy. The words “would”, “will”, “expected” and “estimated” or other similar words and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different than those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: uncertainties related to the ability to raise sufficient capital, changes in economic conditions or financial markets, litigation, legislative or other judicial, regulatory and political competitive developments and technological or operational difficulties. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Company’s forward-looking information. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed, and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of, this release

Run of the River power

I have been doing some research on some energy issues and doing some comparisons of different energy sources and their relative costs financially, socially and environmentally. In doing this work and developing the report I was going to put in some of the environmental issues with run of river power projects. Guess what, I can not find any measurable data showing any environmental impact from run of the river in BC.

There are people that say run of the river is a problem for wildlife. I looked for any research that shows that wildlife is negatively impacted by run of the river in BC. I could find nothing. No data or research within any of the submissions to the Environmental Assessment process indicated any measurable impact to wildlife

Many people are talking about impact on fish, once again I can not find any data indicating any measurable impact on fish. In fact the majority of the projects I looked at were on sections of water courses that do not have fish within them and are above the fish habitat area. There is no good data I could find that there has been any temperature or water flow changes due to the projects.

Increased human activity is claimed to be detrimental, but I can not see the evidence that the added people from run of the river is measurable above the existing impact of forestry, mineral exploration and tourism.

All the projects approved in the EAO process have mitigation strategies for presumed impacts on the environment. They also have long term data gathering going on. It seems to me that the power companies will be required to improve the environment to something better than before the power project was built.

When I blogged about wind power, I was sent a lot of data on people claiming environmental impacts from the windmills. I may not agree with some of what they are saying, but at least there is data to discuss. When it comes to run of the river I can not find any data indicating a problem. All the data I can find indicates there is no measurable impact.

All I am finding are suppositions of potential problems or wild hyperbole with no backing. I can find nothing to indicate that the operating projects have caused any measurable harm to the environment. I have seen one thing in relation to Miller Creek that there was a problem with water flows in 2007 due to human error. Though it was caught before there was an impact.

These power projects are almost all in areas that are within or close to the timber harvesting land base in BC. The footprint of the power projects is several orders of magnitude smaller than the timber harvesting that is going on in the same areas. As an example, the total footprint of all the new land to be disturbed by the Bute Inlet project of Plutonic Power will be smaller than an average clear cut. This for a project that will produce the scale of power of something like the large hydro electric projects. Williston Resevoir, created by the WAC Bennett dam, has an area of 175 000 hectares. That is an area roughly equal to all the timber harvesting in one year in BC.

To put it in other terms, to use the same footprint as the WAC Bennett dam, there would have to be several thousand Bute Inlet type projects built.

I am happy to read anything out there that indicates there is something measurable going on, though I would love to know where it is hiding.

Compact Fluorescent Lights

Many people have jumped on the band wagon to get rid of their incandescent light bulbs and replace them with Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs - CFLs. As time goes by I am realizing there are more and more problems with CFLs and they many not be a great improvement.

I was an early adopter of compact fluorescent lights, the costs at the time I started buying them was high that there was no cost savings on the electrical usage. When I started buying them they were about $8 to $12 a bulb. I bought them to use less power, but I also bought them to reduce the heat in my home. I lived in Lillooet at the time and the reduction of heat from the bulbs made a significant difference in keeping my house cool for five to six months of the year. Having the CFLs meant about 600 watts less of heat going into the house each hour.

I have not been impressed with the length of time CFLs last - in certain parts of this house they last less than a year and in the bathroom fixtures less than six months. I am concerned about the best to dispose of the bulbs, especially when they break. The cost savings are still not really worth it. Electricity is so cheap in BC that you have to save a lot of power to pay for the higher costs. Power is so cheap in BC that is cheaper for me to use oil filled electric space heaters than an oil furnace.

If my concerns were not enough, local Victoria electrician Walter McGinnis has strong issues with the electromagnetic fields of CFLs. Here is a video of an interview with him on Jack Etkin's show face to face