MacGregor farmer and self-proclaimed solar energy producer Tim Sawatzky, owner of Sawatzky Enterprises Ltd., attended the Manitoba Sustainable Energy Association (ManSEA) conference yesterday in Portage la Prairie. Sawatzky has a 21.8-kilowatt system powering his entire house. He says the various presentations were interesting, but he had one qualm about the allegation that farmers are producing a huge amount of gas emissions currently concerning the world.

"I think if you talk to most farmers we don't believe that we're contributing that much," Sawatzky explains. "If we are, we also -- with the amount of trees and pasture we have around us -- are sequestering the carbon. I feel that's being left out of the discussion."

Tim SawatzkyHe adds the conference presented some interesting thoughts ranging from climate-watching to farmers gaining more control of what they do with energy.

Sawatzky's proved he's doing what he can for the environment.

"I have a 20.8-kilowatt system that powers my entire house," he says. "Although I do have natural gas, which is kind of weird. I put it in two years ago. And at this point, I'm thinking why did I do that. I did that because it was half the price of electricity to heat my house." He continues, "If I had known there were solar systems available, I would not have spent seeing as it took me a lot of money to convert my house over to natural gas. I would probably have been better off putting it toward solar panels. I'm a little concerned now with the way (Manitoba) Hydro's saying they may not pay me back the same amount that I paid. If they don't pay me back that amount, that'll kill the solar industry in Manitoba."

He says other things weighing on his mind include getting a sense of where the money goes if the province taxes carbon. Sawatzky adds there's a lot of talk about giving it to the poorer people who cannot afford it, as well as putting it into research and development to get us away from fossil fuels, which is where they should do it if anywhere.