Renewable Energy Canada

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Canada's Renewable Energy Resources

Canada has been blessed with many sources for renewable energy. Renewable energy comes from renewable resources which are constantly replenished by nature and are therefore a cleaner source of energy. Adding more renewable energy means cleaner air and a more stable energy supply for the future.

Types of Renewable Energy

Solar

Solar Energy, energy from sunlight, has been gaining in popularity as a source of electricity. Solar energy is being used in solar-powered calculators, solar generators for RV batteries, to solar panels on rooftops for heating homes. This same solar power can also be used to generate even larger amounts of electricity. The process of converting light, or photons, to electricity, voltage, is called the photo voltaic (PV) effect.

Solar power technologies use photo voltaic (PV) panels to convert sunlight directly into electricity. This process involves no moving parts. These systems can be very small, using only a few panels, or many panels connected together to construct larger photo voltaic systems. The panels are made of semi conducting materials similar to those used in computer chips. When sunlight is absorbed by these materials, the solar energy knocks electrons loose from their atoms, allowing the electrons to flow through the material to produce electricity.

Read more on Solar Energy

Water

The power of water is already used in hydroelectric plants to generate electricity. Recently many communities, companies and even private landowners have been using water on a smaller scale to generate electricity. Small-scale water power is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to make electricity.

Water power or Hydro Electric Power uses falling water to produce electricity. This falling water is directed through a turbine, causing it to spin. The spinning turbine is coupled to a generator, which produces electrical energy. This generation process produces no pollution and doesn't require a large dam or reservoir. Even a small stream can generate a substantial amount of energy.

Wind

Wind energy is one of the oldest forms of natural energy and has been used for centuries. Once used primarily on farms for pumping water or grinding grain, windmills have been improved immensely and now able to generate electricity without harming the environment. Today’s wind turbines are mounted on tall towers over 100 feet high enabling them to catch the wind's energy more efficiently. Propeller-like blades on a shaft form a simple rotor on a shaft which activates a generator to make electricity. Newer turbines have even been designed to protect birds.

Electricity providers often use wind farms, many wind turbines built close together, to supply electric power. There is a need to balance the need for electricity while still preserving the scenic vistas in coastal or mountain regions.

Ride the Wind!TM

In September 2001 the City of Calgary announced its decision to use commercial wind energy as the primary source of the C-train's electricity. The program is called “Ride the Wind!” because people using the C-Train would actually be traveling with the help of energy captured from the wind.

“Wind energy is rapidly gaining popularity in Alberta. For the City of Calgary, wind energy is helping the city reduce air pollution and the emissions of climate-altering greenhouse gases. Recent changes in the regulations that govern the sale of electricity in Alberta allow anyone to buy electricity from companies producing wind power. As more and more customers buy wind power, wind electric companies will be able to slowly increase the share of Alberta's electricity produced from this clean and endless energy source.”

Geo-Thermal

Geo-Thermal energy is energy supplied by the natural occurring heat trapped in the earth. This energy can be utilized through the use of geothermal heat pumps. Geothermal heat pumps are the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective systems for temperature control. Although, most homes still use traditional furnaces and air conditioners, geothermal heat pumps are becoming more popular.

While temperatures above ground change a lot from day to day and season to season, temperatures in the upper 10 feet of the Earth's surface hold nearly constant between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. For most areas, this means that soil temperatures are usually warmer than the air in winter and cooler than the air in summer. Geothermal heat pumps use the Earth's constant temperatures to heat and cool buildings. They transfer heat from the ground (or water) into buildings in winter and reverse the process in the summer.

Read more on Geo-Thermal Energy

Biomass

Biomass means plant or animal matter. All plants and animals on this planet combined is the biomass of planet earth. As plant or animal matter dies and decays, that decaying matter gives off energy, some in heat, as in composting, but a lot in gas. Much of this naturally occurring gas is methane.

Methane is often found in bogs and wetlands. The decay process can be duplicated in biogas generators to break down organic material such as agricultural and livestock waste. The methane gas can be captured and burned to produce electricity, turning waste into energy. Methane is one of the gases that contributes to global warming. Although naturally occurring, it is the quantity that is produced by agriculture, livestock and urban garbage that is the problem. Proper containment of these wastes not only can provide an energy source but, prevent other toxins that are environmentally detrimental from entering rivers, streams, or groundwater supplies.

Landfill Methane

Approximately 80 percent of all municipal solid waste in Canada is currently being disposed of in landfills. Landfills are the largest single human source of methane emissions, and account for 25 percent of all methane sources. Uncontrolled landfills also emit non-methane organic compounds, which include volatile organic compounds that contribute to ozone formation and hazardous air pollutants that can affect human health. Combustion of landfill gas significantly reduces emissions of methane and non-methane organic compounds.

Landfill methane gas conversion is a promising technology that has great potential for Canada's future. We have an abundance of landfill gas sources throughout the country. The technology exists to capture and process methane on site and convert this natural energy to electricity. With the support of governments, electric utilities, businesses, and environmental groups, Canada can make that potential a reality.

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