The Global Energy Transition

A GLOBAL TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY IS ALREADY UNDERWAY. PEMBINA.ORG

What is renewable energy?

y Natural resources which

are naturally replenished y Renewable is Do-Able in Ontario y Hydro, wind, solar, rain, biogas and geothermal heat y Replenishes conventional fuels

Why do we need this transition?

ENERGYBULLETIN.NET y To control the escalating pace of change and to allow the climate to re-stabilize, humanity has to cut its burning of fossil fuels by at least 70% in a very short time y Unless the world is getting half its energy from noncarbon sources by 2018, we will be locked into an inevitable doubling--and possible tripling--of preindustrial carbon dioxide (CO2) levels later in this century

The World and Renewable Energy

y 48 countries now have some type of renewable energy

promotion policy, including 14 developing countries

Whats Coming?
THE FASTEST GROWING NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY WIND POWER SOLAR POWER BIOENERGY

Mainstream Forms of Renewable Energy

-Wind Powery Air flows can be used to

turn wind turbines y fastest growing source of global electricity generation y Canada has the opportunity to generate 20% of its power by wind by 2025 y Canada generates 1% of its power from wind (National Energy Board 2008)

Wind-Generated Power
PROS CONS
y Reliability of wind y Wildlife can be y y y y

y Clean, renewable y Create new jobs y Decrease high-

polluting energy sources y Free and in abundance y tax credits from the Federal Government

endangered (birds etc.) Lightning can cause damages stored with a battery Noise pollution Site possibilities limited

Global Status: Wind Power

y growth rates of over

25% for the past 15 years y cost-effective source y Europe is the leader (Denmark, Germany and Spain) y 68,000 operational wind turbines

Chart: Global Annual Wind Installations (MW) 1980-2005

Canadian Status: Wind Power

y Slower start y Annual 30% increase in

wind energy development y Turbine technology is increasing y The Canadian Wind Associations goal is 10000 MW of installed wind energy (enough to supply 5% of Canadas electricity needs) y Government is encouraging wind energy growth

Chart: Canadian Installed Capacity (MW) 20002006

-Solar Powery Energy derived from the

sun in the form of solar radiation y Every year, the sun radiates the equivalent of 19,000 billion tons of oil y In 20 minutes, the amount of solar radiation falling on the earth could power the entire planet for 1 year.

Capturing Solar Energy

PASSIVE SOLAR y Measures used to trap and store solar energy inside buildings y Annual costs to heat a home can be reduced by 50%

Capturing Solar Energy

SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS y Absorb the solar radiation falling on them and focus this energy on small areas y This includes solar water heating systems, solar wall air heaters etc.

Capturing Solar Energy

SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) COLLECTORS y Use the photovoltaic principal to convert sunlight directly into direct current (DC) electricity y New manufacturing techniques have began to drastically reduce costs

Solar-Generated Power
PROS CONS

y energy from the sun is

y Not always available y All the costs are

virtually free y unlimited and available everywhere y Flexible and modular

required up-front y Some jurisdictions in Canada have not updated their policies to make it affordable to connect to the energy grid

Global Status: Solar Energy

y The fastest growing

technology is gridconnected solar PV (World Watch Institutes Renewable 2005 report) y grown by 60% each year from 2000-2004 y 4000 homes in Japan, Germany and the U.S.A that have rooftop solar PV y production is expected to rise

Canadian Status: Solar Energy

y 14th/20 countries in

deployment of PV y 17th/22 for solar thermal (International Energy Association) y Our government invests only 16% of the international average y Ontario introduced premium prices for electricity fed into the grid

-Bioenergy-

y Derived from biomass y used to produce a variety

of energy-related products y Biofuels include ethanol and biodiesel

-BioenergyPROS CONS

y Benefits for

y Impact on food prices/

agricultural and forestry industries y Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to traditional fuels

availability y Possibility of indirect deforestation resulting in a higher amount of greenhouse gas emissions

Status and Potential: Bioenergy

y Ranks second (to

hydropower) in the U.S primary renewable energy production y Brazil is the worlds largest producer of biofuels y Industry is growing rapidly y Market-based incentives are increasing in popularity

Investing in Renewables
y Public and private sector

investment in renewable energy is growing rapidly y Government policies and raised awareness of renewable energy opportunities are speeding up the development y The total global investment in clean energy in 2005 was over US $42 billion (Pembina.org)