Renewable Energy

Technologies

 Wind Energy
 Small Hydro
 Solar
 Photovoltaic
 Solar Water Heating
 Passive Solar Heating
 Solar Air Heating
 Biomass
 Ground-Source Heat Pumps
 Emerging technologies
Natural Resources Ressources naturelles CANMET- EDRL
Canada Canada
Wind Energy

R otor B lade
Worldwide
installed capacity:
W ind
N acelle w ith
G earbox and
G enerator 10,000 MW

Canadian:
H ub
H eight
126 MW (25,200 homes)
W ind T ow er

Remote communities:
630 kW (210 homes)
Wind Energy
 Needs:
Good winds
Coastal areas, hilltops, E-W valleys
 Minimum average windspeed :
4.5 m/s at 10 metres
 3 types of wind energy systems:
central grid
isolated grid
off-grid

750 kW machine
Wind Energy
 Capital cost: $1,000 - 4,000/kW
 Cost of energy: $ 0.05 to 0.20/kWh
 Economy of scale
 Payback: 5 - 15 years

2 X 80 kW turbines
Kugluktuk, NWT
Wind Energy

Operational considerations
 Technology proven
 Low operation and maintenance costs
 Trained operator needed
 Repairs require special expertise
 Other considerations
Small Hydro
Small Hydro
 3 configurations:
dam
run of river
diversion

Small hydro plant installed in rural Quebec

Small Hydro
 1,500 MW existing/1,500 MW potential in
Canada
 Power output depends on the available water
(flow) and the head (drop in elevation)
 Capital cost: $ 1,500 - 7,000 / kW
 Cost of energy: $ 0.05 to 0.20 / kWh
 Maintenance: $ 0.015 / kWh
 Payback: 10 to 40 years
Small Hydro

Operational considerations
 Proven technology in wide use
 Stand alone system
 Low maintenance costs
 Environmental
fish and flooding
 Ownership/shared use
 Utility regulations
Photovoltaics (PV)

Direct conversion of sunlight electricity

Photovoltaics (PV)
 Worldwide installed capacity: about 800 MWp
 Canadian installed capacity: 4.5 MWp
 Wherever sun shines
Off-grid, remote, north
More energy
 at lower temperatures
 Stand-alone with
battery storage
Nunavut Arctic College
Iqaluit, Nunavut
PV Power 3.5 kWp
Photovoltaics (PV)
 Capital cost: $ 5,000 - 20,000 / kW
 Cost of energy: $ 0.37 to 4.50 / kWh
 No economy of scale
 Payback: 0 to 70 years

Tanquary Fiord (81° N), Ellesmere Island, Nunavut

Photovoltaics (PV)

Operational considerations
 Technology proven
 Many applications
cottages
remote camps
communications
navigation signals
water pumping
 Low operation and maintenance costs
 Repairs may require special expertise
Passive Solar Heating

Building elements are used to collect,

store and distribute solar heat internally.
Passive Solar Heating

 Supplying energy in the heating season

 Solar gains available through south
facing windows
 Best to use high efficiency windows
 Store heat within building structure
 Can reduce heating cost to less than half
 Payback: 0 to 10 years
Passive Solar Heating

Waterloo Green Home, Waterloo, Ontario

Passive Solar Heating

Operational considerations
 Technology proven
 Viable at any latitude
 For new construction - no cost increase
 For retrofit - low cost
 No additional operation and maintenance costs
Solar Water Heating
Solar radiation is captured by a solar collector.
A circulating fluid transfers this energy to a storage tank.
Heat is transferred from storage tank to hot water tank.
Solar Water Heating
 Wherever the sun shines
 13,000 active solar domestic hot water
systems in Canada
 300 commercial
& industrial systems
in Canada

Building Application
Solar Water Heating
 30,000,000 m² of collectors worldwide
 Costs : $ 3,000 - 6,000 installed
for a typical
Canadian house
hot water system
 Payback:
5 to 12 years

Solar Water Heating

for Salmon Hatchery Collector

Fanny Bay, Vancouver Island, B.C.

Solar Water Heating
Operational considerations
 Technology proven
 Viable at any latitude
 New and retrofit applications
 Operation and maintenance costs - medium
level
 Repair by qualified plumber
 Freeze protection required
Solar Air Heating

Cold air is heated as it

passes through small
holes in the metal
absorber plate.
A fan circulates this
heated air through
the building.
Solar Air Heating
 Reduces building
heat loss during
the winter
 Good indoor air
quality

150 m² on Recreation Center,

Fort Smith, NWT
Solar Air Heating
 Energy savings
$ 10 - 60/m² of collector (during heating season)
 Payback:
1 to 10 years

Bombardier plant,
St-Laurent, Quebec
Solar Air Heating
Operational considerations
 Technology proven
 Need south facing wall area  15 m²
 Current applications - institutional, commercial
and industrial buildings
 Particulary suitable for new construction
 Low operation and maintenance costs
 No specialist required depending on system
Biomass
 Traditional fuel
1.5 million houses in Canada
6% of Canada energy’s supply

 Biomass fuel types

wood, agricultural, municipal
 wastes and sewage
 Common applications
space heating
electricity generation
industrial process heating

Biomass
Residential wood heating
 Equipment selection
 Installation
 Operation
 Safety
Biomass

Larger systems
 Building/district heating
 Electricity generation
 Fuel types
 Typical cost:
160 kW = $80,000
 $1.85 to 2.90/MBtu
 Typical paybacks:
2-12 years
 Operator qualifications Small-commercial biomass heating
system Prince Edward Island
and safety
Ground-Source Heat Pumps
 Large potential in Canada
 Capital cost $ 900 /kW
 Cost of energy :
$ 0.03 to
0.075 /kWh
Ground-Source Heat Pumps
 30,000 Ground-Source
heat pumps in residences
in Canada E arth backfilled trench
R everse return header
(to balance pressure losses)

 3,000+ units in industrial

and commercial buildings
S upply header

G rout (and earth

backfill w hen perm itted)

B orehole

G round loop pipe

U -bend
Ground-Source Heat Pumps

Residential ground-source heat pump installation

Ground-Source Heat Pumps

Operational considerations
 Technology proven
 New / retrofit applications
 High front end cost
 Operational and maintenance costs - low level
Emerging technologies
 Solar thermal power
 Ocean thermal power
 Tidal power
 Ocean current power
 Wave power
Conclusion
 Focus has been on applications
with immediate potential
that offer practical benefits to users
 But there are specific considerations
 Lots of success stories
 Lots of information, help and resources
available
Testimonials

“Our traditional Cree values and practices

emphasize conservation and respect for the
environment”.
“Our housing here in Ouje-Bougoumou is R-2000
plus”.
“The district heating system is making it possible for
our housing program to be self-sufficient”.
Chief Abel Bosum, Ouje-bougoumou
Where next
 Expertise
 Preliminary feasibility studies (RETScreen)
 Financing
 More information
RETScreen Renewable Energy
Project Analysis Software

 Microsoft Excel spreadsheet

(easy-to-use & low cost)

 User manual & supporting

databases

 Decision-support &
capacity-building tool

 Available free-of-charge
RETScreen Software:
Integrated & Standardised Tool

Energy Cost Financial

Model Analysis Summary
Worksheet Worksheet Worksheet
Solar Resource,
Heating Load,
Hydrology, etc. Product database
Sub-Worksheet Weather databases
Online manual

Sensitivity Analysis
Benefits of RETScreen
 Significantly reduces assessment costs and
time - at least 1 order of magnitude!
 Allows quick identification and/or verification
of EE/RET project implementation
opportunities leading to a reduction in GHG
emissions and energy costs
 Helps overcome major barrier by increasing
consideration of EE/RETs by planners and
decision-makers -- EE/RET projects may not
be considered otherwise!
Common Platform For
Assessing Potential Projects
How do I get RETScreen?

www.retscreen.net
Information sources
 CANMET Energy Diversification Research
Laboratory (CEDRL)
1-450-652-4621
Email: rets@nrcan.gc.ca
Web Site: http://retscreen.gc.ca

 Provincial and Territorial Energy Offices

Natural Resources Ressources naturelles

Canada Canada
CANMET- EDRL
Information sources
 Natural Resources Canada through the:
Energy Technology Branch
Email: rlubin@nrcan.gc.ca
Web site: www.nrcan.gc.ca/es/etb
Renewable and Electrical Energy Division
Web Site: www.nrcan.gc.ca/erb/reed

Office of Energy Efficiency

Tel.: 1-800-387-2000
Email: oee@nrcan.gc.ca
Web Site: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca
Information sources
 Trade Associations:
SESCI
Email: sesci@sympatico.ca
Web Site: newenergy.org/newenergy/sesci.html
CANSIA
Email: cansia@magmacom.com
Web Site: newenergy.org/newenergy/cansia.html
CANWEA
Email: canwea@canwea.ca
Web Site: www.canwea.ca