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Air Water Land - Energy Evolution —May 9, 2005
Usually wind farms are viewed by environmentalists as a clean power solution
to global warming, but a new wind power project proposed for southeastern
Alberta has garnered opposition from -- of all things -- environmentalists.
Alberta’s Cyprus Hills project isn’t the only proposed wind farm
in Canada running into environmental objections from adjacent landowners. Just
ask Jason Edworthy, managing director for Vision Quest Windelectric,
Canada’s largest wind project owner.
U.S. Energy Secretary Sam Bodman called last week for more international
efforts to develop “clean coal” technologies -- something that is
happening in Canada, but at a painfully slow pace.
If there’s anywhere in North America where people benefit from higher
oil prices it’s Alberta, but that hasn’t stopped a Calgary-based
co-operative from expanding its car-sharing program -- part of a program aimed
at convincing residents of Canada’s energy capital they don’t need
to own vehicles.
If all auto and light truck manufacturers were to take the road that Toyota
Motor Corporation is taking and switch all of their vehicles to more
fuel-efficient hybrids, Canada could reduce its oil demand by about 200,000
barrels daily and cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions substantially, says a
federal government official.
A federal Conservative government could pull Canada out of the Kyoto Protocol
without the fear of lawsuits from environmental groups or corporations that have
made plans or investments based on the plan, say international law experts and
political scientists.
A federal Conservative government would probably support the refurbishment of
existing nuclear power plants in New Brunswick and Ontario but hasn’t
reach a decision on the role nuclear would play in Canada’s total energy
mix, says the party’s environment critic.
The potential environmental benefits of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) using
carbon dioxide (CO2) injection technology are significant and could go a long
way towards meeting Canada’s Kyoto requirements, if EOR projects that are
economical move ahead, says a consultant specializing in the area.
Canada could meet its total Kyoto Protocol obligations if every farmer turned
to the use of carbon dioxide (CO2) capture technologies, says an executive with
a U.S.-based firm that specializes in CO2 capture from livestock operations.
A study has concluded the hidden costs of coal-fired generation -- financial,
health and environmental -- are “very high and more expensive than other
power production options” for Ontario and could be replaced by a
more-economical combination of refurbished nuclear and new natural gas-fuelled
stations.
When Judy McMullen and her family moved to Sydney, Nova Scotia, 20 years ago
she knew nothing about the Sydney Tar Ponds.
Concerns continue to fester over the chances that certain market dynamics
will take on geopolitical characteristics and energy costs might persist in
chipping away at economic performances in some Canadian industry sectors over
the next few years.
With proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects progressing in Canada and
the potential for others to emerge, the National Energy Board (NEB) has started
to develop requirements on implementing those supplies into Canada.
Bulls and bears agree that crude oil prices have entered a new higher era and
are unlikely to fall below $25 (U.S.) per bbl any time soon, but there is little
consensus on how high they will go over the coming year.
Exports of crude oil and equivalent hydrocarbons took a slightly larger share
of Canadian production in February compared to 2004 as shipments slipped by
11.7% versus a year earlier.
The average wholesale price of electricity in the Alberta spot market in the
first quarter this year was $45.90 per megawatt hour -- lower relative to the
previous and 2004 quarters respectively.
A concept similar to one that has been operating in Alberta has been proposed
for Nova Scotia.
Warmer temperatures contributed to lower domestic natural gas sales in
February, which fell by six per cent in 2004, Statistics Canada reports.
Sales were higher for just three of the seven refined product groups in
March, but it was enough to push up the overall total for the month compared to
2004, Statistics Canada reports.
Saskatchewan Power Corporation expects slightly higher earnings this year,
while continuing to invest in maintaining and improving electricity systems in
the province.
While Petro-Canada and Shell Canada Limited experienced better downstream
results, Suncor Energy Inc. saw its performance slip in the first quarter as the
last of the major Canadian integrated energy companies reported.
While some companies -- such as TransCanada Corporation and TransAlta
Corporation -- delve into power generation in other parts of Canada, few operate
regulated utilities in as broad a field as Fortis Inc.
Thanks to diversified transmission systems and other energy assets,
TransCanada Corporation, Enbridge Inc. and Terasen Inc. -- the major Canadian
pipeline system operators -- achieved some gains in the first quarter.
The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC) of Prince Edward Island
has authorized wholesalers to increase all gasoline and diesel fuel rates by 2.6
and 1.4 cents per litre respectively in May.
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