energy literacy
DESCRIPTION
A report created by Mediaplanet on the origin and management of Ontario's energy sources.TRANSCRIPT
A SPONSORED FEATURE BY MEDIAPLANET
ENERGY LITERACY
3FacTsaBOuT green living
greenlivingnews.ca
WHAT’S POWERING OUR PROVINCE?
Ontario’s energy landscape is changing. This is your guide to becoming a smarter energy consumer.
Featuring
SAVE ON ENERGY Gord Miller talks energy
conservation
GREEN BUILDING Three phases of
sustainable building
OUR ENERGY A breakdown of Ontario’s
energy supply mix
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Ontario’s elec-tricity system serves 13 mil-lion people and thousands of businesses, spread over an
area larger than France and Spain combined. We have a highly reliable system, and thanks to the elimina-tion of coal-fi red power, we also have a cleaner system.
Yet when we think about elec-tricity, the focus tends to be on our bills, and what we can do to save money.
creating informed citizensIt is also important to understand how our electricity system works. When we know where our power comes from, how it is produced, and how it gets to our homes, we’re bet-ter prepared as consumers. We’re
able to e� ectively take advantage of the options available to help save money on our bills as well as make our system even stronger.
The better informed we are as cit-izens, the more e� ectively we can work together to build tomorrow’s electricity system. Energy literacy prepares us to have meaningful conversations around such import-ant topics as energy conservation, renewables, and energy e� ciency — all key to Ontario’s long-term energy plan.
long-term energy planThe plan, called Achieving Balance, speaks to fi ve principles that will guide future decisions: cost e� ect-iveness, reliability, clean energy, community engagement, and an emphasis on conservation and de-mand management before building new energy generation.
Conservation is important be-cause it’s the cleanest and cheap-est energy resource and o� ers con-sumers a way to reduce their energy bills. For every $1 invested in con-servation, Ontario has avoided $2 in costs to the electricity system.
Achieving Balance addresses transmission enhancements, in-cluding increasing transmission capacity to the areas north and west of Thunder Bay. It refl ects Ontario’s evolving commitment to renew-ables, including hydroelectricity. It also continues to position On-tario as an innovation leader, with a planned expansion of the success-ful Smart Grid Fund and a new focus on energy storage technologies.
Achieving Balance was developed with input from thousands of On-tarians — and we’re counting on continued public involvement as we implement it.
The benefit to ratepayersMeanwhile, issues like affordabil-ity are highly important to ratepay-ers. In April 2014 the government an-nounced the development of the On-tario Electricity Support Program, which will provide ongoing assist-ance directly on the bills of eligible low-income electricity consumers. The province is working with the On-tario Energy Board to develop this pro-gram in collaboration with utilities and social service delivery agents.
Energy literacy can help people stay on top of the issues. That’s why Achieving Balance calls for a strategy to enhance public awareness, includ-ing educational tools and open data that features accessible information on the energy needs and supply op-tions for each of the electricity re-gions in Ontario.
HON. BOB CHIARELLI [email protected]
A BRIGHTER FUTURE THROUGH ENERGY LITERACY
HOn. BOB cHiarelli mppMINISTER OF ENERGY
“The better informed we are as citizens, the more e� ectively we can work together to build tomorrow’s electricity system."
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
A SPONSORED FEATURE BY MEDIAPLANET2 · greenlivingnews.ca
Meet Ontario’s supply mix
mediaplanet How is natural gas produced and distributed?Timothy m. egan Natural gas is produced by tapping naturally occurring underground sup-ply, but can also be produced from agricultural waste, biomass, and landfi ll sites. It is transport-ed by pipeline from processing plants in pro-ducing areas to distribution pipeline systems throughout Canada. Today, a� ordable, clean nat-ural gas is delivered safely and reliably to over 6.5 million customers by Canada’s natural gas dis-tribution companies. It meets over 30 percent of energy needs (more than electricity) serving tens of millions of Canadians in their homes, businesses, and industry.
mp what are some environmental benefits of natural gas?Te Natural gas is an e� cient and clean burn-ing energy choice with very low emissions. Nat-ural gas is also an important partner for many intermittent renewable technologies like wind and solar, assuring that energy will be available when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. Further, in the case of inadvertent releas-es of natural gas, it dissipates in the air avoid-ing land or water contamination. And natural gas distribution companies are leaders in work-ing with customers to identify ways to improve energy e� ciency in homes and businesses.
Mediaplanet’s business is to create new customers for our advertisers by providing readers with high-quality editorial content that motivates them to act.
mediaplanet How is nuclear energy produced and distributed?Dr. John Barrett A nuclear reactor splits uranium atoms, releasing massive amounts of heat used to boil water. Steam turns huge turbines, generating electricity that reaches you via the provincial power grid. The nucle-ar reaction produces zero carbon emissions. The used nuclear fuel, which is radioactive, is stored safely in large concrete casks, com-pletely isolated from the environment.
Canada’s 19 operating nuclear reactors pro-duce about 15 percent of Canada’s electricity. In Ontario, 18 reactors produced 59 percent of the province’s needs.
mp what are some environmental benefits of nuclear energy?JB A nuclear generating station generates zero greenhouse gas, making it an important tool in managing climate change. Even when compared to fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natur-al gas) on emissions from plant construction through to decommissioning, nuclear power releases far less greenhouse gases. It compares very favourably to hydro, wind, and solar. Un-like wind and solar, a nuclear generating sta-tion runs 24/7, producing electricity around the clock — safely, reliably, and a� ordably.
Dr. John BarrettPRESIDENT & CEO, CANADIAN NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION
ENERGY LITERACYFIRST EDITION, JUNE 2014
publisher: Benjamin Chacon & Richard LiortiBusiness Developer: Matthew Dyer & Martin Kocandrle
managing Director: Joshua Nagelproduction manager: Laura Shaw
lead Designer: Matthew SenraDesigner: Scott Dixon
contributors: Patrick Bissett, Hon. Bob Chiarelli,
Linda Franklin, Elianna Lev, D.F. McCourt, Gord Miller, Julia Zeeman
send all inquiries to [email protected]
Distributed within: The Toronto Star, June 2014
This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve the Toronto Star or its Editorial Departments.
chris Hadfield talks education and energy
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mediaplanet How is hydropower produced and distributed?Jacob irving Hydropower draws energy from falling or fl owing water and converts it into electricity, without consuming, wasting, or depleting water in the process. With a res-ervoir to store energy, hydropower becomes more fl exible than any other electricity source and can support the integration of other, more variable renewable power sources, such as wind or solar. Hydropower brings reliability and stability to the electricity system to help meet fl uctuations in electricity demand.
mp what are some environmental benefits of hydropower?Ji Hydropower produces no air pollutants and has ultra-low greenhouse gas emissions. From a full life cycle assessment basis, hydropower’s greenhouse gases are as low as wind power — and in many cases, even lower. In Canada, all hydropower projects are subject to a com-prehensive environmental assessment. Each stage of a project, from planning to construc-tion to operation, is assessed to avoid, mini-mize, mitigate, or compensate any potential negative impacts on the environment, while optimizing positive e� ects.
JacOB irvingPRESIDENT, CANADIAN HYDROPOWER ASSOCIATION
Timothy m. eganPRESIDENT & CEO,CANADIAN GAS ASSOCIATION
mediaplanet How is wind energy produced and distributed?robert Hornung As the blades of a wind turbine turn, the kinetic energy of the wind is converted into mechanical energy, which is transmitted through a drive shaft to an electrical generator in the nacelle. The re-sulting electrical current travels via under-ground cables to a substation, where it is converted to a higher voltage for the larger electricity transmission or distribution grid. From there, it’s delivered to the electric util-ity and customers.
mp what are some environmental benefits of wind energy?rH Wind energy is recognized as one of the safest and most environmentally friendly forms of new electricity generation around the world. It is recognized by progressive governments around the world as an inte-gral part of a modern electricity grid that is more decentralized, nimble and fl exible than traditional forms of generation in re-sponding to changing economic and en-vironmental circumstances.
Wind energy uses no fossil fuels to gener-ate electricity, producing no greenhouse gas emissions or air pollution. When generat-ing electricity, wind energy uses much less water than other sources of electricity gen-eration and also produces no nuclear, toxic or hazardous wastes.
robert HornungPRESIDENT, CANADIAN WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION
Exporting Canadian expertise. Importing quality jobs.International exports of CANDU nuclear technology represent new high-tech jobs for Canadians.
In fact, with each CANDU reactor we build abroad, Canada gains about 35,000 person-years of work and a $3.5 billion boost to the economy.
Candu Energy is pursuing a number of promising opportunities to provide nuclear power to countries that are looking to meet an increasing demand for energy and a desire for cleaner air.
The opportunities are out there, and we’re ready to meet them.
www.candu.com
Ontario's electricity comes from a diverse mix of sources — nuclear, hydro, gas, wind, and to a smaller degree solar and biofuels. learn how Ontario’s energy is generated, distributed, and why it matters to you.
visiT livinggreennews.caFOr aDDiTiOnal answers FrOm Our panelisTs
“It’s only through the engineering, math, and science that we’re going to fi nd the most e� cient and least polluting ways of powering, heating, and feeding the entire world.”
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NEWS
greenlivingnews.ca · 3
For humanity, says re-tired colonel Chris Had-field in a recent article for Wired Magazine, “the
basic limitation is power.” His point is twofold: the only thing hold-ing humanity back is our power generation technology, and simul-taneously, the biggest risk human-ity faces is the fallout of our hunger for energy, particularly fossil fuels. It says something when the world’s most beloved astronaut, and a Can-adian national treasure, hones in on power production and fuel as the most important issues of the day. The topic is one of particular rel-evance in colonel Hadfi eld’s home province of Ontario. For the fi rst half of the 20th century, Ontario was able to satisfy nearly all elec-tricity demands with clean hydro-electric power. That legacy is still evident today in the uniquely Can-adian term “hydro” for consumer electricity. In the 1960s, we intro-duced coal into the fuel mix to meet growing demand, in the 70s and 80s Ontario invested heavily in nucle-ar power and, over the last 20 years, we’ve become a global leader in re-newable energy.
strength through diversityThe result is an extremely di-verse power system, unlike that of any other province. And, ac-cording to Kim Warren, Vice Presi-dent of Operations and COO at the Independent Electricity Sys-tem Operator of Ontario, that’s a very good thing. “Diversity allevi-ates the e� ects of extreme weather events, like that tornado that went through Angus, Ontario [on June 17],” says Warren. “It also prevents what we call ‘common mode fail-ures.’ Imagine you have ten cars in your driveway all of the same make and model; a single parts recall can
take out your entire fl eet. If you have ten cars of all from di� erent manufacturers, most of your fl eet will almost always be available.”
More than that, the robustness that comes from this sort of di-versity means that Ontario always has options in developing ongoing energy policies. “If we didn’t have a system as strong as the one we do,” says Amir Shalaby, Vice President of Power System Planning at the On-tario Power Authority, “we wouldn’t be able to support policy decisions like the elimination of coal.” When the Thunder Bay Generating Sta-tion burned the last of its coal fu-el reserves this April and began the
process of converting to clean bio-mass, in accordance with Minister of Energy Bob Chiarelli’s long term energy plan, Ontario became the fi rst jurisdiction in North America to entirely transition to a post-coal power system.
interconnection, redundancy, and modernizationIt is not just Ontario’s unique fuel mix that makes the province’s elec-tricity network so strong, though, it is also a world-leading transmis-sion grid. “We’re about the size of Texas and California combined,” Warren points out. “So we must maintain an extensive and robust
transmission system. We also have a great set of interconnections with Quebec, the Midwest, New York, and Manitoba. These bode very well for us in times of emergent need and extreme scenarios.”
Of course, these cross-border connections do not come without a cost. In the great northeastern blackout of 2003, Ontario was the hardest hit jurisdiction, despite the fact that the event that started the cascade and took the grid down (a sagging transmission line strik-ing a tree) happened in Ohio. The reason that blackout happened at all, both Warren and Shalaby agree, was the absence of what they call
“mandatory enforceable stan-dards” in transmission grid main-tenance. These regulations, already mandatory in Ontario, were, at the time, voluntary in the United States. The blackout was a wake-up call and now American jurisdic-tions have fallen in line with these Canadian standards.
Further, the ongoing computeri-zation of Ontario’s energy system has provided gains in both reliabil-ity and e� ciency. “The sophistica-tion of our modern control center means we are looking at literally thousands of pieces of information every minute,” says Warren. “The more e� ciently we can monitor the system, the harder we can push the generation, and the more cost-e� ective our power delivery to con-sumers can be.”
worth the price tagOf course, in Ontario today, when people talk about electricity, what they talk about is cost. But it’s im-portant to remember that not every kilowatt is created equal. The price we pay for electricity in On-tario is the price paid for a clean, modern, and reliable power sys-tem. When you consider the al-ternative, everybody would agree, especially colonel Hadfi eld, that Ontario is doing things right.
ONTARIO’S ELECTRICITY GRID: A ROBUST POWER SYSTEM
D.F. MCCOURT
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“If we didn’t have a system as strong as the one we do, we wouldn’t be able to support policy
decisions like the elimination of coal.”
Triple THreaTOntario has a reliable, robust, and cost-competitive electricity system. pictured is one of Ontario’s many power generating turbines.PHOTO: ONTARIO POWER GENERATION
GREEN BUILDING
A SPONSORED FEATURE BY MEDIAPLANET4 · greenlivingnews.ca
Ontario is currently in the grip of a major building boom. nowhere is this boom more apparent than in Toron-to, its skyline peppered with construction cranes atop buildings in progress. How-ever, while such progress is welcome, it’s important to note just how green these buildings are, and what can be done to improve overall sustainability.
There are three phases in the lifespan of sustainable buildings: design, con-struction, and operation. The fi rst phase focuses on elements necessary to create a sustainable building. It is at this point that architects and en-gineers will consider features such as appropriate HVAC units, energy-e� cient lighting, water conservation systems, and so on.
Construction focuses on putting the design together in an e� cient manner using materials that are sourced as locally as possible and that are environmentally friendly.
Finally, the operations phase is the point where the building is in-habited and used. At this stage, sus-tainable best practices are applied in order to ensure that the building is maintained e� ciently, and accord-ing to its green credentials. In terms of commercial buildings, this may require that sta� fully power down their computers before leaving or that cleaning sta� work during the day instead of night. This last meas-ure circumvents the necessity for buildings to remain lit for long per-iods and saves energy, money, and prevents carbon emissions.
a holistic approachThomas Mueller is the CEO and Presi-dent of the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) and is keen to im-press the holistic nature of sustaina-bility: “everything has to work togeth-er,” says Thomas. “Each phase is re-lated to the next and there’s no point building green buildings if we’re not doing the right things at all times.”
This is an argument echoed by the Building Owners and Managers As-sociation of Toronto’s (BOMA) Presi-dent Chris Conway: “people need to get together at the design phase and building sta� must be trained for the operations phase so they know how to use building equipment e� -ciently. You can have the best build-ing in the city, but it won’t run well unless people are properly trained and know what they’re doing. You need active management to make it work.” And it’s vital that it does work. According to Chris, buildings gener-ate one-third of all carbon emissions.
There are many benefi ts to green buildings. They decrease energy use, cost less to run, and have superior air
quality due to using only environ-mentally friendly materials.
Roger Johnson, Senior VP of Enter-prise Real Estate at TD Bank, says that the implementation of Green initia-tives is not only good for the environ-ment and people’s health, but can al-so benefi t a company’s bottom line. “People care deeply for the environ-ment. We get a lot of business as a dir-ect result of our sustainable practi-ces. People come to us and tell us that they appreciate what we’re doing, and that they want to be part of that.”
Do the right thingHowever, while many buildings are operated to a high standard, some still lag behind. Apartment buildings are typically built to sell, and aren’t always constructed with a view to-wards long-term sustainability.
“Unlike in Europe, where the EU issues directives and legislates for sustainability, here we rely more on the private sector to come up with solutions,” says Thomas Mueller.
“We are defi nitely behind the EU, but are making progress. There
are landlords who understand that people want to live and work in sustainable buildings and that going green can make a building more competitive and attract bet-ter rents. We don’t need to rely on government to do the right thing.” The benefi t of sustainable buildings then, is clear, and we can expect to see more in the future.
Building a sustainable future
while much of the momen-tum for reducing carbon emissions begins at the de-sign stage, the relationship between landlords and ten-ants remains critical for en-suring lower emissions.
“Data plays a big part in this” says Michael Brooks, CEO of the Re-al Property Association of Can-ada (REALpac) “When managers or landlords look at the numbers of their energy burn on a 24-hour basis, a lot of them are shocked. At fi rst they don’t understand why they’re burning so much at, say, three in the morning or three in the afternoon. But once they do, it’s a case of getting tenants to see the ef-fect of things like plug load during the day, or leaving lights on in un-used areas and at night.”
getting buy-inAccording to Michael, getting buy-in from tenants is crucial to success-fully lower carbon emissions. “It starts with explaining how small changes in behaviour have a big im-pact — is it really necessary to have an entire building heated to the daytime standard on winter nights and weekends or cooled to the day-time standard on summer nights and weekends when most or all of it is not occupied? Let’s retrofi t occu-pancy sensors so lights come on on-ly when necessary. In commercial buildings, a lot of energy is saved when workers turn o� their desk lamps, co� eemakers and photocopi-ers, and power down their comput-ers before leaving for home.”
In some newer residential build-ings, another innovation is the green switch, says Michael. “Green switches are a great way to save energy. When you leave your apart-ment you just hit the switch and it powers o� every appliance and de-vice in your home, except for things like the fridge. It’s a simple way of saving massive amounts of energy.”
PATRICK [email protected]
landlords and tenants:a partnership for lower emissions
GREEN REAL ESTATE
“There are landlords who understand that people want to live and work in sustainable buildings and that going green can make a building more competitive and attract better rents.”
PATRICK BISSETT
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michael Brooks CEO, REAL PROPERTY ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
TeamwOrK is KeYworking together at the design, construction, and operation phases will help your building receive the highest level of efficiency. TOP PHOTO: JAMIE MCCAFFREY / FLICKR
BOTTOM RIGHT PHOTO: DAN BANKO
“There are landlords who understand that people want to live and work in sustainable buildings and that going green can
“There are landlords who understand that people want to live and work in sustainable buildings and that going green can make a building more competitive and attract better rents.”
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PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
greenlivingnews.ca · 5
six interesting facts about eighth avenue place
■ It was the fi rst o� ce high-rise in Canada to attain LEED Platinum certifi cation.
■ There is close to 2,000,000 ft2 total gross leasable area of commercial o� ce space.
■ The building has a 40 percent reduction in water use through features such as ultra-low-fl ow urinals and low-fl ow water closets.
■ State-of-the-art building management and control system to monitor consumption and tenant comfort requests.
■ The building boasts Canada’s largest green roof encompassing more than 30,000 ft2 (o� ce tower building).
■ There is a 50 percent landfi ll diversion of construction waste.
DON’T MISS
D.F. MCCOURT
The buildingsEighth Avenue Place is a two-build-ing site in the heart of downtown Calgary. Phase One, 49 stories tall, was completed in 2011 and was the fi rst o� ce high-rise in Canada to at-tain LEED Platinum certifi cation. Phase Two, 40 stories tall, is expected to achieve substantial completion this summer. Inspired by the Rocky Mountains, the boldly angled tow-ers are already a distinctive feature of the Calgary skyline.
sustainabilityEighth Avenue Place was conceived as a class-leading green building site from the beginning, and that sensibility has informed every as-pect of its construction. Integrated throughout the towers is a state-of-the-art building management and control system which ensures max-imum energy e� ciency. The build-ing consumes 40 percent less water than others in its class. The 30,000 square foot green roof is the largest of its kind in Canada.
livability“Sustainability breeds livability” seems to be the motto at Eighth Av-enue Place. A commitment to green materials, including paints and seal-ants, means cleaner air for those who work in the building. The 300 bike stalls with attendant showers in the parking area promote both emission reduction and employee health. An extensive winter garden provides green space year-round and connects the buildings to Calgary’s Plus 15 pedestrian network.
The partnersEighth Avenue Place is a project of Ivanhoé Cambridge, in partnership with AIMCo and Hines. Ivanhoé Cambridge is a Canadian property management and development com-pany headquartered in Montreal. The design architecture fi rm for Eighth Avenue Place was Pickard Chilton, who has been responsible for some of the world’s most important build-ings, including the Petronas Tow-ers in Kuala Lumpur. Pickard Chilton have nearly 25 million square feet of projects achieving or targeting LEED Gold status or better.
The tenantsBoth towers are fully leased. “There is a great demand for green buildings in Canada, especially ones with such fl exible and adaptable workspaces,” says Pierre-François Chapleau, a Sen-ior VP at Ivanhoé Cambridge. “We have seen very good response from the markets.” Companies that have jumped at the chance to make these iconic towers their home include ATB Financial, GE Canada, and several ma-jor energy companies.
The bottom line“At the end of the day, businesses look to their bottom line,” says Mr. Chap-leau. “The buildings are designed for the needs of those who will occupy them. The premium of LEED platinum construction is o� set by operating cost reduction and an improved environ-ment for employees, allowing com-panies to attract the best workforce.”
prOFile: eigHTH avenue placecalgarY, alBerTa
green BuilDing: maKing iTs waY acrOss canaDa
INSPIRATION
A SPONSORED FEATURE BY MEDIAPLANET6 · greenlivingnews.ca
mediaplanet why did you decide to pursue an educa-tion in the energy sector?Julia Zeeman After completing my undergrad I moved to Toronto and got a job with Ontario’s Solar Provider Inc. Working in the solar industry exposed me to other areas of the energy sector, for example Community Power. Commun-ity Power refers to community-owned renewable energy projects developed and controlled, in part or in full, by local residents. In the summer of 2013 I got a job at Toron-to Renewable Energy Co-op(TREC). The economic, social, and environ-mental opportunities that the sec-tor fosters have demonstrated to me local sustainability. After this realization, I knew this was my calling. The MES program at York has given me the opportunity to further explore the role of Com-munity Power in Ontario.
mp what are some of the skills you develop in your program?JZ In the program the curriculum is defi ned by the student through a self-directed Plan of Study. This avenue allows you to select which skills you want to graduate with. Through my research focus, Finan-cing Energy, Communities, Tech-nology and Institutions, I have learned about key business mod-els that support energy conserva-tion and e� ciency. In addition to the research I am conducting, I have learned how to tackle prob-lems using a systems thinking ap-proach. Furthermore, my program has given me the chance to hone my soft skills, such as public speak-ing, networking, and project man-agement.
mp what kinds of job prospects are available to you when you graduate?JZ I was thinking I would like to work for a utility like Powerstream or Toronto Hydro. The grid in On-tario is transforming from a cen-tralized network to a local distribu-tion system. I feel there are great employment opportunities with-in utilities because they will play a contributing role in this transi-tion. However, I am also interested in equity and debt crowdfunding (which is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the internet). Crowdfunding is being used as a fi nancial mechan-ism for renewable energy projects and is starting to take shape in On-tario. I would like to fi nd employ-ment within this movement so that I can help renewable energy achieve the scale.
mp How has your educa-tion choice provided you with opportunities that other educations do not?JZ The program has given me dir-ection, and allowed me to steer that direction. With the support of my adviser Christina Hoicka, I am being pushed academically to be the best that I can be. Interdisci-plinary is a key pillar within the MES program and accepts students from all backgrounds. In addition, The York University master pro-gram has an excellent Graduate Assistant and Research Assistant placement program which means every student in the MES program is placed in complimentary G.A or R.A positions.
ELIANNA LEV
Take it from chris Hadfield, the man who’s explored earth from all different angles: when it comes to sustaining the planet, the world needs more inspired thinkers.
The retired astronaut and inspira-tion to thousands of Canadians is confi dent that our country can con-tinue to be a leader in fi nding ways to create clean energy.
“Our necessity to be able to pro-duce and compete is vital to Can-ada, economically and politically,” Hadfi eld says. “I think it’s absolute-ly critical. Providing the workforce that we need starts with education.”
learning from the pastWhile the planet has obviously man-aged to sustain us thus far, there’s a lot more to explore in order to keep things on track.
“The world’s been here four-and-a-half billion years, so it’s commen-sally sustainable. We’re just looking for what is going to be the maximum population of humanity on earth,” Hadfi eld says. “How many mouths do we have to feed and homes do we have to heat? What then do we have to generate to make that happen? “
He says by tracing back 6,000 years, we can learn a lot about sustainability from the rise and falls of civilizations.
“A lot of them were driven because they had an unsustainable model of being able to house and feed the members of that society,” he says. “We need to think about it.”
Future leaders will help make clean energy possible“The answer isn’t going to come through wishful thinking or ceasing the right thing,” says Hadfi eld. “The answer is going to come through the restless imagination and activities of the people who are coming up with new ideas.”
Hadfi eld acknowledges that we’re currently dependent on fossil fuels, an energy resource of which Canada happens to have an abundance. How-ever, that doesn’t mean there won’t be means of sourcing cleaner alterna-tives in the future. All it takes is fi nd-ing the future leaders who are in-spired to take on that mission.
“The answers lie in lots of dif-ferent potential areas. It may be in well-publicized ones like tidal power, wind power, or solar power,” says Hadfi eld. “It’s only through the engineering, math, and science that we’re going to fi nd the most e� cient, and least polluting ways of powering, heating and feeding the entire world.”
STUDENT PROFILE eDucaTiOn is KeYa strong education system is the foundation of our energy future.PHOTO: RICK COLLINS
LINDA FRANKLIN [email protected]
The vibrant and innovative energy sector is just one of many thriving industries
that rely on college graduates for its workforce. Ontario’s colleges have long-established relationships with business partners that help develop programs that respond directly to the needs of the labour market.
These business partnerships pro-duce greater numbers of graduates in careers that are in demand.
For example, Hydro One has an arrangement with four Ontario colleges — Algonquin College in Ottawa, Georgian College in Bar-rie, Mohawk College in Hamilton
and Northern College in Timmins — to support the colleges’ training of the next generation of energy professionals.
robust credentialsThe energy industry is truly inter-national with the potential for On-tario college graduates in this fi eld to fi nd work around the world.
It is therefore crucial graduates are awarded credentials that are understood by companies outside of Canada. That means many of these graduates should be earning degrees.
Although there are some four-year degree programs at colleges, most programs award diplomas and certifi cates. This is inconsis-tent with most of the world, where
graduates of three-year post-sec-ondary programs, including career-specifi c programs, earn degrees.
Furthermore, many of the three-year programs at Ontario’s colleges are already aligned with provincial and international stan-dards for baccalaureate educa-tion. Students in these programs deserve to earn credentials that properly recognize their achieve-ments and allow them to compete more e� ectively for rewarding ca-reers, in Ontario and beyond. They should be awarded degrees.
Building on successSimilarly, expanding the range of four-year degree programs at col-leges would build on the successes that have already been achieved.
Ontario’s colleges have offered four-year degree programs for more than a decade. An independent an-alysis that was done for the Ontario government in 2011 confi rmed the four-year degree programs at col-leges are e� ectively delivering pro-grams that aren’t available at uni-versities. It’s time for the range of such programs to be broadened.
High employment ratesOther reforms are also needed, in-cluding measures to improve ap-prenticeship training. Colleges could play a more important role in helping potential apprentices fi nd willing employers.
Ontarians recognize that the workplace has changed. That is why growing numbers of students and parents are turning to the more than 600 programs at Ontario’s colleges. First-year enrolment at public col-leges is at an all-time high and the number of university graduates en-rolled in college programs has grown more than 40 percent over fi ve years.
College graduates are successful at fi nding work. More than 83 percent of graduates secure employment within six months of graduation.
As our economy evolves, so should our post-secondary system. New measures such as an expansion of degree programs at colleges and re-forms to the apprenticeship system will help more people fi nd mean-ingful careers and will promote a stronger economy.
Preparing graduates for the workplace of the future
CHRIS HADFIELD: THE WAY TO CLEAN ENERGY STARTS WITH EDUCATION
3FacT
canaDa is THe ninTH-largesT prODucer OF winD energY in
THe wOrlD
Julia Zeeman FIRST YEAR, MASTERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (MES), YORK UNIVERSITY
linDa FranKlinPRESIDENT AND CEO, COLLEGES ONTARIO
“More than 83 percent of
graduates secure employment
within six months of graduation.”
canaDa’s energY FuTurecanada’s energy sector will need to fill thousands of positions over the next decade.PHOTO: RICK COLLINS
“I think it’s absolutely critical. Providing the workforce that we need starts with education.”
“More than 83 percent of
graduates secure employment
A SPONSORED FEATURE BY MEDIAPLANETA SPONSORED FEATURE BY MEDIAPLANETpB · campaignurl.ca greenlivingnews.ca · 7
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
mediaplanet How has enersource cor-poration incorporated innovative tech-nologies into its business practice?peter gregg Finding cutting-edge solutions at Enersource has led us to develop and implement an Integrated Operating Model (IOM), which is an innovative software solution.
At one time, utilities had to manually send crews to explore the root causes of an outage. With the IOM, we can determine probable causes before we send crews, track active outages, assess the number of customers a� ected and determine which fi eld crews can respond the quickest, through GPS locat-ing equipment in all service vehicles. We also use the IOM system to communicate to customers, and we provide real-time updates on service interrup-tions through social media.
mp what are job prospects like in your sector?pg There are many opportunities for individuals interested in pursuing a career in the energy sec-tor. Especially as it relates to Power Line Personnel, there are always jobs available. However, as tech-nology evolves and our workforce approaches re-tirement age, new opportunities are beginning to emerge that haven’t existed before.
To address the changing needs of the indus-try, Enersource partners with local educational in-stitutions by providing fi nancial support, equip-ment and sta� resources. We recently announced a $100,000 three-year partnership to help ensure that graduates of Sheridan College’s energy-related pro-grams have a greater understanding of the business of electrical power and sustainable energy practices.
mp what kinds of energy conserva-tion programs are available to your customers?pg Enersource works in partnership with the Ontario Power Authority to deliver a wide range of conservation related programs to both busi-nesses and residential customers. Enersource also employs a team of individuals dedicated to help-ing educate customers on reducing their overall electricity consumption. We o� er PeaksaverPlus, Small Business Lighting and Heating & Cooling In-centives to name a few.
You will also fi nd Enersource sta� promot-ing various conservation programs at festivals throughout the community.
mp what is the largest misconception that canadian’s have about nuclear energy?preston swafford In Ontario, research shows that people are unaware that more than 50 per-cent of the electricity we all use every day al-ready comes from nuclear energy. Think of it this way: every second cup of co� ee you brew, or every second light you turn on is powered by CANDU nuclear technology.
CANDU technology was developed in Canada and successfully exported around the world. Here at home, it helps us avoid 89 million tonnes of car-bon dioxide emissions every year. It’s clean power, and has been produced safely, reliably, and a� ord-ably for more than 40 years.
mp in recent years canada has strug-gled to capitalize on renewable energy opportunities. what makes nuclear different from other wind, solar, and other developing technologies?ps Nuclear is ideal for baseload power. The wind blows intermittently and the sun doesn’t always shine, but nuclear technology can run 24/7 — every day of the year.
mp How has canada’s nuclear industry changed in the last 10 years, and how is it poised to change moving forward?ps At Candu Energy, our product development ex-perts have spent the last several years developing Generation III technology for markets in and out-side of Canada. Of course we’re interested in build-
ing new nuclear plants at home, but within the next few years, we expect to see our fuel-fl exible CANDU reactor successfully exported to countries such as China and the UK to burn fuels other than natural uranium. Because of the inherent fuel fl exibility in CANDU technology, the Generation III Enhanced CANDU reactor and the Advanced Fuel CANDU re-actor are able to burn fuels as diverse as recycled ur-anium from other reactor technologies, mixed ox-ides and thorium. Essentially, CANDU technology can become the “blue box” of the nuclear industry.
A 2012 study by the Canadian Manufactur-ers and Exporters found that building a pair of CANDU reactors outside of Canada would support over 2,200 person-years of direct, high-wage em-ployment and over $2.5 billion in economic activ-ity here in Canada.
mp How do green energy retrofits improve the productivity and health of occupants and tenants?andré rochette Green energy retrofi ts provide brighter, healthier, and appealing indoor spaces. Older buildings often su� er from excess moisture and poor ventilation, leading to health problems for tenants and occupants. Green energy retro-fi ts address these issues by upgrading the ventila-tion systems to supply the ideal amount of fresh air year-round. Comfort levels are also optimized through redesigning the heating and cooling sys-tems, and indoor lighting levels are increased. The studies are clear: healthier buildings can lead to fewer sick days, reduced symptoms, and even higher productivity.
mp what are some of the tangible benefits when building managers and owners apply green principles to energy use and management? ar The benefi ts for building managers and owners go beyond a simple reduction in energy bills. When buildings are retrofi tted to use energy more e� -ciently, the building’s electromechanical infra-structures are upgraded and modernized. This leads to greater reliability, lower operating costs, and few-er repairs. Tenant satisfaction and retention are also improved through enhanced comfort levels. Whether for rent, lease, or sale, the marketing po-tential and value of the building will be positive-ly impacted by improved functionality, upgraded assets, and a credible environmental image.
mp why is it important for building owners and managers to look into energy saving programs and systems?ar Building owners and managers often ac-cept their building infrastructures as-is, over-looking opportunities for signifi cant improve-ments. Rather than simply replacing old equip-ment with more of the same, building owners and managers can look at asset renewals as an op-portunity to rethink and redesign their systems and explore energy saving programs and sub-sidies. We believe it is imperative to challenge ex-isting practices, and to evaluate the energy per-formance of di� erent buildings using standards such as Energy Star.
peter greggPresident and CEO, Enersource Corporation
preston swaffordChief Nuclear Offi cer, President and CEO,Candu Energy
andré rochettePresident and CEO, Ecosystem
Taking action to reduce energy use in the home is a rare triple win. It’s a fi nancial win for all Ontarians — helping the prov-
ince save money. It’s a win for the en-vironment — reducing our contribution to climate change by using less fossil fuel. And it’s a direct win for you — your sav-ings through lower energy bills over the years should exceed the cost of your in-itial investment in conservation.
Here are the first two steps to get you started on the path to lowering your home energy bills
learn more about how you use energyTake a look at your utility bills and fi nd out what your energy costs are. If you are in a multi-unit building, like an apartment or condo, fi nd out if your gas and electricity bills are based on your actual energy use or are averaged over all building residents. Check if your electric utility has set up an in-ternet site to access your smart meter data — the hour-by-hour record makes it much easier to identify when and
how you are using electricity, as well as what can be improved.
Do the easy stuff first Many energy-saving options are low-cost and low-e� ort, and can begin reducing your energy bills immediately. Shift-ing some of your electricity use (such as laundry and dishwashing) to o� -peak electricity hours, sealing air leaks to the outdoors, installing a programmable thermostat to control when you heat and cool the home, upgrading to CFL or LED lighting, and installing low-fl ow shower-heads to reduce hot water use, are all sim-ple actions that can be done immediately without impacting your lifestyle.
Saving energy doesn’t need to be di� -cult. Ontario has recognized that energy e� ciency makes sense for all of us and needs to be encouraged. So take advan-tage of the help that is out there and put it to work for you.
ENERGY CONSERVATION:A TRIPLE WIN FOR ONTARIO
gord millerENVIRONMENTALCOMMISSIONER OF ONTARIO
“Many energy-saving options are low-cost, and low-e� ort, and can begin reducing your energy bills immediately.”
GORD MILLER
visiT livinggreennews.ca FOr TwO mOre sTeps in reDucing YOur energY use
SOURCE: MINISTRY OF ENERGY
A sponsored feAture by MediAplAnet8 · greenlivingnews.ca campaignurl.ca · pB
This year’s long, cold winter underscores the risks of Ontario’s increasing dependence on natural gas to meet our energy needs. Prolonged periods of frigid weather across North America increased natural gas consumption for both home heating and electricity generation. In turn, this increased demand has driven the price of natural gas higher as evidenced by the 40 percent increase in the price Ontarians are now paying for this commodity as of April 1, 2014. Ontario imports 99 percent of its natural gas supply. Limiting price-volatile natural gas electricity generation to peak needs can moderate Ontario’s electricity prices, home-heating costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while improving energy security.
In the past ten years, the European Union and member countries including the U.K., Denmark, Sweden and Germany have been aggressively adding biomass to their energy supply mix. Their motivation is clearly stated: to create jobs; to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels; to improve energy security; and, to reduce GHG emissions. That’s why foreign entities have been busy buying up Ontario’s supplies of biomass.
Most of Ontario’s commercially viable hydroelectric potential has already been developed, leaving GHG emission-free base-load nuclear and carbon-neutral biomass as our best energy options. The planned mid-life refurbishment of ten nuclear reactors will be the largest contributor to Ontario’s energy security. That program will be closely monitored to ensure that budgets and schedules are kept. Ontario has also deferred building two new planned reactors that would help replace 3,000 megawatts of clean electricity that will be lost when the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (GS) closes in 2020.
Biomass is a sustainable fuel recognized across the world as beneficial to climate change mitigation. Provincially-owned Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and stakeholders from the province’s agricultural and forestry sectors have clearly demonstrated that using biomass to generate electricity delivers substantial environmental and economic benefits. OPG is now converting the Atikokan GS from coal to biomass and is proceeding to convert the Thunder Bay GS as well.
There are many advantages to utilizing Ontario’s vast potential supplies of sustainable biomass — wood wastes, agricultural residues and purpose-grown crops. Unlike intermittent wind and solar power, biomass electricity generation can be depended upon at times of peak demand to supplement Ontario’s reliable base-load workhorses — nuclear and hydroelectric generation.
Converting the coal units at the Nanticoke and Lambton generating stations to use biomass and natural gas for peak generation is much cheaper than building new natural gas plants and since these stations are already located in willing host communities, Ontarians would not be exposed
to repeats of the wasteful Mississauga and Oakville gas plant cancellations and relocations.
Coal plant conversions represent sound use of publicly owned assets to generate better returns and revenues for Ontarians. Ontario’s existing generating stations and their transmission lines would be recycled and the employment and economic benefits and profits would continue to flow to these communities and all Ontarians. Establishing a biomass fuel supply infrastructure would create thousands of jobs in the province’s forestry, agricultural, transportation and emerging bio-economy sectors while contributing $600 million annually to Ontario’s economy.
Using biomass along with natural gas at these facilities would benefit both Ontario’s
environment and energy security. By offsetting the use of carbon-emitting natural gas with biomass, the province could lower its greenhouse gas emissions and reduce its use of environmentally-questionable U.S. shale gas imports. Reducing these natural gas imports would bolster our long-term energy security and lower our exposure to international natural gas demand fluctuations and price volatility.
Instead of exporting billions of dollars and jobs to other jurisdictions, converting the province’s shuttered coal generating stations to use biomass along with natural gas for peak generation would generate more benefits for Ontarians. It’s time our decision makers recognized the value of repurposing the Nanticoke and Lambton Generating Stations for a better energy future.
Recognizing the Value of Ontario’s Renewable Biomass Resources
By Don MacKinnon
PresidentPower Workers’ Union
FROM THE PEOPLE WHO HELP KEEP THE LIGHTS ON.
Ontario’sBiomassResources− A Home
Grown ChoiceFor A Better
Energy FutureGlobal demand for biomass — wood wastes, agricultural residues and purpose grown crops — to generate electricity is growing rapidly. Foreign buyers are here to secure the vast supplies of renewable, carbon-neutral biomass that Ontario’s farms and forests can provide. Alternatively, converting Ontario’s coal stations to use biomass along with natural gas for peak electricity demand offers much more than exporting these valuable resources.
Keeping the benefits here is a better choice for Ontario.
For more information please go to www.pwu.ca