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[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
Economic Modelling Study Shows Canada Can Meet Global-Warming Reduction Targets While Growing Jobs and Economy
November 01, 2009
| Emission reduction actions for the more aggressive scenario (25% below 1990 by 2020). Source: Pembina. Click to enlarge. |
Canada can succeed economically while meeting targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to an economic modelling study commissioned by the Pembina Institute and the David Suzuki Foundation.
“Climate Leadership, Economic Prosperity” is the first Canadian study to show regional impacts on employment and gross domestic product, and the first to comprehensively examine how Canada can meet a greenhouse gas reduction target for 2020 that goes beyond the federal government’s target.
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Canada and Alberta to Invest C$865M in Athabasca Oil Sands Carbon Capture and Storage Project
October 08, 2009
| Overview of the Quest CCS project. Click to enlarge. |
The provincial government of Alberta and the federal government of Canada will invest C$865 million (US$822 million) in a large-scale Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project in the Athabasca oil sands. The province signed a Letter of Intent with Shell Canada Energy, on behalf of the Athabasca Oil Sands Project—a joint venture among Shell Canada (60%), Chevron Canada Limited (20%) and Marathon Oil Sands L.P. (20%)—to provide C$745 million in funding from its $2 billion CCS fund for the Quest CCS project over the next 15 years.
The Government of Canada is also contributing C$120 million toward this project through the Clean Energy Fund to help demonstrate CCS technology and advance Canada’s leadership on clean energy technologies while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy production.
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Sustainable Development Canada Awards C$6M to Project to Reduce Water and Energy Consumption for Oil Sands Processing; Three Other Projects Supported to Reduce Energy and Environmental Impact of Oil Sands
September 11, 2009
| SOLVE adds a solvent to the steam in SAGD (basic operation depicted above) to reduce energy input and water consumption. Source: StatoilHydro. Click to enlarge. |
Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) has awarded C$6 million (US$5.6 million) to the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC) in Regina, Saskatchewan and StatoilHydro Canada for a project to reduce water use and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for in situ oil sands recovery by steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD).
SAGD is a thermal production method that pairs a horizontal injection well above a horizontal production well drilled along a parallel trajectory. Saturated steam is injected into the reservoir via the SAGD injection well. The steam rises and expands throughout the reservoir. heating the bitumen and reducing its viscosity to that it will flow under gravitational forces, along with the condensed steam, to the SAGD production well. The production well extracts the bitumen to surface heavy oil production facilities.
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Canadian Study Concludes Rebates to Hybrid Buyers Not Cost-Effective for Reducing Carbon Emissions
August 24, 2009
Canadian government programs that offer rebates to hybrid vehicle buyers are failing to produce environmental benefits commensurate with the cost, according to a study by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
The study finds that the rebates had a large and positive effect on the market share of hybrid vehicles, largely at the expense of intermediate cars, intermediate SUVs and some high performance compact cars. However, only 26% of the hybrid vehicles sold during the rebate programs can be attributed to the rebate; in other words, the rebates primarily subsidize people who would have bought hybrids or fuel efficient cars in any case.
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Two Genomic Research Projects in British Columbia Tackle Issues in Emerging Forestry Biofuels Industry
| Cumulative percentage (in 2008) of lodgepole pine killed by the pine beetle infestation in British Columbia. Source: BC Ministry of Forests and Range. Click to enlarge. |
Two new genomic research projects in British Columbia (Canada), largely funded by Genome British Columbia, are investigating two separate aspects of forestry biofuels in the province: how to convert efficiently the mass of dead, unmarketable lodgepole pine resulting from the mountain pine beetle infestation to fuel, and how to optimize the poplar tree as a replacement biofuel feedstock for a BC biofuel industry once the dead lodegpole pine runs out.
Genome British Columbia is a research organization that invests in and manages large-scale genomics and proteomics research projects and science and technology platforms focused on areas of strategic importance such as human health, forestry, fisheries, agriculture, bioenergy, mining, and the environment.
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University of Calgary Study Finds Large-Scale Adoption of PHEVs in Alberta Could Support Wind Power; PHEV GHG Benefits Range from 40-90% in Emissions Reduction
July 28, 2009
The environmental benefit of a large-scale deployment of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the Canadian province of Alberta could vary significantly, ranging from a 40% to a 90% reduction in greenhouse gases, according to a study by electrical engineers at the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering. The study found the environmental impacts of PHEVs in Alberta would depend on factors such as vehicle battery size, charging time and wind production levels.
Power generation in Alberta is thermal-dominated. Of the installed capacity of just above 12,000 MW, approximately 49% (5,893 MW) is coal fired, 39% (4,686 MW) is gas-fired, 7% (869 MW) is hydro, and 4% (497 MW) is wind powered. However, the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) has nearly 11 GW interest in wind power developments, and is facing an operational challenge given a thermal-dominated system with limited flexibility. The AESO has thus been actively looking at ways to mitigate the high volatility of wind.
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Ontario Announces Rebates of Up to C$10,000 for Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicles
July 15, 2009
The government of Ontario (Canada) is targeting a vehicle parc with one out of every 20 vehicles (5%) having electric drive by the year 2020 (“1 in 20 by 2020”).
Ontario (Canada) Premier Dalton McGuinty announced several measures in support of that goal, including rebates of between C$4,000 and C$10,000 (US$3,575 to US$8,938) for plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles purchased after 1 July 2010, based on the vehicle’s battery capacity. The high-end of the rebate would be the highest in Canada and amongst the highest in the world.
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Manitoba Vehicle Standards Advisory Board Recommends Adopting California GHG Vehicle Standards and Supporting Complementary Programs
April 07, 2009
The Manitoba, Canada Vehicle Standards Advisory Board has recommended that the province adopt the California Pavley standards for regulating greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles, albeit as a deferred recommendation bounded by several contingencies and factoring in the small size of the Manitoba market (2.8% and 0.26% of the Canadian and North American new car market respectively).
In its report, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Passenger Vehicles in Manitoba, the Advisory Board also recommends a number of complementary programs and measures focused on consumers as well as the existing fleet of light-duty vehicles.
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Government of Canada to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Vehicles; Prefers Harmonized North American Standard
April 02, 2009
The Government of Canada will introduce new regulations to limit greenhouse gas emissions from the automotive sector under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). Environment Minister Jim Prentice made the announcement on Wednesday.
In keeping with the Government of Canada’s commitment to put these regulations in place for 2011 model year vehicles, the Government will proceed immediately to put regulations in place under CEPA. By taking this approach, the Government of Canada will have the flexibility to harmonize its regulations with the broad range of possible future actions from the US government to address greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, the Minister said.
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Canada to Provide C$4B in Loans to GM and Chrysler
December 21, 2008
Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty announced that the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario would provide up to C$4 billion (US$3.3 billion) in loans payable to General Motors of Canada Limited (up to C$3 billion) and Chrysler Canada Inc. (up to C$1 billion) through Export Development Canada (EDC).
GM will receive C$0.8 billion on closing (29 December); C$1.2 billion on 30 January 2009; and C$1.0 billion on 27 February 2009. Chrysler will receive C$0.4 billion on closing (29 December); C$0.4 billion on 30 January; and C$0.2 billion on 27 February.
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British Columbia Joins California Challenge of Denial of Automotive GHG Waiver; Province Converting 34 Vehicles to Plug-in Electrics
November 27, 2008
The Province of British Columbia, Canada (BC) has filed a legal brief with the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in support of California’s legal challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which denied a waiver to implement the AB 1493 (Pavley) greenhouse gas emissions standard for vehicles. (Earlier post.)
BC introduced legislation in April that allows adoption of California greenhouse gas emission standards for vehicles. The California model will achieve greater GHG emission reductions than the proposed US federal fuel economy standards that have also been committed to by Canada as a minimum starting in 2011. An analysis by the staff of the California Air Resources Board concluded that implementing the Pavley rules in Canada would result in a cumulative total of 87 MMT of GHG reductions by calendar year 2020, compared to 58 MMT of GHG reductions achieved by the proposed federal standards.(Earlier post.)
