Introduction
Canada is among the leading nations with vast supply of low carbon energy sources. The country enjoys no and low carbon energy sources including hydropower, wind, biomass, nuclear power as well as power generated from the waves at the coastal regions. This implies that the energy supply in Canada considerably meets the demands in the community and outside the nation. Such steps make it possible to avoid reliance on the carbon emitting sources of energy that have in the recent years faced criticism from the public and regulatory agencies. However, even with the abundant supply of the no and low carbon energy sources, there are still major challenges that need to be overcome if Canada is to reach potential production of smart power. Such challenges include high costs involved in implementation and the fact that some of the resources such as reliance on hydropower call for public and regulatory agencies attention. Other challenges include the fact that there are issues with location and transmission capacity of the current electrical grid hence difficulties in integrating low carbon energy sources into the infrastructure. This essay, therefore, discusses the low carbon energy sources in Canada while considering the potential limitations to full exploitation of the resources.
Distribution of Low Carbon Energy Sources in Canada
Energy Requirements in Canada
Changes in population and economic growth rates in the nation continue to increase the demand for electricity. This implies that there are changes in consumer preferences as well as industrial structures which lead to consumption of 10000Pj of electricity per year. Most of the energy supply is from fossil fuels including oils, gases and coal which have been in use for several decades.
However, low carbon energy sources play significant impact in the power supply across the state where the low carbon energy sources consist of 22 percent of the total supply. Thirteen percent of the low carbon energy sources is from hydroelectricity, six percent from biofuels and three percent form nuclear energy. The low carbon sources have positive effects to the environment since they lead to considerable reduction of emissions of carbon with goals set at reducing the carbon emission by 80 percent. The current energy requirements continue to grow as the economy advances and as population grows thereby creating the need to at least consider expanding the energy requirements in the country. However, there is need to consider the fact that the concept of climate change has considerably led to major changes in the energy sources used. This implies that regulatory bodies and the various treaties such as the ones signed in Copenhagen advocate for the need to reduce overdependence on non-renewable forms of energy that lead to carbon emissions.
The ecosystem has been adversely affected by the effects of carbon emissions whereby the ozone layer has undergone depletion. This means that in spite of the rising need for enough and uninterrupted power supply, there is need for stakeholders in the energy sector across Canada to consider expanding the low carbon energy resources. This is in efforts to consider reliance on a safer and better energy supplies that ensure the future is sustainable. The energy requirement is, however, expected to considerably grow and hence the low carbon sources may not be adequate. This then calls for reliance on the most effective low carbon energy sources such as nuclear energy that has the potential of generating immense quantities of power.
Current Low Carbon Energy Sources in Canada
There are huge quantities of low carbon energy sources in Canada. These include hydro power, nuclear energy, wind energy, bioenergy, tidal energy as well as solar energy sources. The solar energy sources form a significant portion of the electricity supply with immense potential in the country. This implies that there is adequate supply of the solar energy that could be used to expand the energy requirements of the industries and the nation at large. Wind power also forms a significant portion of the low carbon energy sources where it is used by households in lighting up their homes as well as using for other domestic purposes. Hydro power on the other hand comprises a larger part of the energy requirements where it contributes to half of the energy requirements in the nation. The large hydro power contributes 17000MW per year with the potential for installation of 73000MW in future. Besides the larger hydro power, Canada also depends on small and low head hydro energy sources that contribute 14270 MW and 20000 MW respectively. Nuclear energy has also been key to reducing the energy demands in the nation with large reserves of uranium making it possible to fully implement the idea of relying on nuclear energy for huge energy production. Currently, Canada has 18 reactors that have total installation capacity of 13.4 GW which translates to production of 90 TWh per year.
Proposed Energy Sources
There are proposed energy sources that have in the past not been used regularly for energy production. These include tidal energy as well as geothermal power that could significantly contribute to low carbon energy sources for the nation. Currently, only 15 percent of the tidal energy is considered extractable but plans are underway to ensure that the government at least expends the current potential to 25 percent. This would greatly add to the current energy supply and hence significantly reduce dependence on the non-renewable forms of energy such as reliance on petroleum resources. Wave power also forms a considerable source of low carbon power whereby in this case, the potential is limited by factors such as the seasonal variations in the amounts of waves hence limiting the chances of fully benefiting from the wave energy sources. However, wave power is still proposed as among the reliable energy sources that could add to the current supply of electricity in the region. Geothermal production as a form of energy has not had significant impact in the economy of Canada where the use is only through low grade resources by use of heat pumps. However, there are considerations on the need to explore the geothermal sources through installation of the needed infrastructure to achieve the same.
Target Resources
Requirement of the Resources
Different low carbon sources have varying requirements that depend on the nature of the low carbon energy source. Solar energy requires that semiconductors be adequate enough to tap the solar intensity. This makes it possible for the semiconductors to convert the solar radiation into direct current electricity. The effectiveness of the semiconductors and the solar panels depend on the ability to invest significant funds in research and development efforts. Wind energy is also among the fastest growing global sources of energy that require significant investment in the resources that improve the integration into the grid infrastructure. The other key aspect to consider is the need for effective turbines that ensure wind energy is adequately harnessed.
Bioenergy fuels, on the other hand, require adequate feedstock which makes it possible to obtain significant amounts of energy from varied biofuels. Hydropower energy requires large scale storage dams that store water needed for electricity generation. With proper infrastructure, it is possible that water used in the generation of electricity could significantly produce more power to cater for the varied electricity needs of households and industries in Canada. Nuclear energy, on the other hand, requires advanced technology and reactors that significantly contribute to effectiveness of the nuclear project. In spite of the high cost involved in the process, nuclear energy is capable of producing large amounts of energy that could replace dependence on the fossil fuels. Waves and tides are also sources of energy whereby in the absence of the seasonal fluctuations, the energy generated could significantly improve the total power supply in Canada.
Limitations of the Resources
There are various limitations depending on the type of energy source desired for power supply. In the case with solar power, the limitations include the fact that the installation requires unobstructed space which may be limited in the region. Grid integration is also a limiting factor while using the solar power since it is difficult to integrate the wind installations into the national grid line. This, therefore, makes solar power mostly desirable for household use. Wind power also faces limitations since its expansion depends on the grid infrastructure that at times is difficult to reconstruct due to the high costs involved. The other limitations is the fact that there might be concerns with regards to destruction of wildlife habitats which again limits the chances of harvesting enough energy from wind. Hydropower energy is also subject to limitations where inadequate funds could undermine the ability to construct large scale storage dams.
The high capital costs significantly affect the development of the project. The other limitation emanate from the public where the effects on local environment create major concerns. The lead times involved in the design and development also limits the completion of the hydropower projects since longer periods of time is spent on the project. The water available for the hydro power is also vulnerable to climate change. This means that in the event where persistent droughts are experienced, problems arise in the ability to store enough water hence disruption in the supply of hydroelectricity. Nuclear energy is limited by the high cost involved in the design and implementation such that the technology and reactors required need large amounts of capital. Apart from the high cost, there are other disadvantages including environmental effects that cause public and occupational health concerns. This leads to frequent legal issues that undermine successful implementation of nuclear projects. Energy from the waves is also prone to limitations such that there are high costs involved in setting up turbines below the sea surface as well as high costs involved in research and development activities. The wave energy also faces public scrutiny because of the way it disrupts coastal processes including destroying marine habitats as well as interfering with the water quality.
Potential supply of the Low Carbon Energy Sources in Canada
Canada is well endowed in terms of the resource capacity such that decision to rely on low carbon energy sources is possible. The uranium reserves make it possible to tap enough nuclear energy that would eventually lead to uninterrupted power supply. Hydro power is also possible due to the significant amount of water resources in the country. The country currently relies on hydropower to support most of the industrial and household activities thereby proving the fact that reliance on hydropower could be sustainable in the long run.
Biofuels are also in plenty supply in the region thereby dependence on biofuels could significantly improve the supply of power. Other low carbon sources that are in plenty include solar and wind energy which with proper interventions, relying on them could significantly reduce dependence on carbon-emitting sources of energy.
Challenges and Solutions
Influence of Public and Environmental Regulators Opinion
There are challenges with regard to the full implementation of reliance on low carbon energy sources. Different low carbon sources have different challenges that need to be met if the government is to minimize dependence on petroleum sources of energy. The hydro power, for instance, faces major challenges from the public whereby the community view development of larger hydro power plants as an adverse project to their existence. The public and relevant environmental authorities identify the fact that there are forms of land disruption, road access limitations as well as forest cuts for power lines. This then creates a major barrier to expansion of hydro power in spite of the fact that it forms a significant portion of the energy requirements in the nation. The other energy source that brings public attention and causes social resistance is the expansion of nuclear energy. In spite of the larger uranium reserves in Canada, many have raised concerns on the effects of nuclear power. The solution to the problem is ensuring that the public and the regulatory agencies are involved in the design and implementation of the low carbon projects to ensure minimal friction with the stakeholders. The government needs to restore the confidence among the community members in letting them know that the low carbon projects such as nuclear energy are in efforts to reduce the environmental effects caused by carbon-emitting sources. Those displaced need to be assured that they will be settled and that social infrastructure will not be interfered with hence normal running of socio-economic activities.
Adequacy of the Resources
There are resources that are low in supply with seasonal fluctuations limiting reliance on the energy sources which include wave and tidal power which are subject to frequent fluctuations in the supply. The overall implication of this is that the government has to consider other low carbon sources that significantly contribute to more power and that could be dependent upon in the long run to provide consistent energy supply. The solution to the problems of inadequacy is to ensure reliance on the sources that significantly contribute higher energy amounts since the key aim is to ensure reliable and uninterrupted supply of electricity throughout Canada.
Infrastructure and Storage Capacity
Infrastructure is key to achieving successful installation and expansion of low carbon energy sources. However, there are major challenges with regards to the infrastructural requirements such that problems arise in grid integration. This implies that stakeholders have to look into proper infrastructural considerations that ensure the system is well integrated and that there are no problems in the transmission of electricity from one location to another. There is a significant need to invest in storage and transmission infrastructure to be able to improve reliability and sustainability of electricity supply. The cost of the infrastructure and the need to maintain an interrupted supply, therefore, leads to major challenges which makes it important to install enough storage structures throughout the nation. The infrastructural requirements also create the need for continuous monitoring and improvement of the gird installed to transmit power from one geographical region to another.
Failure to upgrade the grid leads to interrupted and unreliable power supply that could interfere with major operations within the economy. The government needs to involve various stakeholders in enhancing innovation in the infrastructure needed to ensure successful expansion and reliance on the low carbon sources of energy. Funds need to be set aside to ensure resources are available for the projects since without the funds, reliance on the low carbon sources such as nuclear energy could be far from being achieved.
Market Challenges
The expansion and reliance on low carbon sources leads to market challenges that, if not well considered, could lead to reduced growth in the economy. The aspects in the market challenges include inability to access the international markets, compromised reputation as well as economic costs involved in the implementation phase. The international concerns arise from the fact that Canada is likely to lose markets for its energy supply since the global demand for energy is expected to significantly increase in the coming future. Much of the energy demand would be in the form of fossil fuels hence Canada would significantly lose its grip on the demand for fossil products. The country would also lose out in the energy intensive sectors such as petroleum manufacturing and iron and steel manufacturing. This means that reliance on the low carbon sources could lead to inability to meet the energy requirements of the energy intensive industries. The overall outcome is closure of the industries which significantly reduces the income in form of exports revenues. Canada would, therefore, lose its trading positon globally which damages the reputation of the nation in terms of the steps it ought to make economically. Such market challenges could be solved through interventions that lead to reduction in the consumption of carbon emitting energy sources in sectors that require less energy such as domestic consumption and transportation. However, there is need to be keen on the regulations to minimize the emissions as well as ensure it exports its fossil fuel products while adhering to the standards from international regulatory bodies.
Conclusion
Reliance on low carbon energy sources is important in solving the climate change issues that have in the recent years raised concerns. Canada is well placed to implement use of the low carbon energy sources since it has vast resources including solar, wind, nuclear, biofuels and hydropower. However, there are major challenges that need to be solved to effectively ensure uninterrupted and reliable power supply throughout Canada and the neighboring states. Solutions to these problems include ensuring adequate infrastructure, raising public awareness to minimize frictions as well as focus on the low carbon energy sources that significantly contribute to more energy supply with minimal problems.
References
Center for International Governance Innovation. (2012). Canada and Mexico Unfinished Agenda. Montreal: McGill-Queen University Press.
Council of Canadian Academies. (2015). Technology and Policy Options for a Low Emission Energy System in Canada. Ottawa: Council of Canadian Academies.
Doern, B. (2004). Canadian Energy Policy and the Struggle for Sustainable Development. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
National Round Table oin the Environment and the Economy. (2012). Framing the Future: Embracing the Low Carbon Economy. Ottawa: NRTEE.
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. (2005). Economic Instrunments for Long Term Reductions in Energy Based Carbon Emissions. Ontario: NRTEE.
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. (2014). Measuring up: Benchmarking Canada's Competitiveness in a Low Carbon World. Ottawa: NRTEE.
OECD. (2012). The Role of Nuclaer Enery in Low Carbon Energy Future. Vancouver: Nuclear Power Agency.
Torrie, R., Bryant, T., & Beer, M. (2013). An Inventroy of Low Carbon Energy In Canada. Vancouver: Canadian Academy of Engineering.
