Green Power characteristics

The two primary characteristics of green power are:

• Electricity is generated from renewable resources and does not compromise the ability of future generations to access reliable, efficient and affordable energy supplies.

• Electricity is generated as to ensure health and environmental quality

* source: Pembina Institute report

Green Power criteria

According to BCHydro, power projects qualify as 'green' under the following criteria:

• Renewable: The energy source must be replenishable by natural processes within a reasonable length of time - at the longest, within about one average human life span. For example, hydroelectric generation relies on water, which is a renewable resource. Natural gas electrical generation relies on a fossil fuel, a resource that does not meet this renewable criterion.

• Licensable: The project must meet all relevant regulations and standards.

• Socially responsible: The project must be developed in a socially responsible manner. This criterion must be judged on a site-specific basis. Every project within BC Hydro's green acquisition process is reviewed according to specific social responsibility criteria.

• Low environmental impact: The project must avoid unacceptably high environmental impacts such as damage to fish populations, endangered species or air quality. This criterion is evaluated on a site and technology-specific basis. Every green project within BC Hydro's acquisition process is reviewed according to the criteria that correspond to the project's technology.

* Source: BC Hydro website

Emission Offsets

Emission offsets are the avoided environmental costs of producing electricity from renewable energy sources rather than from thermal (fossil fuel or non-renewable) sources.

There are a number of methods whereby the potential emission offsets are calculated. One method is that for every Mega-watt-hour of green power produced, 0.36 Tonnes of CO2 is displaced from thermal power plants. In other words, a power plant that produces 50 GWh/yr (50,000 MWh) of energy has the potential to displace nearly 26,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. This is equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by approximately 5200 cars per year. It is also approxiamtely equivalent to the amount of CO2 absorbed by planting over 4000 hectares of trees.

Most of British Columbia's power is derived from large hydroelectric facilities. However, BC currently imports some of it's marginal electricity needs from the United States and Alberta. Imported electricity was used to cover approximately 15% of BC demand in 2006 and this number is expected to increase in 2007. Most electricity generated in Alberta is from coal and natural gas, while a large portion of electricity produced in Washington State is generated from natural gas and nuclear. Therefore, by developing green power projects within the province, British Columbia reduces it's reliance on imported electricity generated from "brown" or non-renewable sources, thus offsetting the GHG emitted from these facilities.

Power Facts

• Power = how much electricity is consumed by customers (or produced by power generators) at any instant in time.

• Energy = how much is consumed (or produced) over a period of time

• Capacity = the maximum sustainable amount of energy that can be produced or carried at any instant.

• Example: a car engine's horsepower rating is its energy capacity.

Units of power

• 1 kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 watts

• 1 megawatt (MW) = 1, 000 kilowatts (or 1 million watts)

• 1 gigawatt (GW) = 1,000 megawatts (or 1 billion watts)

Units of energy

• 1 kilowatt hour (kWh) = 1,000 watts for 1 hour (1,000 watt hours)

• 1 megawatt hour (MWH) = 1,000 KWh

• 1 gigawatt hour (GWh) = 1,000 MWh

• Power to energy ration for thermal electric: MW x 8 = GWh per year

• Power to energy ratio for large hydro: MW x5 = GWh per year

Comparison Statistics

• The average household in the BC Hydro service area uses about 10,000 KWh per year (up 30% per household from 1976)

• A large industrial customer, such as a pulp mill, might use 400 GWh in a year, equal to the consumption of 40, 000 households

• A typical large office building of 20-25 storeys will consume 5 GWh in a year, equal to the consumption of 500 households.

• A large "big box" retail outlet will consume 3.5 GWh per year, or roughly the equivalent of 350 households.

• 1 MWh of electrical power contains the same amount of energy (work capability) as 3/4 barrels of oil

 

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