Promoting Green Power in Canada - Centre for Human Settlements

Promoting Green Power in Canada Pollution ProbeEndnotes1A literature review carried out by Hydro Québec has shown that net emissions may not changesubstantially through the addition of a dam as rivers naturally emit greenhouse gases caused bycarbon sources carried in the water. Even counting in the loss of plants functioning as carbonsinks through flooding may not change this picture [HQ 2002b].2According to a SolarAccess news report of April 2002, Sharp will launch 2 kW solar panels basedon organic pigment technology, which will only cost half as much as those manufactured today(Sharp to Introduce New, Cheaper Solar Panels, April 2002)3The first full-fledged ocean energy power plant was commissioned in Scotland in 2001; waveenergy pilot plants are planned for British Columbia and Washington State for the coming years.4Source: The Burning Issues with Biomass: Part Four of Pennsylvania Environmental Network’sseries on Green Energy (March 2000).5www.eren.doe.gov/RE/bioenergy.html.6www.greenpower.com.au/GPFaq.shtml#RE1; www.seda.nsw.gov.au.7For updates, see DOE website at www.eren.doe.gov/greenpower/topten.shtml.8At the time, 880 MW was accepted as the official number, but 901 MW is the more accuratenumber.9Separate obligations have been set up for the remainder of the UK: the Scottish RenewableOrder (SRO) and the Northern Ireland Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NI-NFFO).10Delivered Net Capacity means that the capacity of intermittent sources is discounted by thecapacity factor, i.e. the nameplate capacity is larger than the DNC. 1 MW DNC of wind roughlyequals 1 MW of thermal electricity production, whereas 1 MW of installed wind capacity is only30–40% of 1 MW of a gas power plant.11Exempting renewables from this levy contrasts with Ontario regulations, which require anamount of money to be paid to cover the debt incurred through past nuclear, hydro, and coalplant investments, and this is imposed on all electricity, including that from renewable sources.12Prices are forecast to rise beyond the (AUS)$40 price cap. This is possible because this penalty,like all fines, is not tax deductible, whereas the purchase of RECs is deductible. RECs may sell ashigh as (AUS)$57, depending on the particular company’s tax position in any given year [SKM2002].13This requirement is the most stringent in the world. For example, the US Green-e program onlyrequires 5% new for the 1st year, and 25% after 5 years. Germany’s three accreditation programsrequire less than 25%, and the Future Energy scheme in the UK simply requires ‘significant newgeneration’ [AUS 2001].182