The rise of wind and photo voltaic around the globe is unprecedented. The Worldwide Vitality Company’s 2024 World Vitality Outlook described renewables increasing at document tempo, led by photo voltaic, and producing slightly below half of the world’s electrical energy in 2030, forward of energy from fossil fuels. On the identical time, demand for fossil fuels is projected to peak by the top of the last decade.
Canada’s hydropower-rich grid is 85% non-emitting with wind and photo voltaic presently making up 7% of the nation’s complete electrical energy technology, nonetheless research point out that Canadian energy demand might double between now and 2050. In the meantime, the Canada Vitality Regulator tasks that the share of wind and photo voltaic would rise to between 33% and 37% of electrical energy technology in a net-zero 2050. To satisfy this problem, the federal authorities has proposed the Clear Electrical energy Rules to assist make sure that Canada’s energy system stays each clear and reasonably priced within the years forward.
The next breaks down a number of the widespread misconceptions about the usage of wind and photo voltaic in Canada and around the globe.
Fable: Renewables can contribute solely a small share of grid electrical energy as a result of they solely work when the wind blows and the solar shines.
Reality: There are numerous options accessible to enrich wind and photo voltaic, which already make up greater than 60% of electrical energy technology in some international locations.
- It’s true that wind and photo voltaic are variable sources that present most energy to the grid when the solar shines or the wind blows. Nevertheless, options are accessible to enrich these sources, from grid-scale storage to raised interconnections to demand-side measures.
- A have a look at different international locations around the globe gives loads of examples of present wind and photo voltaic shares which are a lot greater than Canada’s as we speak, together with Denmark (67% in 2023), round 40% in Germany and the Netherlands, 28% in Australia, and the U.Okay. (34%).
- Wind and photo voltaic generated extra energy than fossil fuels within the EU within the first half of 2024, making up about 30% of the bloc’s complete technology.
- South of the border, the U.S. had a share of 16% in 2022, though with nice state-level variation. Over a 3rd of all U.S. states (18) generated greater than 20% of electrical energy from wind and photo voltaic in that 12 months. The U.S. states with the very best shares have been Iowa (63%) and South Dakota (55%). Others with comparatively excessive shares embrace main states like California (34%) and Texas (26%).
Fable: Renewables are costly, and the price of power storage required to help renewables is prohibitive.
Reality: Renewables are among the many most cost-effective sorts of energy technology accessible and are value aggressive in Canada even with the prices of storage included.
- A Clear Vitality Canada report, A Renewables Powerhouse, discovered that electrical energy from wind and photo voltaic is already cost-competitive with pure gasoline technology in Ontario and Alberta (the 2 provinces studied), with much more value reductions on the horizon.
- When Canada’s carbon value is added to the equation, each wind and photo voltaic are considerably cheaper than pure gasoline already as we speak.
- Even when the prices of battery storage are included, each wind and photo voltaic are cost-competitive in lots of eventualities within the two provinces studied.
- Analyses for the U.S. from Lazard and the Vitality Info Administration present comparable outcomes. Each discover wind and photo voltaic to be cost-competitive with pure gas-fired electrical energy within the U.S. even and not using a carbon value. As well as, estimates present that wind and photo voltaic plus storage may be cost-competitive with natural-gas-fired electrical energy.
Fable: Electrical energy from renewables isn’t clear when you think about the sources required to provide photo voltaic panels and wind generators.
Reality: Wind and photo voltaic have a lot decrease life cycle emissions than fossil-fuel-fired technology.
- The greenhouse gasoline emissions of electrical energy technology from renewables like wind and photo voltaic are significantly decrease than energy from pure gasoline and coal.
- A U.S. Nationwide Renewable Vitality Laboratory evaluation confirmed that complete life-cycle greenhouse gasoline emissions from photo voltaic, wind, and nuclear (from manufacture to disposal) are significantly decrease and fewer variable than these from pure gasoline and coal. Particularly, the median complete life-cycle emissions from pure gasoline energy is sort of 40 occasions that of wind and greater than 10 occasions that of photo voltaic.
Fable: Renewables are usually not clear once you account for the tools waste they generate at their finish of life.
Reality: Renewables generate considerably much less waste than fossil fuels.
- Analysis that particularly checked out waste from photo voltaic panels exhibits that 35 years of world projected cumulative photo voltaic panel waste is dwarfed by the waste generated by fossil gasoline power and different widespread waste streams.
- For instance, if there was no transition to renewable power sources, coal ash and oily sludge waste generated from fossil gasoline power can be 300 to 800 occasions and two to 5 occasions bigger, respectively, than photo voltaic panel waste by 2050.
- Though some 85% to 90% of the mass of a wind turbine and photo voltaic panel may be reused or recycled, most is presently directed to landfills or is being saved pending future recycling choices, in keeping with a 2021 report.
- Quite a few coverage instruments can be found to reduce waste technology and encourage circularity of supplies from renewables tools. Certainly, some provinces, like B.C. and Alberta, have already begun advancing recycling efforts.
- Analysts count on rising power prices, improved recycling know-how, and authorities regulation to extend recycling charges. In reality, the recycling marketplace for photo voltaic panels alone is projected to be value US$2.7 billion globally by 2030, up from solely US$170 million final 12 months.
Fable: Renewables may go elsewhere however are usually not suited to Canada
Reality: Canada has a number of the finest renewable energy technology potential on the earth
- A 2021 examine analyzed the flexibility of photo voltaic and wind to satisfy electrical energy demand in over 40 international locations and ranked Canada second.
- Earlier evaluation equally discovered vital potential for wind and photo voltaic throughout Canada. Highlights embrace on-shore wind potential in Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan, off-shore wind potential in B.C. and Ontario, and photo voltaic potential in Ontario and the Prairies.
- Atlantic Canada is dwelling to a number of the finest wind energy sources on the earth, with a examine stating that “offshore wind could possibly be for Atlantic Canada what oil was to Texas or hydro energy to Quebec.”
- In accordance with the federal authorities, components of southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have been proven to have excessive solar energy potential.
- In reality, Canada’s hydro-dominated electrical energy community is well-suited to enrich the mixing of serious shares of wind and photo voltaic. Evaluation from 2022 discovered that Canada might see wind and photo voltaic attain a penetration charge of 54% throughout the nation on common, with even greater charges potential when including demand-side measures.
- Moreover, Canada has “large potential for pumped-storage hydropower,” which might retailer energy generated from wind and photo voltaic, with greater than 8,000 GW recognized at virtually 1,200 websites, in accordance to WaterPower Canada.