District Energy in Canada
Where is District Energy in Canada Headed?
District energy was originally used to gain access to fuels, which individual consumers could not easily access themselves. In the mid-1960's the industry slowed down with the use of heavy oil. And by the 1970's, it became increasingly difficult to promote district energy in Canada because access to natural gas was made easier by the gas companies.
The technological advances in district energy, increased concerns about the environment, and the need for municipalities to become more self-sufficient, have all made district energy a popular option.
Today, Canada's district energy industry has two purposes: providing access to lower cost energy and providing the most environmentally friendly source of energy.
District Energy is on the move in Canada. Click on some of the links below to see where the district energy industry is going across Canada:
Ontario Employs Cogeneration In Bid To Lower Grid Demand - Cogeneration and On-Site Power Production, May 2008
The Canadian province of Ontario was severely affected by the 2003 power blackout. Now it is encouraging the installation of new cogeneration capacity to cut energy costs for its buildings and, more importantly, to reduce its peak electricity grid demand with some success.
Clean Energy Standard Offer Program Backgrounder - Ontario Power Authority, May 2008
The Clean Energy Standard Offer Program (CESOP) will support small clean energy generators that are connected to a distribution system. The Program is intended to encourage participation by a variety of clean energy technologies, including natural gas-fired combined heat & power (CHP), by-product fuel-fired generation projects, and generation projects fuelled by under-utilized energy (thermal or mechanical) sources.
District Heating Project Could Set Stage For Similar Ventures, Says Environment Minister - The Western Star, May 2008
The proposed project - a partnership between the City, Corner Brook Pulp and Paper, College of the North Atlantic, Department of Environment and Conservation, and the Centre of Environmental Excellence - is in the early stages of a feasibility study. Plans are to utilize untapped resources at the city's paper mill as the energy source for an underground hydronics system that supplies hot water to buildings for heating and domestic hot water.
Regent Park Goes Green - Toronto Community Housing, April 2008
Toronto Community Housing is making the new Regent Park green and environmentally conscious. One way is by building the new Regent Park Community Energy System. It will provide clean reliable and competitively-priced heating, cooling and hot water to all buildings in Regent Park while reducing the emission of greenhouse gases by 8,000 tonnes a year during phase one of the neighbourhood revitalization.
Pipe dreams - Canada.com, April 2008
The Southeast False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility plant, still at the detail design stage, will draw heat from waste water flowing through sewage lines and transfer that heat to a network of pipes that run throughout the neighbourhood. The plant will initially serve the Olympic Village under construction in Southeast False Creek.
Enmax Seeks Permit For Delayed Downtown Plant - Calgary Herald, June 2008
Enmax will apply for a building permit today so it can begin construction on its downtown district energy building next month, more than six months after the company had hoped to break ground.
Provincial Officials Say More Testing Needed At Plasco Plant - The Ottawa Citizen, June 2008
Ottawa announced plans to enter into a conditional agreement with the owner of the new waste disposal technology, Plasco, to possibly build a plant that could handle all of the city's residential garbage that isn't recycled.
BC Hydro's Clean Power Call - GLOBE-Net, June 2008
BC Hydro has issued a Call for Green Power proposals to help achieve the government's goal that 90% of electricity generated in the province come from clean or renewable sources.
