Ontario’s Energy Supply Mix Is 90 Percent Greenhouse Gas Free
By eliminating coal-fired electricity generation and replacing it with cleaner sources of energy such as nuclear, wind and solar, Ontario has decreased electricity sector emissions by approximately 80 percent since 2003. Currently, 90 percent of the electricity generated in Ontario is greenhouse gas (GHG) free. “In terms of the amount of energy we produce, nuclear is responsible for 58 percent, renewables are 32 percent, and the remaining 10 percent is natural gas,” explains Chuck Farmer, Director of Stakeholder and Public Affairs at Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), the organization mandated with operating Ontario’s generating and transmission systems, procuring power generation and conservation resources, and planning for the future by ensuring 20 years of adequate supply.
Phasing out harmful energy sources
Ontario’s economic future depends to a large extent on access to power that is not only clean and reliable but affordable for businesses and families. It’s with this balance in mind that the government has made such substantial investments in improving electricity infrastructure and devel- oping new sources of power. Most importantly, Ontario has been able to makes these changes, not yet undertaken in many other jurisdictions, while still keeping electricity costs competitive.
“Eliminating coal-fired electricity generation in Ontario was the single largest climate change mitigation action ever taken in North America. Lowering the GHG emissions in Ontario’s electricity sector has increased the environmental value of gradually shifting transportation, building and industrial processes from fossil fuels to electricity,” says Devin McCarthy, Vice President of Public Affairs at the Canadian Electricity Association. “Since 2007, when coal generated approximately 25 percent of the province’s electricity, Ontario has reduced its GHG emissions by approximately 34 megatonnes, or 17 percent.”
One of the main reasons Ontario has been able to achieve these gains is due to the province’s long-standing, world-leading expertise in nuclear power generation. Aside from generating nearly 60 percent of the province’s electricity in 2015, Ontario’s three nuclear plants support an eco-system of nuclear expertise that provides good jobs and strong exports for Ontario.
“Nuclear energy is a safe, sustainable, climate-friendly fuel source that is important to Ontario for several reasons,” says McCarthy. “Nuclear power is effectively non-emitting in terms of the emissions that lead to smog, acid rain or climate change, and provides cost-effective base-load power that serves as the foundation of the electricity system.”
Boosting cleaner energy in Ontario
Ontario’s nuclear power is supported by multiple clean, renewable energy sources — wind, solar, bioenergy and hydroelectric — which deliver approximately 30 percent of the province’s current electricity supply. With 18,000 megawatts of renewable generation capacity currently online or contracted, the total is expected to grow to 40 percent in the near future, replacing the 10 percent currently generated by gas.
It was with an eye to the future that the Energy Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016 came into force on July 1. It enshrined in legislation a long-term energy planning framework designed to be transparent, efficient and responsive to changing technology, policy, and program needs. The new law formalizes the Energy Ministry’s first Long-Term Energy Plan (LTEP), released in 2010 and updated in 2013. Consultations are now underway for the next scheduled release in 2017.
While there are areas to be improved upon (as is always the case), the province’s Climate Change Action Plan is certainly having its desired effects. Thanks to recent substantial investments in electrical infrastructure and fuel sources, Ontario will enjoy a strong supply of all energy forms for the next 10 years. And the major steps the province has taken to eliminate GHGs are only now being implemented in many other jurisdictions, giving Ontario a distinct competitive advantage when it comes to future clean energy prosperity.
Ongoing success will depend on Ontario’s continued commitment to energy policies that support innovation and technological advancement, provide incentives for conservation and energy efficiency, allow for agility to adapt to future sector evolutions, and help create a strong energy foundation to support the province’s communities and businesses.