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Environmentally Preferrable Power

Issue Summary | Industry Response | Issue Management |  Resource Library

INDUSTRY SUMMARY

With more and more public attention being paid to the electricity industry, there is ever-heightening interest in the industry’s environmental performance. Measuring that environmental performance remains an on-going challenge, particularly in the generation of electricity – both for the performance of conventional generation technologies, and alternatives. CEA member companies recognize the public desire for continuous improvement in the environmental performance of generation portfolios, and for information on how that performance is measured.

INDUSTRY RESPONSE

CEA member companies have formed an Environmentally Preferable Power (EPP) Task Group to address questions around environmental performance of the generation mix. CEA member companies are investing in a range of new technologies, particularly windpower. Perhaps more importantly, member companies continue to make improvements to conventional technologies in order to reduce environmental impacts. CEA and its member companies engage regularly with government on industry activities in these areas and where possible cooperate with government on pilot projects and other new developments. In particular, the EPP Task Group is:
 
(1) Investigating methods of measuring performance. In 2005, CEA finalized a series of pilots that measured environmental performance of selected electricity generation facilities using a life-cycle impact analysis methodology developed by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a third-party environmental evaluation and certification organization based in California. The project, co-funded by Natural Resources Canada, represented the spectrum of Canadian generation technologies (coal, nuclear, natural gas, wind, and hydro) and the report is now available in our Resource Library. CEA is currently in consultations with federal and provincial regulators on the report’s recommendations and possible uses of life-cycle assessment to measure environmental impact of electricity generation.

(2) Participating in debate on other certification methodologies. The CEA has been actively involved in the development of Environmental Choice Program Guideline on Renewable Low-Impact Electricity through membership on the Guideline Review Committee (GRC). CEA continues to play an active role in standards-setting, principally through participation in the American Testing and Materials (ASTM) discussions in support of a North American power standard that would allow for independent verification of low environmental impact for individual facilities as well as power grids.

(3) Engaging in on-going discussions with the Government of Canada on wind power. The CEA has been active in deliberations on Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan) Wind Power Production Incentive and developed an industry position paper to support the federal government’s energy policy review. CEA member companies are amongst the most significant proponents and developers of wind power in the country. The paper can be found in our Resource Library.

(4) Supporting on-going policy dialogue on alternative power. A co-sponsored CEA-NRCan Alternative Energy Workshop developed recommendations that have provided the basis for on-going CEA discussions. CEA took part in the Pollution Probe Workshop Series on renewables and has engaged in NRCan consultations on the Renewable Power Production Incentive. CEA member companies have undertaken internal programs aimed at diversifying their generation portfolios to include a greater share of alternative generation technologies. In order to properly assess the comparative attributes and impacts of all technologies, CEA has produced a Generation Handbook for broad circulation in government and the public which can be found in our Resource Library. As supplementary documents to the Generation Handbook, CEA is producing a series of documents entitled “Challenges to Development”. These educational tools will help illustrate the realities of energy generating technologies in Canada by individually profiling a technology and its application.

ISSUE MANAGEMENT

Environmental Preferable Power at CEA is managed by the Generation Council.

Key Contact
Michelle Turner
Director, Generation and Environment
Tel:  613-688-2953
turner@electricity.ca


 

RESOURCE LIBRARY


Workshop Presentations
 


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