Endless Power

Renewable Sources Concerns about global warming, pollution and increased pressure on fossil fuel resources have led to a push for greater electricity generation from renewable sources.

Renewable sources, such as falling water in hydroelectric, are not used up during power generation, or get consumed but can be regenerated in a relatively short time, such as plant biomass.

Hydroelectric power Hydroelectricity is the most common renewable power generation source in Ontario. Hydroelectric generating stations convert the energy from falling water into electricity. To produce electricity, water from above a waterfall, or dam, is diverted down a pipe called a penstock. As the water exits at the bottom of the penstock, it turns the turbine blades that drive a generator to produce electricity.

A Typical Hydroelectric Generating Station

Hydroelectric is one of the most economic and environmentally friendly forms of electricity generation. It produces no greenhouse gases, other air pollutants, or solid waste.

Hydroelectric power's main environmental concern is the physical changes it can cause in the natural environment. Building dams on rivers and altering water flow patterns can flood shoreline habitat and restrict the movement of fish in the rivers.

We Need More Power: The Niagara Tunnel Project Niagara Falls is the best known hydroelectric site in Ontario. The Sir Adam Beck Generating Station downstream from the falls can supply 10% of Ontario's electricity needs.

To increase generating capacity at the Sir Adam Beck complex, Ontario Power Generation a new tunnel was built to supply more water to the station. The new tunnel, 14.4 metres in diameter, is 10.4 km long, running 140 metres under the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Wind Power Wind power currently supplies only about 1% of Ontario's electricity, but it is the fastest growing source of electricity production.

To generate electricity, wind is needed to turn the blades of the wind turbine. As the blades turn they power a generator that produces electricity.

Wind power is considered green energy since it produces no harmful air emissions, or solid waste, and minimal land is required to erect the wind turbines. Modern wind turbines are relatively safe for birds despite rumours to the contrary.

Wind power's biggest drawback is its potential lack of reliability Wind power's biggest drawback is its potential lack of reliability. The amount of electricity a wind turbine produces depends on the strength and consistency of the wind. A constant wind of at least 15 km per hour is required to effectively generate electricity.

The Ontario government is hoping wind generation will play an increasingly important role in meeting our future electricity needs.

Huron Wind, Ontario's first commercial wind farm, has been producing electricity since December of 2002. More wind turbines continue to be erected across Ontario in an attempt to increase wind power generation capacity. The Wolf Island Wind Project near Kingston, Ontario will have 86 wind turbines when the project is completed.

Personal use wind turbines are becoming more popular as Ontario farmers, home owners and college administrators looking to reduce their carbon footprint and save money as electricity prices rise, are installing small wind turbines on their own properties.

Solar Power Photovoltaic solar panels absorb energy from the sun and convert it directly into electricity. Solar power produces no harmful emissions into the atmosphere, and no solid waste, so it has minimal negative impact on the environment.

Due in part to the high cost of solar panels, and our northern location, solar power is currently used mainly in small installations at companies, institutions and homes.

As technology improves and equipment costs decline solar power will probably increase in popularity and become a larger part of our renewable energy production.

Biomass Electricity Generation Biomass electricity generation is similar to coal power generation, but instead of burning coal, plant material, such as agricultural byproducts and lumber mill waste wood is used. The heat produced is used to make steam to turn a turbine that powers the generator to produce electricity.

Burning biomass does produce carbon dioxide, but the carbon dioxide released is the carbon dioxide that the plants absorbed when they were growing. Biomass is cleaner burning than coal so fewer sulfur and other harmful emissions are released into the atmosphere.

Biogas Electricity Generation Biogas, is methane gas, usually collected from landfill sites as solid waste decays or produced in an anaerobic digester using manure and various organic waste as a fuel source. The methane gas is burned in power generators to produce electricity.

Burning the biogas does produce carbon dioxide and other emissions but it is cleaner than burning fossil fuels. Biomass power generation is an efficient use of a readily available renewable, byproduct of human activities.

Although non-renewable electricity sources, such as nuclear power and fossil fuels, will be important for years to come, the continued development and research of renewable electricity generation options will allow cleaner and greener renewable sources to play a bigger role in meeting our future electricity needs.