Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) has released a report, “Canada’s Energy Future 2016: Province and Territory Outlooks,” which highlights the diversity of energy/electricity sources across Canada for both the production and consumption of energy, including crude oil, hydro, natural gas and solar resources.
According to the report, recent retirements of coal-fired power plants and planned nuclear refurbishments will provide a major boost to Ontario’s renewable and natural gas-fired electricity generation. By 2040, Ontario is expected to add more than 11 GW of new capacity, primarily through wind, solar and natural gas generation.
Moreover, by that time frame, 28% of the total provincial supply will come from renewable sources of wind, solar and biomass, says NEB.
NEB expects Ontario’s electricity demand to grow modestly in the same time period but not reach peak levels seen in 2008 – although future expansion of the province’s industrial sector is a key uncertainty for electrical demand.
The report adds that total end-use demand for all energy sources is expected to increase modestly as declines in the transportation sector are outweighed by gains in the industrial, commercial and residential sectors.
The type of energy used to generate electricity varies substantially between Canadian provinces and territories, based largely on their accessibility to resources and historical infrastructure development, NEB notes. For provinces with significant crude oil and natural gas production, prices, market fluctuations and infrastructure issues are all key determinants for the future outlook.
In addition, the types of energy consumed by Canadians varies widely across the country, due to the availability and pricing of different energy types. For example, provinces with large hydroelectric infrastructure – e.g., Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador – tend to use more electricity relative to western provinces, where natural gas is used in greater quantities. In the north, petroleum products such as fuel oil and diesel are used more.
“Canada’s energy production and consumption picture is as vast and diverse as the country itself,” explains Shelley Milutinovic, chief economist for NEB. “Recognizing this diversity will be critical as we deal with current energy market uncertainties and begin to implement the policies and technologies that will transform Canada to a low-carbon future.”
The full report can be found here.
