Canada & Energy

What is “Energy?”

• Something that is used to power things. For example, electricity, heating, fuel etc

Canada’s Energy Use• Canadians are one of the largest per capita users

of energy in the world!– cold temperatures for much of the year– small population spread out over the land– advanced industrial economy– energy is relatively cheap - tend to waste it!

Industrial

Transportation

Commercial/Institutional

Residential

Agricultural

PublicAdministration

Energy Use in Canada (2003)

Traditional vs Alternative Energies

• Alternative:

Energy made from sources that do not use up natural resources or harm the environment.

• Traditional:Energy made from

sources that usually use up natural resources and can harm the environment.

Traditional vs. Alternative Energy Sources

• oil• natural gas• coal• hydroelectricity• nuclear electricity • solar

• wind• biomass energy

(wood, peat, manure)• tidal power• geothermal

• Canadians rely mostly on three types of energy, that account for 98% of our energy use.

–oil 39%

–natural gas 35%

–electricity 24%

-- the remaining 2% is from other energy sources such as coal, wood, and wind power

OIL AND NATURAL GAS• formed hundreds of millions of years ago

when Canada was covered by shallow oceans – oil and gas usually found together

• remains of marine animals and plants built up in thick layers, which were covered by sand and silt

• with weight and compression, heat, bacterial action, and pressure over time, oil and gas were formed

• found in structures below the earth’s surface that act as traps

Alberta’s Tar Sands

- mixture of sand, water, clay, and bitumen (a thick, black, sticky oil compound)

- huge deposits found in northeastern Alberta

- in order to make it into usable oil, bitumen must be removed – very costly and very harmful to the natural environment

before after

ELECTRICITY IN CANADA• produced by generators that range in size

converting mechanical energy into electrical energy

• three major methods used:– hydroelectric– thermoelectric– nuclear-electric

Hydroelectricity• can be built anywhere there are rivers with

significant changes in elevation and large, reliable flows of water

• the force of water drives the generator

HYDROELECTRICITY• Advantages

– cheap

– no air pollution

– renewable (water)

– other uses for reservoir

• Disadvantages– costly to build

– sites far from need

– flooding

– seasonal pattern of water flow

Thermoelectricity

• steam turns the turbines causing the generator to move

• steam produced by burning fuel such as coal, oil, natural gas, wood, or even garbage

THERMOELECTRICITY• Advantages

– can be built in cities

– shorter transmission lines

– less expensive to build

• Disadvantages– fuel costs

– use of nonrenewable resources

– air pollution

Nuclear Electricity• use of steam like thermoelectric generators

• source of heat that produces steam comes from the breakdown of radioactive uranium atoms

NUCLEAR ELECTRICITY• Advantages

– transmission costs low

– operating costs low

– Canada’s has an abundant supply of uranium

– no air pollution

• Disadvantages– construction costs high

– radioactive fuel hazardous to humans

– waste products dangerous

– unreliable as age

solarsolar

windwind

ethanolethanol

Alternative Sources of EnergyAlternative Sources of Energy