What is clean, renewable energy? It is derived from natural sources and is converted through natural processes that replenish at an equal or faster rate than consumed. Some of these sources include energy generated from solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, hydropower and ocean resources, solid biomass, biogas and liquid biofuels. Renewable energy sources utilize natural processes to power the Earth and do not have detrimental effects on the planet. Let’s compare. Non-renewable energy sources are, as named, non-renewable. This means there are a limited supply of them and we will not be able to rely on them forever – whereas we will always have sun, wind, and water. Non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels release harmful pollutants into the air from their combustion, including excess CO2, causing the warming of our planet. So which option sounds better to you? Let’s take a look at Canada’s approach on renewable energy, and some options we can look into to rely on clean, renewable energy.
Renewable Energy in Canada (Gov. Canada)
- Renewable energy currently sources (only!!) about 16% of Canada’s total primary energy supply. We can do better than this!
- Hydro
- The primary source of renewable energy in Canada is moving water at 67.5%. According to Government Canada, in 2018, we were the third largest producer of hydroelectricity in the world.
- Biomass
- Biomass is derived from living organisms and/or their byproducts and is used to produce energy from plant material being turned into fuel.
- Wood derived waste is most commonly used for energy production, such as harvest residues, trees killed by disturbances such as fire, diseases or insects, and trees from plantations grown specifically to provide biomass for conversion to bioenergy
- Wind sources account for only 5.1% of renewable energy in Canada
- The rest of renewable energy sources in Canada combined make up the last 4% and include ethanol, renewable municipal waste and landfill gas, solar thermal, biodiesel, solar photovoltaic, and tidal.
What can WE do?
It’s hard to make large substantial changes unless you are high up in the government, so what are some things that we can do to increase renewable energy sources? First of all, we can vote for government parties that are prepared to make changes to benefit the environment and Earth! We can also:
Choose A Clean Energy Source For Our Home Or Business Like Bullfrog Power
At Blom Contracting, we are dedicated to going the greener route, with our renovations and our overall business. We are proud to say our office building is Bullfrog Powered!
- Green Electricity
- They use wind and water to source electricity to your home or business. This reduces the amount of fossil fuel-based electricity created which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This also reduces the reliance on fossil fuels leading to cleaner based energy production for the world.
Wind energy is among the cleanest energy sources, producing no emissions that create greenhouse gases or air pollution. Choosing renewable energy reduces your home’s or business’ electricity related environmental impact.
- Green Natural Gas
- The gas we think about that provides energy is powered by the burning of fossil fuels. This is not a source of renewable energy and releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from the extraction of carbon deep in the earth.
- The Green Natural Gas, provided by Bullfrog power, “comes from decaying organic matter in landfills—like orange peels, egg shells and grass clippings—and wastewater treatment plants or anaerobic digesters. When this natural material decomposes, an energy-rich gas is produced
that can be cleaned and then injected into the natural gas system—similar to the way in which green electricity is injected into the electricity system with Bullfrog.” (Bullfrog Power) - The carbon dioxide released from this renewable, green natural gas, would have been released into the atmosphere by the decaying waste and wastewater, in the natural carbon cycle. This way they can harvest it and turn it into a net-zero carbon dioxide emission energy source!!
Invest in Solar
Solar panels may be expensive initially, but they will reduce your electricity bill, eventually paying for themselves!
- Sunpower solar panels have the highest energy conversion rate on the market at 22.8%
- LG and Panasonic solar panels are close behind
- All of the above have 25 year warranties with energy conversion rates of over 20%
- Tesla Roof Tiles
- These might be one of the coolest inventions for solar energy. Tesla has created a roof tile solar panel that can power your home. So if you’re in the neighbourhood for a new roof, it might be worth the pretty penny.
- 25 year warranty for the tile, power, and weatherization
- Class 3 hail rating
- Class A fireproof rating (best rating)
- Class F 166mph winds
- Tesla claims that the Solar Roof is more affordable than conventional roofs because in most cases, it ultimately pays for itself by reducing or eliminating a home’s electricity bill.
- They also offer a Powerwall battery which utilizes the power from the solar tiles and continues to keep your home running even through an outage.
Reduce Our Energy Consumption
In much smaller, cheaper ways, reducing energy consumption is something that is better for the planet and for our wallets. Turn off lights when they aren’t in use. Wash your clothes in cold water and run full loads of laundry instead of a few items. Hang dry your laundry if you can. Take shorter showers and turn water off or to low when lathering, shaving, etc. Unplug unused electronics or invest in some Smart Outlets so you can cut power supply to appliances such as toasters, TVs, and hair straighteners when not in use to prevent the cost and consumption of phantom load. Turn off your AC or heating when you’re not home. There are many things we can do individually to reduce our energy consumption, as well as choosing clean energy sources!