A climate success story: How Alberta got off coal power

[Hamloc]

There was a second opinion piece on cc.'s link. This one dealing with BC's emission effort titled "BC behind on climate goals, sets new 2025 emissions target to stay on track". This from BC, " The biggest factor in the gap was a change in data and methodology at the federal level that lowered BC's 2007 baseline estimates.

One would almost think that the rejuggling of data of BC's 2007 baseline estimates by the feds was just recently done. Did it really take the feds 13 years to catch their mistake, or is throwing out existing 2007 baseline data just common practice for the feds? You know, a lot like changing years of weather data to prove temperature has risen in the north so a chart can reflect the prediction. Or in this case, BC, you have got to do better because my changed data beats your data.

Checking good article. I have posted before on how B.C’s much celebrated carbon tax has not lowered emissions. It is odd that B.C is using 2007 as a baseline when everyone else is using 2005. Since all GHG emission reporting data is 2 years behind I predict in 2022 all governments will pat themselves on the back for doing such a good job in 2020!

[chuckChuck]

Alberta's carbon tax on coal fired generation and other large emitters and the resultant change over to natural gas generation is a dramatic example of how fast a carbon tax can work in reducing carbon emissions.

"The story stretches back to 2007, when Alberta instituted North America’s first carbon tax on industry. It was, however, only a small levy, whose extra costs on coal power didn’t make much difference.

The turning point came in 2015. A newly elected New Democratic Party government announced an ambitious climate strategy. Getting off coal by 2030 was a central pillar.

Emissions from power generation were down to 44 megatonnes in 2017. The following year, the NDP’s tougher rules kicked in, and emissions immediately fell. The rules set a pollution target for all power plants to hit, and the dirtier an operation, the more it would pay. Burning coal suddenly became a lot more costly and power companies responded, mostly by turning to natural gas. In 2018, the use of coal plummeted – and emissions fell by a quarter in a single year, to 33 megatonnes.

The transition has not been free or painless. The end of coal reverberates in communities that were built on the industry, and government programs have invested money in hard-hit places like Parkland County.

Alberta is also paying $1.4-billion in compensation to three power companies, money coming out of the province’s carbon tax revenue. Power rates, meanwhile, have remained reasonable.

Despite challenges, the plan is working. The final dominos are starting to fall. In November, TransAlta said it would stop burning coal at the end of 2021. In December, Capital Power said it will be off coal by 2023, as it spends $1-billion to convert two plants to gas."

[blackpowder]

I'm so glad your happy.
Power companies always on the dole.
This was just one more.
Older plants were held together with twine anyway. I can handle a visible distribution charge going up every year.
Heritage costs up every year.
But a tax that costs nothing to hand over to the generators for closing down junk?
By the way we had some newer plants.
At least they're sitting on a back up.

Public service announcement. I wouldn't advise wearing an anti coal hat into several towns in AB.

[chuckChuck]

So does Kenney and his cabinet qualify as anti coal since they kept the NDP carbon tax?

[Sodbuster]

Solar and wind generation will never cut it in the prairie provinces, we need generation 24 hours a day and at this time of year solar only works for a few hours a day and wind is unrealistic for 24 hour electricity. Saskatchewan needs to step up and get working on a nuclear power plant and maybe another power dam. If we keep going down the path of carbon tax this is the only solution for power generation.

[Hamloc]

Alberta's carbon tax on coal fired generation and other large emitters and the resultant change over to natural gas generation is a dramatic example of how fast a carbon tax can work in reducing carbon emissions.

"The story stretches back to 2007, when Alberta instituted North America’s first carbon tax on industry. It was, however, only a small levy, whose extra costs on coal power didn’t make much difference.

The turning point came in 2015. A newly elected New Democratic Party government announced an ambitious climate strategy. Getting off coal by 2030 was a central pillar.

Emissions from power generation were down to 44 megatonnes in 2017. The following year, the NDP’s tougher rules kicked in, and emissions immediately fell. The rules set a pollution target for all power plants to hit, and the dirtier an operation, the more it would pay. Burning coal suddenly became a lot more costly and power companies responded, mostly by turning to natural gas. In 2018, the use of coal plummeted – and emissions fell by a quarter in a single year, to 33 megatonnes.

The transition has not been free or painless. The end of coal reverberates in communities that were built on the industry, and government programs have invested money in hard-hit places like Parkland County.

Alberta is also paying $1.4-billion in compensation to three power companies, money coming out of the province’s carbon tax revenue. Power rates, meanwhile, have remained reasonable.

Despite challenges, the plan is working. The final dominos are starting to fall. In November, TransAlta said it would stop burning coal at the end of 2021. In December, Capital Power said it will be off coal by 2023, as it spends $1-billion to convert two plants to gas."

Already responded to this in post #23.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

I still cannot understand why Chuck is cheering this on. Still burning a finite fossil fuel. With the current price of natural gas, and forecasts going forward. Solar and Wind have even less chance of competing against natural gas fired generation than they did against coal. This is a major set back for the economics of renewables. And if CO2 tax is being used to try to tip the scales in favour of the unreliables, then switching to natural gas which releases 50 to 60% less CO2, then this move is making fossil fuels even more affordable than they were.
I think AB has done an end run around Chuck's unreliables, and laughing all the way to the bank, using taxpayer dollars, and he is busy cheering them on, oblivious as usual.
And the best part, the coal is still there, the plants and infrastructure will remain, so when the economics and politics dictate, we can switch back and continue to enjoy (relatively) cheap reliable power compared to those jurisdictions destroying their fossil fuel generation. And take advantage of the export opportunities when reality strikes in those places trying to rely on unreliables.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

And even more good news. After producing no electricity at all yesterday (capacity factor of 0%), Brooks solar farm is now all the way up to a capacity factor of 1.3% in the past 7 days.
Meanwhile, wind went from 1 MW yesterday AM up to around 800 by evening. A mere 80,000% increase in under 12 hours. That sounds like a recipe for a stable, reliable grid, and lower costs to the consumer.

[chuckChuck]

And even more good news. After producing no electricity at all yesterday (capacity factor of 0%), Brooks solar farm is now all the way up to a capacity factor of 1.3% in the past 7 days.
Meanwhile, wind went from 1 MW yesterday AM up to around 800 by evening. A mere 80,000% increase in under 12 hours. That sounds like a recipe for a stable, reliable grid, and lower costs to the consumer.

Did your power go out when the wind started generating 800mw? Exactly how do you know how stable the system is or is not when your sitting in your house?

Did you not see the dashboard from King Island just off the coast of Tasmania? Lots of wind and a bio-diesel generator with a couple of features designed to stabilize the grid. 65% of their electricity comes from renewable sources. Not a model to be copied for Alberta but a small example how big a role wind and solar can play in a stable grid system.

But then you have already decided renewables can never work!

the UK hit a record 47% of its electricity from renewables in the first quarter of 2020.

North Dakota gets 27% of its electricity from wind.

I guess the UK and North Dakota must be more examples of renewables that don't work. LOL

[Guest]

And the cow jumped over the moon