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For the first time in more than 150 years, Alberta’s electricity is coal free

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    For the first time in more than 150 years, Alberta’s electricity is coal free

    For the first time in more than 150 years, Alberta’s electricity is coal free

    Chris Severson-Baker
    Special to The Globe and Mail
    Published Yesterday

    Unit 2 at the Genesee Generating Station west of Edmonton went offline on June 16. It was the last remaining electricity-generation facility in Alberta to rely exclusively on coal.Capital Power

    [url]https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-for-the-first-time-in-more-than-150-years-albertas-electricity-is-coal/#comments[/url]

    At 10:57 p.m. on Sunday, June 16, Alberta’s last coal plant went offline. An official announcement shortly followed, quietly signalling the end of coal-fired electricity in Alberta.

    Many organizations contributed to this successful campaign through advocacy and research. The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, the Lung Association and the Asthma Society of Canada were instrumental in highlighting the health impacts associated with air pollution from coal-fired electricity. The Pembina Institute, an Alberta-based clean-energy think tank, first intervened in a coal plant regulatory process in the late 1990s and, in 2009, published the first major proposal that showed the province could move to an unabated coal-free grid by 2030. Our research was ahead of its time and criticized as idealistic.

    Coal ([url]https://www.theglobeandmail.com/topics/coal/)accounted[/url] for 80 per cent of Alberta’s electricity grid in the early 2000s and it still amounted to 60 per cent just 10 years ago. When phasing out coal was just an idea being batted around, many said it couldn’t be done. This is not dissimilar to the rhetoric today around decarbonizing the grid. But Alberta’s experience phasing out coal shows environmental progress of this magnitude is possible.

    In 2012, then-prime minister Stephen Harper mandated a nationwide phase-out of coal by 2061. A far-off target date that, nonetheless, provided certainty to the provinces and got the ball rolling. In Alberta ([url]https://www.theglobeandmail.com/topics/alberta/[/url]), the Wildrose Party, then led by now United Conservative Party Premier Danielle Smith ([url]https://www.theglobeandmail.com/topics/danielle-smith/[/url]), included a coal phase-out commitment in its 2012 election platform.

    When the New Democratic Party came to power after the 2015 provincial election, they got to work delivering on a plan to accelerate the elimination of coal. This included strengthening Alberta’s industrial carbon pricing system, a commitment to 30-per-cent renewables by 2030 and a target date for phasing out coal by 2030 – a target built through consultation with experts and industry. The current federal government made a similar national commitment in 2016.

    At the time, there were concerns about the impact this would have on jobs. We learned that workers benefit from new investments in cleaner electricity – if included in strategic planning from the start. Federal and provincial programs to support workers during this transition were made available, while community economic diversification and growth in jobs in other sectors have helped to offset some of this change. Research also shows there are opportunities in clean energy, such as from increased land revenues and municipal taxes.

    Phasing out coal in Alberta was supported by good policy design driven by carbon pricing and regulations with clear targets that offered necessary certainty to the industry and stakeholders. Rapidly growing, low-cost renewable energy further supported the phase-out, along with companies investing in gas-fired electricity. All these actions accelerated the transition away from coal at a faster rate than anticipated.

    So, for the first time in 150 years, coal is no longer part of Alberta’s electricity mix. It is important to celebrate and reflect on these milestones, while recognizing there is no time to rest before redoubling our efforts and looking to what’s next.

    As Pembina Institute’s latest research shows, many countries are striving to be the first to decarbonize their electricity system and a decarbonized electricity system by 2035 is within reach in Canada. It would save households hundreds of dollars on their electricity bills, enhance the competitiveness of our industries, and attract more investments into Canada as industries all look to secure clean power. But, as with coal, powerful incumbents want to maintain the status quo. Neither Albertans nor our climate can afford to be locked in to burning greenhouse gas-emitting natural gas when we have better, lower-cost alternatives.

    Renewable energy is already the most cost-effective form of new electricity generation, and costs continue to drop. However, we still need to bring more wind and solar energy online, along with storage. Historically a leader in renewable energy, Alberta’s seven-month renewables moratorium, new restrictions unique to renewables, and a market restructuring have chilled project development. Restoring certainty should be a priority for the government. Alberta also already has enough existing and planned gas on its grid to meet its electricity needs.

    The future is abundant, affordable, zero-emissions electricity. But we also need to invest in updating our infrastructure to meet our modern-day needs. Alberta is behind on demand-side management measures – a tactic that has reduced energy demand by 15 per cent in Ontario. Canada is also behind on building interties between jurisdictions – an approach that supports resilient systems and allows us to benefit from our complementary strengths across the country in hydro and other renewables.

    We urgently need to continue to reduce emissions and we have the tools to achieve this. As the coal example shows, success takes time – sometimes over the course of decades – and relentless fact-based advocacy.

    Chris Severson-Baker is the executive director of the Pembina Institute.



    #2
    Were you aware that the natural gas which is now being burnt in the former coal generators is also a fossil fuel?
    Yet you are celebrating this as some type of victory?

    Comment


      #3
      So now we can ship even more deadly coal to China to BURN!

      Comment


        #4
        Did chuck bother to look at the rates Albertans pay for this retarded decision. Just a way to dodge the commie carbon tax, no other justification.

        We are still going to dig the coal out of the ground and sell it to china and india anyway.

        Wont change the earths temperature.

        Comment


          #5
          Good article on NBC today: “Too much solar? How California found itself with an unexpected challenge.”

          Interesting article. California has reduced the incentive for solar power installations. This has put thousands out of work. If your not one of those who has put solar panels on your roof you pay far more for electricity. Personally I have to be honest I can’t read Pembina Institutes socialist drivel just like I am sure Chuck2 can’t read research from the Fraser Institute. The reality is China started construction of 50 gigawatts of new coal fired generating stations in 2022 alone, Alberta shut 5 gigawatts of coal fired generation. Yup going to fix the world Chuck2.

          Comment


            #6
            So are the trains and ships hauling coal to china electric to reduce emissions or dosen’t that count in the study

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by AlbertaFarmer5 View Post
              Were you aware that the natural gas which is now being burnt in the former coal generators is also a fossil fuel?
              Yet you are celebrating this as some type of victory?
              Gas is fossil fuel? You don't say? That is all the news out of AB5!

              Gas has roughly 50% less carbon emissions than coal.

              And the reason your prices are higher is because you have deregulated electricity system where generators purposely with hold supply to drive up prices.

              Saskatchewan has a regulated system with rate reviews. And prices are much lower.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by chuckChuck View Post

                Gas is fossil fuel? You don't say? That is all the news out of AB5!
                Thank you for clarifying. I was under the impression that you thought all of the coal had been replaced by wind and solar.

                In the past you had been anti fossil fuel of any kind. Anti fracking. You were against Wells and pipelines.
                I guess all this natural gas just appears from midair, none of it comes from oil/gas wells on Farmers land that were fracked and none travels by pipeline.
                Especially not those pipelines that are the biggest loss of farmland in Alberta as you previously claimed, in spite of the fact that they are underground.
                Last edited by AlbertaFarmer5; Jul 8, 2024, 11:11.

                Comment


                  #9
                  chuck has to be the densest person the planet. 2 days after his post...

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by jazz View Post
                    chuck has to be the densest person the planet. 2 days after his post...
                    But at least he is willing to put it all out on public display for his fan base to ridicule. And on the public internet to be preserved for posterity. Day after day after day.

                    Most people I've ever met who are that mentally deficient at least have the common sense to not embarrass themselves in public with such bold pronouncements.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      one less plant in Alberta will change notting whatsoever

                      Comment


                        #12
                        20 billion dollars of coal is exported annually from Alberta, Japan and China are the biggest customers.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Alberta has gone coal free in electricity production and cut CO2 emissions and the flat earth climate change deniers don't like it.

                          The sky hasn't fallen but there pretty sure they are going to freeze in the dark anyway because cleaner gas has replaced the coal!

                          Instead they want to pick winners and losers in the energy free market and put the brakes on renewables and make up all kinds of silly arguments that don't hold up to scrutiny.

                          Like renewables are taking up a lot of good farmland which was proven false by the Alberta Utilities Commission report. They found the bigger threat from other industrial and residential and urban development.

                          And guess what some pipelines are on the surface along with associated infrastructure. I guess A5 needs another picture to understand this?

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Does Alberta still have the highest electric rates? I think I know why….

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Chuck, I did a Google search of the image you posted of the above ground pipelines. It is from fort mcmurray. So I asked you how much farmland has been lost to pipelines in fort mcmurray. And you didn't answer. Do you know how much farming is being done in fort mcmurray? You are a lot closer to there than I am. Maybe you should drive up and take a look for yourself.

                              Comment

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