Energy for Rural and Island Communities (eBook)

Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference Held at Inverness, Scotland, 16-19 September 1985

Ian Hounam, Chris Lewis, John Twidell (Herausgeber)

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2013 | 1. Auflage
358 Seiten
Elsevier Science (Verlag)
978-1-4831-4927-1 (ISBN)

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Scotland

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An Energy Overview of Canada’s Remote Communities with Reference to the Remote Community Demonstration Program

D.E. Rodger,     Remote Community Demonstration Program, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Ottawa, Canada

ABSTRACT

This paper provides an energy orientation of Canada’s 374 communities which are not served by grid electricity or natural gas distribution systems. It reviews current and projected energy demand in consideration of energy conservation and alternative supply opportunities. It outlines the Remote Community Demonstration Program, a national program designed to help remote communities and their energy supply agencies to identify, assess and implement such opportunities. Finally, the paper presents four approaches to integrated energy systems.

KEYWORDS

Remote communities

Canada

energy conservation

alternative energy supply

integrated energy systems

THE COMMUNITIES

Currently, there are 374 communities in Canada considered remote in the sense that they are not served by grid electricity or natural gas distribution systems. While a small portion of these communities will be so served over the next decade, most have virtually no option for such connection. With a total population of less than 200,000, they comprise approximately 0.8% of the total population of Canada. In the second largest country (by area) in the world, the land area they cover is miniscule.

In their common features, they are very different from major Canadian population centers.

Size

With an average population of approximately 550, they may range from 10 households to 15,000 people. Family sizes are often larger than the Canadian norm.

Location

Located in northern latitudes, they are geographically isolated from the commercial and industrial centers of Canada and have severe access constraints (often limited to plane, barge, or ship) with resultant high transportation costs.

Climate

Climate is characterized by relatively long, cold (down to −60°C) winters with short (often hot) summmers. Growing seasons are limited by short frost-free periods. Snow and ice are normal winter conditions. Permafrost, or permanently frozen ground, is a common building constraint for foundations and infrastructure. Above the Arctic Circle, periods of 24 hour darkness occur in winter and 24 hour daylight occur in summer.

Culture

Most of the communities are characterized by native (Indian or Inuit) population and culture. Religion is normally traditional native or Christian.

Economy

Often traditional economies based on fishing, hunting and trapping predominate. Some communities are governmental administrative centers. Some are based on forestry, mining or commercial fishing. Some have tourism as a base. Many feature local crafts and fabrication. Per capita incomes are usually low relative to the rest of the country.

Level of Service

Health, education, infrastructure and other community services are often of a lower level of service than the Canadian norm.

CURRENT REMOTE COMMUNITY ENERGY USE

Current energy use is characterized by a high dependence on petroleum fuels for power generation and space heating. Petroleum resources are depleting, vulnerable to world-scale cost fluctuations, subject to supply disruptions internationally or in delivery to the communities. Consequently, energy supply to the communities is of considerable concern.

Communities below the treeline are also very dependent on wood fuel for space heating. While wood harvesting is often a source of employment, for climatic reasons tree growth is very slow and wood use may not always be a sustainable option. Other energy resources such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, peat, etc. exist but are generally of restricted applicability among communities.

Fuel and electricity costs are high, as much as 15 times the costs in southern Canada due to transportation costs. A litre of fuel oil (air supply) in Fort Severn, Ontario exceeds $1.60. Electricity costs in communities where oil is flown in exceed 50¢/kWh. In the south this cost may be 4¢/kWh. These high costs are offset to the consumer by a variety of governmental subsidies. While easing the consumer energy bill, these subsidies also reduce the incentive of consumers to conserve energy.

Subsidies are a major barrier to the pursuit of energy conservation and alternative energy supply options.

Total remote community energy use is summarized as:

−total energy

35.6

PJ

−per capita energy use

181

GJ

−oil for electricity

9.15

PJ

−oil for space heat

12.09

PJ

−cost of oil ($millions)

214.5

The reasons to pursue energy conservation and alternative energy supply opportunities are two-fold:

- for the communities potential benefits include: improved and more secure energy supply, improved opportunities for economic and social development, improved social conditions (e.g. quality of housing), and in some cases reduced energy prices.

- to the energy supply agencies benefits include: reduced energy costs, consumer subsidy reductions, and increased commercialization opportunities for Canadian contractors and manufacturers. Based on known viable off-oil options, the projected reduction for energy requirements is 25% and for oil requirements 38%. All communities have viable energy conservation opportunities and many have alternative supply opportunities. The response of the Canadian government to these opportunities has been the Remote Community Demonstration Program.

REMOTE COMMUNITY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM

To help reduce dependence on oil, the federal Department of Energy, Mines and Resources has established the Remote Community Demonstration Program. This Program is designed to help remote communities and agencies responsible for their energy supply to identify, assess and implement appropriate energy alternatives and energy conservation opportunities. To do this, the Program offers advice and limited financial assistance for carrying out studies to explore these opportunities. The Program also contributes funds to a limited number of demonstration projects in selected remote communities across Canada. It then transfers the knowledge gained from funded studies and projects to all communities and agencies where this knowledge is needed.

The Program aims to help communities achieve greater energy self-reliance, lower long-term energy costs and, in some cases, increased levels of electrical service for home, community and local industrial needs.

Eligible communities

To be considered under the Program, communities must be permanent (or have at least five years of planned life remaining) and have no less than ten occupied principal residences, and not be connected to the electricity grid or natural gas sytsems.

Eligible applicants

• eligible communities or groups of communities as represented by recognized local organizations (preferably local governments)

• companies (e.g., forestry, mining) that maintain eligible communities as part of their operations

• provincial or territorial utilities

• federal, provincial and territorial departments and agencies

• other agencies responsible for, or directly interested in, energy supply and conservation for remote communities.

Technologies and measures

In the now completed study phase, a wide variety of energy options were studied, including but not limited to: power supply systems based on wood, wind, hydro, solar, geothermal and tidal resources and energy conservation measures ranging from more efficient use of diesel systems to building retrofits and energy efficient new construction. These studies took place in a diversity of community situations. Many of these studies have led to implementation by communities or energy supply agencies. The priorities which have been identified for follow-up demonstrations are:

Residential space heating

This accounts for 36% of energy used in a typical remote community. Approximately 50% of residential space heating is by oil. Even in homes using wood heat there are opportunities to use the fuel more efficiently. Projects will address:

1. Improving the energy efficiency of new houses through improved design and construction techniques.

2. Improving the energy efficiency of existing homes through energy conservation measures and more efficient energy consuming...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 22.10.2013
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie
• Themenwelt: Recht / Steuern ► Wirtschaftsrecht
• Themenwelt: Technik ► Elektrotechnik / Energietechnik
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft ► Betriebswirtschaft / Management ► Rechnungswesen / Bilanzen
• Themenwelt: Betriebswirtschaft / Management ► Spezielle Betriebswirtschaftslehre ► Immobilienwirtschaft
• ISBN-10: 1-4831-4927-7 / 1483149277
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4831-4927-1 / 9781483149271