Good News, Bad News – Last Coal-Fired Generating Station In Alberta Closed

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In 2015, Alberta premier Rachel Notley of the New Democratic Occasion introduced plans to fully part out coal energy by 2030 as a part of its broader local weather insurance policies. Critics questioned whether or not it might be performed. “The industry was up in arms that it wasn’t possible,” Blake Shaffer an assistant professor of economics within the Faculty of Public Coverage on the College of Calgary, instructed CBC News. “Even parts of the government were in disbelief. I think there was a general view that phasing out by 2030 would actually be very challenging, and yet here we are.”

As just lately as 2021, the province nonetheless bought most of its electrical energy from coal-fired thermal technology. But at 10:57 pm on Sunday, June 16, 2024, Genessee 2 — the final devoted coal plant in Alberta — went offline. In line with the most recent forecast from the Alberta Electrical System Operator (AESO), it’s not anticipated to come back again on-line. “Given this was around the time they previously stated it would be fully converted to gas, I suspect that’s it. The end of coal power in Alberta,” mentioned Shaffer.

The phaseout ended up continuing properly forward of schedule, largely as a result of pure fuel taking on a lot of the technology. Electrical energy generated from pure fuel places out roughly half the quantity of greenhouse fuel emissions as in contrast with coal. In a press launch on June 18, Capital Energy, the proprietor/operator of Genessee 2, mentioned it was “immensely proud” to substantiate all items at its Genesse facility had been now “100 per cent (methane) fueled.”

The corporate estimates the change will cut back its greenhouse fuel emissions by 3.4 million tons per 12 months. Alberta’s greenhouse fuel emissions from electrical energy technology have been falling precipitously for the reason that coal phaseout started, coupled with speedy progress in wind and solar energy. The province’s electrical energy sector accounted for about 41 million tons of emissions in 2015. That was all the way down to roughly 19 million tonnes in 2022, the most recent 12 months for which there’s an entire stock. “In addition, overall water usage for the repowered units will be reduced with the new technology by at least half,” Capital Power notes on its web site.

“This achievement marks a significant moment in history for this legacy, baseload facility that has delivered reliable and affordable power to Alberta for more than 30 years,” senior vice-president Jason Comandante mentioned. “Our investment in this facility will result in the most efficient natural gas combined cycle plant in Canada — a feat that significantly reduces emissions while delivering more megawatts of reliable, affordable and clean capacity for our province.” Capital Energy expects the power’s most producing capability can be boosted by 512 megawatts as soon as extra effectivity upgrades are accomplished later this 12 months.

Scott MacDougall, director of the electrical energy program on the Pembina Institute, a inexperienced vitality think-tank, mentioned Alberta’s expertise with phasing out coal provides “a good reminder of the importance of good policy design with target dates. Establishing a coal phaseout timeline provided certainty for industry and stakeholders and allowed for efficient investment decisions aligned with phasing out coal. It also offers a case study for the remaining coal jurisdictions around the world.”

From Coal To Gasoline To Wind

It’s excellent news that Alberta is now coal-free. What just isn’t so excellent news is that the province has just lately instituted new insurance policies that put significant restrictions on renewable energy developmentsignificantly wind. In August of 2023, the Alberta Authorities introduced that it was pausing all new approvals of renewable vitality initiatives for six months pending a evaluate by the Alberta Utilities Fee of varied issues associated to renewable vitality improvement.

When the pause expired on February 27, 2024, the Alberta Authorities has formally introduced that new renewable proposals want to stick to the following principles:

• Agriculture-first method. Renewable vitality developments will not be permitted on Class 1 or Class 2 ‎agricultural lands except the undertaking proponent can reveal the power of crops and ‎livestock to co-exist with renewable technology.‎
• With regard to Class 1 and Class 2 agriculture lands, the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation classifies land in response to the Land Suitability Ranking System. Class 1 signifies “none to slight” limitation for the manufacturing of crops, and Class 2 signifies “slight” limitation for the manufacturing of crops. There is no such thing as a Class 1 land in Alberta.
• Buffer zone. A 35 km buffer zone can be established round protected areas, in addition to round different ‎”pristine viewscapes” to be designated by the province. New wind initiatives won’t be ‎permitted inside buffer zones, and different renewable vitality developments inside buffer zones ‎might set off the necessity for a visible affect evaluation. In reference to the safety of pristine viewscapes, the AUC will conduct proceedings to think about setbacks from residences or different ‎infrastructure.
• Reclamation safety. The Alberta Authorities will develop insurance policies, relevant to all new approvals issued after March 1, ‎‎2024, to make sure that builders put up safety for reclamation prices. The safety could also be ‎supplied to the Alberta Authorities, or could also be negotiated with the landowner (with proof ‎supplied to the AUC).‎
• Crown lands. The event of renewable vitality initiatives on Crown lands can be evaluated on a case ‎by case foundation. Laws is anticipated to come back into impact in late 2025.‎
• Transmission laws. Modifications to Alberta’s Transmission Regulation are anticipated within the coming months. Renewable initiatives ought to anticipate adjustments in how transmission prices are allotted and it’s anticipated that a good portion of the price of transmission can be shifted to renewable turbines from load clients.

When the brand new guidelines had been introduced, Rick Smith, president of the Canadian Climate Instituteissued the next assertion:

“Right this moment the Alberta authorities introduced sweeping guidelines and restrictions on future renewable vitality improvement that may throttle a booming trade, enhance electrical energy charges, and drive away funding — each from renewable vitality builders and from firms seeking to arrange store in provinces with considerable, low-cost, clear electrical energy.

“Whereas due diligence is at all times mandatory in regulating vitality improvement, the restrictions introduced as we speak aren’t proportionate to the dangers and are at odds with laws presently utilized to different industries in Alberta.

“The 35-kilometer ‘buffer zone’ seems to place a big constraint on the place new renewable vitality initiatives could be situated. This new rule will exclude new wind energy improvement in lots of the finest areas across the province—together with areas the place wind initiatives exist already. Additional, outlawing renewable vitality improvement on potential agricultural land impedes the rights of rural landowners and municipalities in search of new financial alternatives. Proof signifies renewable vitality and agricultural actions can coexist and assist farmers diversify their earnings.

“Right this moment’s announcement additionally places Alberta’s dedication to internet zero emissions by 2050 in query. By severely limiting its choices to develop new renewable energy, Alberta has chosen a way more tough and expensive path to lowering emissions from its electrical energy sector.

“Renewable energy is the cheapest form of power available today, and is expected to continue to grow at a breakneck pace worldwide. By adding significant new red tape and creating unprecedented levels of investor uncertainty to new renewable energy development, Alberta is passing up the opportunity to cut electricity rates and support rural economic development, while tilting the scales in favor of more costly, volatile, and polluting fossil fuel power. This decision will cost Albertans in terms of lost jobs, forfeited investment, and higher electricity rates for decades to come.”

The Takeaway

Saying goodbye to coal is at all times constructive information, however with all due respect to the solons in Alberta, placing a crimp within the improvement of renewable vitality as a result of some individuals don’t wish to see a wind turbine or transmission traces from their again porch whereas common temperatures on Earth have now exceeded 1.5º C for a whole 12 months is simplistic and, fairly frankly, greater than just a little shortsighted. Alberta is thought for agriculture, however the enhance in international temperatures are an existential menace to the farming group, the place the sight of wilted crops can be way more distressing than the sight wind generators.

We actually want to tug our heads out of the sand and see what is occurring throughout us. We’re in a full-fledged local weather emergency, and the way in which Alberta is coping with it’s like banning firetrucks from responding to a home fireplace as a result of any person finds all these flashing lights disturbing. If Alberta really wished to make a distinction, it might shut down the tar sands operations inside its borders, which produce the dirtiest, most polluting oil on Earth. So whereas transferring away from coal is to be applauded, that’s actually not more than about 2% of what the province must be doing to deal with the local weather emergency that threatens everybody, in all places, on a regular basis.