Alberta Renewable Energy Alliance

In line with the Government of Alberta’s objectives of providing clean, affordable and reliable energy to Albertans,

An achievable Clean Power target of LESS THAN 170 kg CO2e / MWh should be established for the year 2030.

       Alberta GHG emissions from public electricity generation (excluding BTF Behind the Fence generation) for the year 2017 were reported in the Federal 2019 National Inventory Report to be 750 kg CO2e/MWh, while the average public grid emissions for Canada were 130 kg CO2e/MWh).

To achieve the Clean Power target, the following actions should be taken:

1. Recommendation 1
2. A current (up to date) inventory of GHG emissions from industries emitting 50,000 tonnes CO2e per year or greater, should be publicly posted on Alberta Environment and Parks website by each fiscal year ending March 31:
   1. for clarity, by March 31, 2020, a report of GHG emissions generated in the previous calendar year (January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019) should be reported publicly;
   2. this report should be made public on an annual basis.
3. Recommendation 2
4. By March 31 of each year, a ‘Clean Power Target’ for electricity generation should be set to be achieved by all electricity generators in the calendar year following the regulated target:
   1. for clarity, by March 31, 2020, a Clean Power target of 450 kg CO2e per MWh GHG emission intensity should be set for emissions to the atmosphere from electricity generated in Alberta in the 2021 calendar year;
   2. GHG emissions from electricity generated BTF (Behind the Fence / on site) should be included in the Clean Power metric;
   3. as reported in the most recent 2019 National Inventory Report, BTF cogeneration was excluded from the quotient in calculating the GHG emission intensity from electricity generation for the year 2017 which resulted in the emission intensity being documented as 750 kg CO2e per MWh;
   4. Alberta’s GHG emission intensity of public electricity generation was the highest of all the Provinces in the year 2017.
5. Recommendation 3
6. The Clean Power target should be reduced annually such that in the year 2030 the target shall be less than 170 kg CO2e per MWh:
   1. for clarity, to meet the stringency target by 2030, an annual reduction of ten percent in the emission intensity of the previous year should be required.
7. Recommendation 4
8. An annual report should be posted publicly on Alberta Environment and Parks website by each fiscal year ending March 31 to document the cumulative GHG emission reductions measured and to indicate the rate of progress toward the 2030 Clean Power Target.
9. Recommendation 5
10. Renewable energy should produce 50% of total electricity generation in Alberta by 2030;
11. Recommendation 6
12. Priority should be given to Renewable Generation, Energy Storage, Cogeneration and short term (ten years) Coal Units converted to Natural Gas;
13. Recommendation 7
14. Energy storage should be integrated with renewable generation to mitigate against the intermittent nature of wind and solar power;
15. Recommendation 8
16. Geothermal power plants, where feasible, should be implemented;
17. Recommendation 9
18. Cogeneration should be increased from the current 30 TWh/year to 32 TWh/year by 2030 to produce heat and power and to reduce GHG emissions per barrel of oil in the Oil Sands;
19. Recommendation 10
20. 12 newest coal power generation units, with a total capacity of 4,900 MW, should be converted to natural gas by 2025 to preclude the need for additional Combined Cycle Gas Turbine generation;
21. Recommendation 11
22. Six oldest coal power generation units, with a total capacity of 1,400 MW, should be decommissioned by 2025;
23. Recommendation 12
24. 14,500 MW of additional renewable capacity and energy storage should foster 115,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2030;
25. Recommendation 13
26. Investment of $29 Billion in renewable power and energy storage should be leveraged in an estimated amount of $5.0 Billion at a ratio of 5:1 as has been the historical leverage applied by CCEMC, now ERA (Emissions Reduction Alberta);

These actions will also yield a significant reduction in impacts to health from criteria air contaminants SO2, NOx, mercury and particulate matter.