The objective of this study was
to identify the energy option or combination of options that would
provide the greatest long-term benefits for the Columbia Valley.
Major communities in the Columbia Valley study area include: the
Town of Golden, District of Invermere, Village of Radium Hot Springs,
Canal Flats, Wilmer, Windermere, Edgewater, Fairmont Hot Springs,
Wasa, Brisco, and Parson.
The scope of the study reflects
a multi-phased approach, including: policy and planning background,
socio-economic profile; current energy requirements; forecast energy
requirements; identification of energy options; and a multiple account
evaluation of energy options. Although this report is an energy
option study for the Columbia Valley, it also serves to demonstrate
energy planning opportunities and the potential for community energy
planning in other areas of British Columbia.
Community energy planning provides
opportunities to maximize energy efficiency and to implement supply
options consistent with local community goals and objectives (e.g.,
air quality, economic development, affordability) by coordinating
energy and energy-related planning efforts of utilities, and of
local, regional and provincial levels of government. The assessment
of energy options in this study uses a multiple account evaluation
framework, which attempts to reflect various valuation perspectives:
financial impacts, economic impacts, environmental impacts, and
social and customer impacts.
Primary energy requirements in the
study area involve space heating for residential and commercial
buildings, and process heating for the industrial sector. Propane,
oil, and cogenerated energy (steam and electricity) derived from
wood residue, are used in the forest products and mineral industries.
Under the medium population growth scenario, total space and process
heating energy requirements for the study area are expected to increase
from 2.0 million GJ in 1995 to 2.8 million GJ in 2020. The fastest
growing sector in the study area is the commercial sector as current
energy requirements of 436,000 GJ are projected to increase to 715,000
GJ annually by the year 2020. The residential sector is the largest
sector in terms of energy requirements, however, its growth rate
is expected to be slower than that of the commercial sector, with
current energy requirements of 853,000 GJ projected to increase
to 1.1 million GJ annually by 2020.
Although the existing fuels (oil,
propane, wood, electricity) can continue to provide energy for future
requirements, the primary objective of this study is to identify
and assess cleaner and more affordable energy options. Potential
energy options for the Columbia Valley include electricity, cogeneration,
small hydro, district heating, Demand Side Management (DSM), geothermal
heat pumps, natural gas, and satellite LNG and propane. The various
options are defined as follows:
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Cogeneration
may be defined as the simultaneous production of electricity
and useful thermal energy (or mechanical energy).
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Renewable
energy includes hydroelectricity, solar energy
and wind energy.
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Small
hydro refers to small-scale, usually run-of-river
hydroelectric projects.
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District
heating involves the distribution of energy from
a central plant to individual buildings through a network
of underground insulated pipes.
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Demand
side management (DSM) refers to measures that reduce
energy consumption on the customers' side of the meter.
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Geothermal
heat pumps (GHPs) extract heat from the earth and
concentrate it for use in buildings for space heating, cooling
and hot water.
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Natural
Gas Pipeline - BC Gas and Alberta Natural Gas have
both expressed interest in supplying natural gas via new pipelines
to the Columbia Valley.
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Satellite LNG
is natural gas refrigerated to -162o C, which achieves a liquefied
state under normal pressure. It takes up about 1/600th the
volume of natural gas and is commonly transported throughout
the world via double-hulled ocean vessels and in tanker trailers.
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Satellite propane
is similar to satellite LNG to the extent that liquefied gas
is transported by truck or rail to a storage tank in the community
and distributed underground to buildings within the system. |
Although, electricity options exist
to increase transmission capacity and to improve voltage levels
at Golden and other areas, BC Hydro is "obligated to serve"
to meet new load growth and maintain quality of service - in any
event, energy costs will not be less.
The study results indicate that
satellite LNG or propane, GHPs for commercial applications and DSM
initiatives, appear to be promising energy options for the Columbia
Valley study area. These options potentially can provide cleaner
and more affordable energy than current alternatives and, with respect
to GHPs and DSM options, can contribute toward energy sustainability
for the Columbia Valley.
This study shows that there are
a wide range of energy options available that have the potential
to serve local community energy needs consistent with local, regional
and provincial objectives. These opportunities will have to be continuously
pursued if any of the energy options identified in this report are
to realized. The decision as to which option or combination of options
will be implemented depends fundamentally upon successful future
collaboration, especially involving potential energy suppliers
