Comments For The Ministry of…

Comments For The Ministry of Energy LTEP  2017 Public Consultation Process

 

On November 29, 2016 I attended a Ministry of Energy (MOE) Long Term Energy Plan (LTEP) Public Consultation in the Best Western Plus Stone Ridge in London.

 

I had a list of questions and also suggestions & recommendations for consideration to input into the updated LTEP in 2017.

 

All MOE staff were very focused on the task at hand and willingly accepted feedback. It was refreshing to find that the MOE staff were willing to listen to the citizens of Ontario about realistic and pragmatic approaches to energy planning policy as opposed to the current ideologically driven approaches to energy planning policy.

 

Here is a summary of my comments and recommendations:

 

1)The use of SMR’s (Small Modular Reactors) must be accelerated. They will be especially useful in Northern Ontario ( & Northern Canada) as a means to displace use of diesel fuel to make electricity. Note that some models can produce electricity and steam. For remote communities of all types, modular water treatment plants could be installed in parallel with an SMR to improve supply of reliable electricity and safe drinking water.

 

2)Additional uses of SMR’s would be for supply of electricity to the Ring of Fire and also district heating systems. These district heating systems would be equivalent to co-generation plants on line now. The use of district heating systems was recommended in Reference A:

 

# 30 – “The Committee recommends that district heating should be considered as an energy-conserving technology for new subdivisions, communities and industrial parks.”

 

3)An “energy centre” electrical rate should be established for deployment around large electrical generating facilities. This would be applicable at night  to make use of surplus electrical supply. Business & industry could use this option at night over a longer term to double shift some forms of commercial & industrial production.

 

4) The role of alternate fuels such as ethanol, methanol & hydrogen must be re-examined again to tabulate lessons learned from recent experience . Note these three recommendations from Reference A:

 

# 14 – Ethanol should be used as a gasoline extender only and not as a substitute transportation fuel in pure form, except perhaps on farms.”

 

# 17 – The Committee recommends that the construction of a hybrid natural gas/biomass methanol plant be encouraged to demonstrate this technology of methanol production as soon as possible.” # 18 – Since hybrid natural gas/biomass methanol plants are a transitional step in establishing a fuel methanol industry, the Committee further recommends that such plants be converted where feasible to operation using biomass alone or biomass spiked with electrolytic hydrogen.”

 

# 38 – “The Committee recommends that an energy system based upon hydrogen and electricity as the principal energy currencies be adopted as a long-term policy objective.”

 

# 39 – “The Committee believes that hydrogen will be an important element of Canada’s future energy system and recommends that we now begin to develop the technology and infrastructure for hydrogen production, distribution and use.”

 

5)The current “Innovation Corridor” concept between Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge  and Toronto to improve rail and road transport should be supported. Once that concept is successful it should be replicated between Toronto and  Oshawa. A unique solution to reduce traffic congestion on  of Highway 401 would be to electrify the rail system between Windsor, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. This would allow more shipment of freight via “piggyback” using more shipping containers on rail cars. This option should be considered for the “Innovation Corridor”  concept.

 

6)There is a compressed air plant still in use (as far as I know) near Cobalt, Ontario that has been used to supply compressed air to the mines in the area. This technology should be looked at again to evaluate its potential. Falling water down a vertical rock shaft tunnel pressurizes air in a chamber and is piped away.

 

7)The planned refurbishments of six Bruce Power reactors (BNGS-A Units 3 and 4 and BNGS-B Units 5 to 8) as well as the four OPG DNGS  reactors (Units 1 to 4) must be completed for Ontario to reach its climate change reduction targets and also for the Ontario economy  to be competitive in the North American and international markets.

 

8)The new Generation 3 & Generation 4 nuclear reactor designs should be investigated in the longer term to be ready to replace the current fleet at the Bruce site and Darlington. This should include the future use of Canadian designed  large power reactors and also international fast reactors. What replacement electrical capacity will be used when PNGS is closed in 2014 ?

 

9)Consideration should be given to study the possible recycling of irradiated Candu fuel on an ongoing basis. The NWMO maintains a briefing file on this subject.

 

10)Natural gas is a relatively clean burning fuel but when combusted, it makes approx.. 50 % of

 

the CO2 as a coal plant.  The actual numbers of CO2 emission by energy source for natural gas and coal respectively are 469 and 1,001 grams CO2 equivalent /kWh (Reference C).

 

11)Continued use of natural gas presents a challenge for the development of new innovative technology to use CO2 from commercial and industrial sources (e.g. petrochemical plants etc.). The CO2 is used as a feedstock into a choice of several chemical processes that converts the CO2 into other useful chemicals.

 

12)Parts of South-Western and Eastern Ontario do not have natural gas. Several municipalities and agricultural organizations are trying to have natural gas service  provided to those areas. Is there technology that can remove CO2 on a small scale (e.. residential  or small commercial use?). This could apply to current gas supplied home and businesses as well.

 

13)Ground source heat pumps must  be integrated into the residential and commercial market. 14)Transmission system upgrades to support the Ring of Fire are needed in the medium to longer term.

 

15)How will existing smart meters be used to  resolve the issue of high electrical rates in

 

Ontario ? The GEA (Green Energy Act) needs updating or major revision  to make our electrical rates affordable and competitive again.

 

16)Finally, Hydro One should be kept in public ownership. Remember Sir Adam Beck.

 

References:

 

A)Energy Alternatives – A Report By The Special Committee On Alternative Energy And Oil Substitution to the Parliament of Canada.1980-1981.

 

B)Ontario Hydro “Providing The Balance of Power: Environmental Analysis and Demand/Supply Plan Report

 

C)Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change – Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation , Geneva 2011.

 

[Original Comment ID: 207071]