A Member
of 
|
|
|
|
on a carbon dioxide equivalent basis)3. Despite this comparatively low figure, the potential impact of smog on human health indicates that efforts will continue to be made to reduce emissions of oxides of nitrogen from all sources. Table 3
Greenhouse Gas Emission Estimates in Canada by Sector (all fuels and CFCs) 1990 and 1995
Energy Emissions Fossil fuels (coal, oil products, natural gas) are major contributors to anthropogenic greenhouse gases and emissions of oxides of nitrogen which contribute to smog. Greenhouse gases and oxides of nitrogen occur in varying amounts during natural gas product tion, processing, transmission, distribution, and consumption. While the upstream oil and gas industry forms a relatively homogenous and geographically convenient focus for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it should be noted that:
· Energy, in whatever firm, is demand-driven. It is only produced when there are customers who want it.
· Two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions auributable to natural gas occur during combustion, at the burner tip. Fossil fuels will remain in use in Canada well into the next century: Demand is continuing to grow, and reserves are plentiful. The Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, for example, is currently the largest reservoir in North America for natural gas. Other less polluting energy forms, such as renewables, are lacking infrastructure and not currently economically competitive on a large scale, and, in the case of nuclear power, also face strong public resistance. Most large-scale hydro-electricity sites across Canada have been exploited, and small-scale hydro is restrained by initial capital cost and the current over-supply of electricity generating capacity. Nevertheless, many alternate frrms of energy show promise and they may capture niches in the continually growing demand for energy. With the continuing growth in demand for natural gas, its share of the Canadian energy mix will continue to increase. Consequently, emissions attributable to natural gas will likely continue to increase in absolute quantities although the increase in emissions will be smaller than if more carbon-intensive fuels were used to meet demand. Offsetting the growth in use of natural gas to meet future energy demand will be new technology using higher efficiency equipment. As has been reported in the US, methane emissions from the anticipated increase in natural gas usage will decrease significantly, on a unit of energy basis in comparison to current amounts, because of continually improving equipment and under-capacity of existing low-emission equipment. For example, the increased utilization of low NOx turbines will reduce these emissions from the transmission sector of the industry (currently 15% of the natural gas NOx total). Similarly, low NOx boilers for steam and process heat will reduce this major source (20% of total) of end use NOx emissions. Installation of improved equipment and facilities occurs with due regard to capital stock turnover in order to justify the economics of new high-efficiency equipment. Table 3 provides estimates of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada by sectors. It indicates that mobile sources (predominantly from oil products) and power generation (predominantly from coal) are the largest producers of GHGs. Tables 4 and 5 on page 4 show the results of the most recent surveys commissioned by CGA. These were carried out during 1996 and 1997 by Marbek for end use and by Radian through Gas Technology Canada for the natural gas industry. For comparison, at the bottom of each table are figures used by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) in its April 1997 report: Canada’s Energy Outlook 1996—2020. 1990 1995 %of 1995
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, July 1997 Totals do nor include carbon dioxide from the combustion of Biomass.
|
|
Send mail to altech@cadvision.com with questions or comments about
this web site.
|
