Developing and assessing climate change mitigation technologies

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Policymakers need to assess energy technologies and to understand how new technologies can be integrated into existing energy systems in order to provide affordable energy with reduced environmental impact. The lack of systematic tools for assessing energy technologies frustrates the ability of entrepreneurs to deliver competitive and appropriate energy solutions and of policymakers to construct sound cost-effective policy. The need for improved energy system analysis is as pressing as the need for improved technologies. This research project will study the cost and environmental impacts wind power and oil sands extraction, two of Canada's fastest growing energy sources. Oil sands extraction technologies are becoming deeply integrated into Canada's energy system. Construction, operation, and eventual retirement of facilities will have large and complex impacts on Canada's economy and environment. The amount of energy and water required per barrel of oil produced, and the amount of CO2 emitted, cannot be simply estimated from operational data because such data does not include the indirect impacts arising from the consumption of inputs such as steel and natural gas. This research will use life-cycle analysis to provide a systematic method for analyzing the required inputs, outputs and environmental impacts for each stage of production. Wind power could play a substantial role in global energy supply when CO2 emissions are strongly constrained in order to limit anthropogenic climatic change. Canada's use of wind power is increasing quickly. This research addresses two aspects of large-scale wind power, first, electricity system modeling to design cost effective ways of integrating large-scale wind power into existing electricity grids; and second, assessment of the direct impact of wind turbines on local and global climate.