Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
in many provinces that do not enjoy high hydropower capacity, greater
capacity limits will be needed to ensure that electricity can low freely from
provinces that are rich in hydropower to provinces which need peak load
capacity support. In short, for wind power potential to be maximized, inter-
provincial grid connections would have to be expanded to closer resemble
Quebec's proile in Table 8.5 (next page).
In terms of energy technology development, there are two signiicant
trends worth highlighting. he irst trend is that support for nuclear power
R&D is waning, particularly post-Fukushima. Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.
(AECL) is the federal crown corporation that has historically been respon-
sible for coordinating nuclear power R&D. In 2011, after posting losses in
2009 and 2010 totaling C$493 million, AECL's reactor design division was
sold to a private buyer (SNC-Lavalin) for C$15 million. AECL still runs the
Nuclear Laboratories division, which overseas research and production of
isotopes for medical use at the Chalk River Laboratory. However, the sale of
the reactor design division suggests that federal subsidies for nuclear power
research, which purportedly amounted to over C$600 million in 2009, will
be signiicantly reduced. he partial dismantling of AECL underscores years
of unproitable performance within Canada's nuclear power program and
suggests a troubled road ahead for nuclear power proponents in Canada. he
second technological trend worth noting is that there is growing support for
carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) research across Canada in general,
and in Alberta in speciic. As the Albertan government outlined in its energy
strategy, “Alternative and renewable energy sources will play a growing role
in Alberta energy's future, but they cannot match the importance to Alberta
of 'clean' fossil fuels.” 49 he money lowing into CCS research from both pub-
lic and private sources may allow fossil fuel-power irms to extend defense
of their market positions.
8.5 INFLUENCES ON GOVERNMENT POLICY
8.5.1 Sociocultural Political
Canada's sociocultural environment has had a net positive inluence on
political support for wind power development. he environmental ethic
that pervades Canadian society tends to hold forces for unfettered economic
development in check. In this regard, although there is considerable political
support for exploiting Canada's stored fossil fuel wealth, there is also consid-
erable public pressure for Canada's federal and provincial leaders to respond
to climate change. As pointed out earlier, the majority of Canadians harbor
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