September 16, 2009

The Clean Energy Dialogue was established in February 2009 by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama to identify ways Canada and the U.S. can jointly develop clean energy solutions to reduce greenhouse gases and to combat climate change.  Joint Canada-U.S. working groups have developed an Action Plan for cooperation in three areas: developing clean energy technology; building a more efficient energy grid; and expanding research and development.  The Report to Leaders, which was presented on September 16, 2009, highlights the three areas of focus that represent the most promising areas for expanded or new joint projects.

These three areas of focus are:

1) Clean Energy Research and Development (R&D)

Working together on clean energy research and development will facilitate the technological breakthroughs required to advance the development and deployment of clean energy technologies.  Developing a framework for Canada-U.S. clean energy R&D collaboration and launching specific projects and initiatives immediately will enable greater collaboration among laboratories, industry and academia; significant sharing of information; creation of virtual labs; and increased shared-use of scientific facilities.  A technology roadmap will also help identify the technology-associated R&D that would allow Canada and the United States to meet their respective goals for reducing greenhouse gases by 2050.

2) Develop a more efficient electricity grid

Canada and the U.S. will advance smart grid and clean power technologies and help develop government- and industry-sponsored reliability standards, cybersecurity and interoperability guidelines for both countries; share government-sponsored electricity research, development, and deployment; and develop the potential for live storage of electricity across the Canada-U.S. grid.  Joint collaboration provides opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, improve efficiency, and replace aging facilities and equipment. 

3) U.S.-Canada Carbon Capture and Storage Collaboration (CCS)

CCS holds great potential to control greenhouse gas emissions, and bilateral collaboration would yield significant results.  This collaboration involves working towards a compatible business and regulatory framework for Canada and the United States; expanding existing collaboration in CO2 injection and storage testing; and holding bilateral conferences to engage Canadian and U.S. experts from the public and private sectors to share best practices and provide updates on joint CCS activities.

EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS IN SUPPORT OF THE CLEAN ENERGY DIALOGUE

To achieve results, the governments of Canada and the United States are pursuing several projects either jointly or independently that are either outlined in the Clean Energy Dialogue Action Plan or that support and complement the objectives of the Clean Energy Dialogue.

1) CLEAN ENERGY RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT

Automotive Clean Energy Initiative: The governments of Canada and the United States are collaborating on a joint research and development initiative for the auto sector, designed to link their current programs so that they will fund project proposals from joint Canada-US research teams.  This initiative supports collaborative research to improve the performance and impact of vehicles in key areas such as advanced powertrains, energy storage, lighter weight and sustainable materials – all components of the next generation, green vehicle.  Research in universities and companies conducted through this initiative will result in cars that have a lower impact on the environment, meet the needs of drivers, and will make Canadian and American automotive companies more flexible, efficient and sustainable in the long-term.

Expanded ENERGY STAR Harmonization: Canada and the US will expand their ENERGY STAR® program collaboration to increase the availability and number of energy efficient products and appliances, and to facilitate the harmonization of the North American equipment market.

Measure It, Manage It (Building Energy Benchmarking System):  This tool will allow the benchmarking of energy use for building types in both countries.  This will help building operators, owners, and energy utilities to track, benchmark, and manage energy consumption to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from commercial and institutional buildings.

Managing the Load (Managing Building’s Energy Needs in Response to Grid Demand): The project will facilitate development of a North American smart grid via Demand Response by developing standards and tools, including the Demand Response Quick Assessment tool, to encourage peak load reduction in commercial and institutional buildings.  Demand Response helps to manage building electricity costs and improve electric grid reliability.

2) DEVELOP A MORE EFFICIENT ELECTRICITY GRID

British Columbia Northwest Transmission Line: The Government of Canada is supporting a green infrastructure project in northern British Columbia involving the construction of a 335-kilometre transmission line that will support the development and use of green energy in the area.  This line will carry hydroelectricity to communities in the northwestern region of the province, providing a clean and reliable source of power, while facilitating the development of an estimated 2,000 megawatts of renewable electricity generation from small hydro, geothermal and wind.  The project is also a key step in a potential interconnection between southeast Alaska and the North American transmission grid via British Columbia.

Tidal and River Current Energy (Technology to Generate Electricity from Rivers and Tidal Currents): This project aims to design, develop, and demonstrate improved turbine system components that will result in larger, higher-power and more cost-effective next-generation systems.  This will enhance the commercial viability of one of North America’s most promising kinetic hydropower technologies.

Low Environmental Impact Hydro (Technology for Electricity Production from Low Head Waterways):  The purpose of this project is to implement the breakthrough turbine technology through on-site demonstrations of its performance, cost-effectiveness, fish-friendliness for very low head hydro sites (less than 3m of head) in North America, leading to an innovative solution for cleaner, secure and competitive electricity supply in North America.

Taking Power’s Pulse (A Network to Measure Electric Grid Health): This project, also known as the North American Synchrophasor Initiative, aims to deploy technology that enables the precise measurement of electric system power quality in real time.  This enhanced monitoring capability can increase electrical reliability and provide flexibility in managing grids that will increasingly accommodate renewable power sources, distributed generation and smart meters. 

3)  U.S.-CANADA CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE COLLABORATION (CCS)

Coal Gasification Research Project: The governments of Canada and the United States are working with academia and industry groups to develop new coal gasification technology to reduce emissions associated with the use of coal.  While both Canada and the U.S. have very large reserves of coal, it is a high-emitting source of greenhouse gas emissions.  Advanced gasification technology, used together with carbon capture and storage, could allow the capture and permanent underground storage of more than 90 percent of CO2 emissions where coal is burned to generate electricity.  The ability to measure various gasification processes and the properties inside gasifiers will be researched to help improve the understanding of coal gasification and assist in the development of future designs.  Partners will share and process data, undertake experiments and sophisticated modeling that would result in new approaches accessible to both Canadian and American participants which would lead to progress towards clean coal gasification.