To tackle the climate crisis and ensure a successful energy transition, polluting energy sources must be replaced by clean energy. This will involve a major electrification effort that, combined with forecast economic development, will result in a significant increase in electricity demand in the coming years.
Total of 0 MW / 9000 MW
Greenhouse gas emissions are low
Energy mix costs are low
Service reliability is good
My energy mix
Total of 0 MW / 9000 MW
Greenhouse gas emissions are low
Energy mix costs are low
Service reliability is good
List of energy sources
Energy savings
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Update quantityThis solution generates low GHG emissions. Lowering consumption and making optimal use of available energy reduce the need for new generating and transmission facilities.
Saving energy costs a lot less than building new energy infrastructure. The main costs associated with this solution are related to communication efforts and incentive offers, such as dynamic pricing, Hilo and the LogisVert Efficient Homes Program.
The extent to which energy savings contribute to service reliability depends on several factors, such as the financial incentives offered, the public’s willingness to take advantage of them or to participate in the collective effort, as well as the availability of energy-efficient equipment and the labor required for its installation. Beyond a certain point, however, it becomes difficult to increase energy savings without amending certain regulations or implementing new obligations.
Energy savings mainly result from changes in electricity consumption habits, better insulation of buildings and the use of technologies such as energy storage systems, smart thermostats and efficient heat pumps. They reduce electricity demand, particularly during peak periods, and thus help avoid the need for new generating and transmission facilities.
Hydropower
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Update quantityHydropower is renewable and generates very low GHG emissions. However, the impact of building new generating stations on the environment and on local communities must be taken into account.
It costs less to increase the capacity of existing generating stations, but the potential for gains is limited: once all possible gains have been achieved, new generating facilities must be built at significant cost. In addition, given that suitable sites are often located far from load centers, high-voltage lines must also be built to transmit the electricity, which pushes up costs.
Hydropower is a stable energy source—it’s always available since water can be stored in reservoirs for use on demand to generate electricity. As a result, it’s highly reliable. However, it can take more than 10 years to build a generating station—a fact that must be considered when choosing options to meet electricity needs by 2035.
Energy generated using water to propel turbines, which are connected to generators. To increase hydropower generation, the capacity of existing facilities can be increased by replacing the generating units or, if that isn’t sufficient, by building new generating stations.
Wind power
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Update quantityWind power is renewable and generates very low GHG emissions. However, the environmental, visual and noise impacts of wind farms must be taken into account.
The cost of generating wind power is relatively low. However, given that wind is intermittent, a large number of turbines must be installed in different locations to ensure that enough electricity is produced. What’s more, high-voltage lines must often be built to transmit the electricity, which increases costs.
Given that wind generation varies depending on the wind, this energy source must be combined with a more stable source to ensure service reliability.
Energy generated by the force that wind exerts on the blades of a turbine. The blades are connected to a generator that produces electricity.
Solar power
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Update quantitySolar power is renewable and generates low GHG emissions. However, the fact that the large area occupied by the solar panels may have visual and environmental impacts must be taken into account.
Solar power is intermittent and requires the installation of a large number of solar panels, making this energy source quite costly. What’s more, given that sunlight cycles in Québec don’t correspond to our peak demand periods, which occur in the morning and in the evening, solar power should be combined with battery storage to boost reliability, which increases costs considerably.
Solar power is intermittent because it depends on sunlight. Service reliability is therefore reduced at night and on grayer days. As a result, solar power should be combined with a more stable energy source.
Energy generated by photovoltaic panels that capture sunlight and turn it into electricity. The panels may be installed on solar farms operated by electricity providers or on the roofs of customers’ buildings.
Nuclear energy
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Update quantityA nuclear power plant doesn’t generate GHG emissions, but it produces radioactive waste that must safely be stored over the long term. What’s more, nuclear power is not renewable—although abundant, uranium is not an unlimited resource. In addition, safety issues related to this energy source have an impact on social acceptability.
With generating technologies currently in use, nuclear power production costs are high. However, given that nuclear plants can be built near load centers, relatively short transmission lines are required, which reduces the total costs associated with this energy source.
Nuclear energy is very stable and, given that it’s always available, it’s also very reliable. However, building a new nuclear power plant could take more than 10 years—a fact that must be considered when choosing options to meet electricity needs by 2035.
Energy released by the fission of uranium atoms and used to generate steam, which in turn drives turbines connected to generators.
Natural gas
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Update quantityNatural gas must be burned to generate electricity, which releases large quantities of GHGs. Furthermore, this energy source is not renewable given that natural gas is a finite resource.
A natural gas power plant can be built near load centers. It is therefore not necessary to transmit electricity over long distances, which limits costs. However, the cost of natural gas is expected to increase in the coming years due to carbon pollution pricing.
Electricity generated from natural gas is stable and available at all times, which ensures service reliability.
A fossil fuel formed over millions of years from decomposing plants and animals buried deep underground. This non-renewable fuel, also called fossil natural gas, can be burned to produce steam that drives a turbine connected to a generator, thereby producing electricity.
Renewable natural gas (RNG)
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Update quantityReplacing the fossil natural gas supply of an existing thermal generating station with renewable natural gas reduces GHG emissions.
Although it’s possible to replace a thermal generating station’s supply of fossil natural gas with renewable natural gas, the cost of this resource is higher. What’s more, above a certain threshold, new generating stations would have to be built, which would increase costs.
Electricity generated using renewable natural gas is stable and can be produced at any time, which ensures service reliability. However, the quantity of this energy source available on the market is not yet guaranteed and will hinge on increasing production capacity in the coming years.
Energy generated from organic waste from farms, forests, landfills or water treatment plants. The fossil natural gas that supplies a thermal generating station can be replaced by renewable natural gas.