New association promotes measures to accelerate production of 550 TWh of dispatchable renewable energy in Canada, and reduce GHG emissions by 87 Mt.
A new association has been incorporated to accelerate the production of 550 billion kWh of dispatchable (no battery) renewable energy in Canada, and to lower GHG emissions by 87 billion kg.
NetZeroPLUS Canada explains that the thermal energy produced from the ground by a heat pump must be recognized as renewable energy. Failure to count ALL energy outputs and ALL energy inputs decreases the ability to track production and consumption, and allows greenwashing to obfuscate issues and delay positive action on emission reductions.
As economies electrify, all energy nomenclature must be standardized and quantified as kW (kilowatt) and kWh (kilowatt-hour) so factual comparisons can be made between supply options. This means discarding arcane energy terms such as calorie, Btu, barrel of oil, horsepower and more.
In Canada, the average household consumes 26,538 kWh of energy, of which 21,714 kWh is for thermal applications of space heating, water heating and space cooling; the remainder is plug load for lights and appliances. The average house emits 3,826 kg of GHG, of which 3,303 kg is from these thermal end-uses. (source: Comprehensive Energy Use Database, NRCan, 2020)
A heat pump will produce all 21,714 kWh of that thermal supply as renewable energy, but it will require 7,000 kWh to operate (COP 3.2 is the minimal efficiency allowed). The house will produce 21,714 kWh and consume 11,869 kWh, a ratio of 2:1 … hence the term ‘netzeroPLUS’. It will also decrease GHG emissions from 3,826 kg to 1,274 kg per year (lower if the provincial grid is low-carbon).
Combined, Canada’s residential and commercial buildings consume 550 billion kWh of thermal energy that could be produced as dispatchable renewable energy. Total GHG emission from current space thermal energy is 87 billion kg, which could be almost eliminated.
Recognition that a heat pump produces renewable energy (as well as reduces emissions and operating costs) will provide an important incentive for homeowners to take direct action and to do the right thing.
NetZeroPLUS Canada has launched a campaign to explain the benefits of this transition. It has posted material at http://net-zero-PLUS.com and a number of subsidiary sites, with more material posted on its social media outlets.
