Our Achievements in 2009
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies
All electricity generation methods have environmental impacts. Since the best way to limit these impacts is to control demand, Hydro-Québec encourages customers to use energy more wisely, as part of its Energy Efficiency Plan.
Hydro-Québec is one of the largest power producers in North America. Hydropower–a clean and renewable energy–is used to produce close to 98% of our output. Our hydroelectric projects must meet three criteria before they can proceed: they must be profitable, environmentally acceptable and favorably received by the host communities.
Hydro-Québec also makes use of other green, renewable energies, particularly wind power, which is a logical complement to hydroelectricity.
Our main achievements in 2009
Energy efficiency
Energy Efficiency Plan (EEP)The EEP targets recurring savings of 11 TWh by 2015. According to Hydro-Québec's Strategic Plan, $1.6 billion will be invested in the EEP between 2009 and 2013.
- Due to the difficult economic situation, the energy savings generated by Hydro-Québec's energy efficiency programs in 2009 are slightly lower than those achieved in 2008. However, our 2009 initiatives still led to savings of 912 GWh, excluding those associated with the CATVAR project (voltage regulation and reactive power control).
- Since the launch of the RECYC-FRIGO EnvironnementTM program in March 2008, 186,162 refrigerators and freezers have been recovered for environmentally responsible recycling, in partnership with Recyclage ÉcoSolutions.
- As part of the Go with the Flow campaign, Hydro-Québec funds community projects proposed by municipalities in exchange for their help in promoting the ENERGY WISE Home Diagnostic. Since 2007, more than 900 communities have benefited from this initiative.
- The Energy Savers' Circle welcomed 16 new members. This group is made up of companies who have taken steps to cut their electricity consumption by at least 5% or to save at least 50 GWh per year through energy efficiency programs. In 2009, Hydro-Québec added an Elite category to the Circle, reserved for companies that reduce their consumption even further and demonstrate a sustainable commitment toward energy efficiency.
| Energy efficiency plan (GWh) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target | Actuala | |||||||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
| Energy savingsb | 523 | 661 | 745 | 985 | 740 | 900 | 1,050 | 912 |
| Residential customers | 257 | 301 | 352 | 485 | 376 | 359 | 403 | 528 |
| Business customers | 126 | 191 | 222 | 272 | 177 | 197 | 222 | 256 |
| Large-power customers | 140 | 170 | 171 | 229 | 187 | 345 | 426 | 129 |
- a) The 2009 actual results include the programs of the Agence de l'efficacité énergétique.
Data from previous years may have been adjusted following program evaluation. - b) Overall total and sum of subtotals may differ due to rounding.
Renewable energies
Hydroelectricity
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Hydro-Québec is involved in a major research project on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Eastmain 1 reservoir. We are currently developing a predictive model which will enable us to compare emissions from the reservoir with those from natural environments over a hundred-year time span.
One of the goals of this research is to accurately assess the environmental impact of hydroelectricity as compared to other generating options.
The preliminary findings show that GHG emissions from Québec reservoirs are 35 to 300 times lower than those from thermal power plants of equivalent capacity. The study will continue until 2012 and the first results will be available in 2010. - Hydro-Québec is taking measures to maintain traditional Aboriginal activities and preserve the aquatic habitats in the reduced-flow section of the Rupert.
- The Romaine project in the Côte-Nord region calls for construction of four hydroelectric generating stations with a total installed capacity of 1,550 MW—a $6.5-billion investment, which will lead to significant economic spinoffs. Construction began in May 2009 and will continue until 2020. At first, the Romaine complex will supply the export market, a profitable source of revenue for Hydro-Québec. However, in the long run, this project is meant to ensure that Québec's future energy needs will be met.
Hydro-Québec spent $145 million on draft-design studies for the Romaine complex. It will also be investing close to $175 million ($5 million in 2009) in order to implement mitigation measures and carry out environmental monitoring studies during construction.
All components of the physical, biological and human environments likely to be affected by the project were investigated.
- Romaine project (in French only)
- Sustainability Report 2009
- Sustainable Development Action Plan 2009–2013 (p. 3–4)
The value of renewable energy surpluses
Québec's energy surpluses contribute to the preservation of our global environment. For example, in the 1980s, surpluses from La Grande complex promoted the construction of aluminum smelters in Québec. For the past 20 years, these companies have used a clean and renewable energy to produce aluminum, which would not have been the case if the plants had been built elsewhere. Moreover, Hydro-Québec exports its surpluses in hydroelectricity to neighboring markets, substituting for their local output, which is mainly thermal. Between 2001 and 2009, Hydro-Québec's exports prevented the emission of 39 million tonnes of GHGs, while significantly contributing to the company's net income.
Wind power
- Hydro-Québec issued a call for the purchase of two 250-MW blocks of Québec-generated wind power, one reserved for Aboriginal projects and one for other community projects. These projects must have a minimum Québec content corresponding to 60% of the total costs for each wind farm, and at least 30% of the cost of the turbines must be incurred in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine administrative region.
- We received our first deliveries of 127.5 MW from the Saint-Ulric–Saint-Léandre wind farm. This farm is the fourth wind farm commissioned in Gaspésie following the 2003 tender call for 1,000 MW, issued by Hydro-Québec.
Other renewable energies
- Hydro-Québec issued a call for 125 MW of power produced in Québec by new cogeneration facilities with biomass accounting for at least 75% of the fuel used to generate the electricity. We accepted eight bids from seven proponents for a total of 60.7 MW.
- Hydro-Québec contributes to research on new energy sources, such as hydrokinetic power from ocean currents and tides, salinity gradient power generated by the difference in salinity between saltwater and freshwater, and deep geothermal energy, which uses the heat accumulated in deep rock formations.
