CSA Z462 Arc Flash Training – Electrical Safety Compliance Course
Our customized live online or in‑person group training can be delivered to your staff at your location.
- Live Online
- 6 hours Instructor-led
- Group Training Available
Québec hydropower offers clean energy with very low greenhouse gas emissions, confirmed by life-cycle analysis. Hydro-Québec exports support New England's renewable portfolio, grid reliability, and price stability via new transmission capacity.
Inside the Issue
A low-GHG renewable power source from Hydro-Québec that supports New England's climate goals and grid reliability.
- Emits 50x less GHGs than natural gas; similar to wind
- 5x lower than PV solar; 70x lower than coal generation
- Reservoir emissions fall to baseline within about 10 years
- 2014 imports avoided 6.2M metric tons CO2e, like 1.6M cars
Hydro-Québec strongly objects to the erroneous information published by the Sierra Club in its recent letter Our Turn: State doesn’t need Northern Pass, October 31, 2015. New Hampshire citizens have the right to know the facts about hydropower, not a list of misleading statements.
Qu e9bec hydropower: a clean energy option for New England
Sierra Club misinterprets the results of several scientific studies on greenhouse gas GHG emissions from reservoirs, asserting that emissions from hydropower can be as much as 70 of the levels of GHGs resulting from natural gas generation. This is completely false. Hydropower power emissions are 50 times less than those from natural gas generation.
These scientific studies, based on a life-cycle analysis, showed that Qu e9bec hydropower is one of the lowest GHG emitting electricity generating options. Qu e9bec hydropower emissions are:
- Similar to wind energy
- 5 times less than photovoltaic solar
- 70 times less than coal.
When reservoirs are created, a river landscape is transformed into a lake landscape. Emissions from reservoir creation do increase in the first years but then decrease to the level of surrounding waterways within a maximum of 10 years. A hydropower generating station in Qu e9bec is built to produce electricity for at least 100 years, serving generations in a sustainable manner.
What Sierra Club fails to mention is that thanks to imports of clean hydropower from Qu e9bec, which are key to cutting emissions across New England, emissions of greenhouse gases are avoided. In 2014, thanks to imports from Hydro-Qu e9bec, 6.2 million metric tons of GHGs were avoided – the equivalent of the emissions of 1.6 million vehicles.
A number of other false statements are made in this letter. Here are the real facts:
- Boreal reservoirs are not a source of methane because the water is cold and well-oxygenated.
- Hydro-Qu e9bec maintains respectful relations with First Nations communities in Qu e9bec. Since 1975, about 30 agreements with Aboriginal nations and communities have been signed to enable communities to play an active role in the projects, to participate in environmental follow-up programs and to benefit from economic spinoffs.
- Increased mercury levels after reservoir creation is a well known and temporary phenomenon. No cases of mercury intoxication related to fish consumption have ever been reported in Qu e9bec.
Northern Pass is a good project for New Hampshire and for all of New England, and FERC approval of a power line plan highlights the pathway forward today.
Further increasing current import levels of Qu e9bec hydropower, supported by green export plans at Hydro-Qu e9bec, would bring undeniable benefits to the entire region, including:
- A new source of clean energy to contribute to meeting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets
- A non gas source in a market that increasingly relies on natural gas generation for power production
- Reductions in the use of coal and oil plants during summer and winter peak periods
- A stably priced source of electricity that will have a positive impact on wholesale prices in the region.
New England has some of the most ambitious climate goals on the continent. To meet these goals, the region needs more clean energy to achieve them, and all renewable energy sources are needed - not one renewable resource rather than another. Hydropower is a flexible and controllable source of energy that can actually facilitate the development of intermittent resources such as wind and solar.
To secure delivery of more hydropower into New England, at those moments when the region needs it the most, both suppliers and buyers have to make long-term commitments to ensure that the necessary transmission constraints can be addressed and infrastructure can be built.
Better integration of the New England and Qu e9bec grids is beneficial for both regions, and will increase the reliability of both electricity grids. New England currently has needs that Hydro-Qu e9bec can meet with its clean and reliable energy, developed with respect for the environment and local communities.
For decades, New England has been purchasing electricity from Hydro-Qu e9bec, which plans to increase hydropower capacity significantly, and it is certainly to its advantage to continue taking advantage of its proximity to the largest generator of renewable energy in North America.
Related News
Related News
Ontario plunging into energy storage as electricity supply crunch looms
Failed PG&E power line blamed for Drum fire off Hwy 246 last June
Tackling climate change with machine learning: Covid-19 and the energy transition
Electricity Grids Can Handle Electric Vehicles Easily - They Just Need Proper Management
Minnesota 2050 carbon-free electricity plan gets first hearing
Wind Denmark - Danish electricity generation sets a new green record
Sign Up for Electricity Forum’s Newsletter
Stay informed with our FREE Newsletter — get the latest news, breakthrough technologies, and expert insights, delivered straight to your inbox.
Electricity Today T&D Magazine Subscribe for FREE
- Timely insights from industry experts
- Practical solutions T&D engineers
- Free access to every issue