Electricity generation is a SECONDARY industry where natural resources get turned into a product that society needs. The energy industry ranges from the Oil Sands in Alberta to wind farms in Southern Ontario to hydroelectric dams in Quebec to Biomass in British Columbia.
Sustainability and Stewardship:
How we choose to create electricity has important effects on sustainability and stewardship. Though all sources create the energy we need there are important differences.
Some are renewable and can be sustainable while others are non- renewable and will run out.
Some show poor stewardship by creating more waste/pollution than others.
Some require more natural resources or disrupt larger amount of land than others
As an energy user, each of us has a responsibility to be good stewards of our energy.
The Energy Choice Hierarchy: Which Decisions Show the Best Stewardship? |
1. Using less energy is often the best strategy (Look for energy star symbols) 2. Use energy that creates as little waste or causes as little harm as possible 3. Choose renewable over non-renewable if able 4. If a used natural resource or byproduct can create energy, do it. 5. Proper disposal and containment of energy waste is the last but most responsible decision if everything above is not possible. |
Choosing the right energy source is important for our future. You learned in unit 3 that Canada is a big country divided into 7 regions that each have a unique geologic past. The physical processes that shaped each region are responsible for why we find certain natural resources in one place and not another. So what places in Canada are using which energy sources?
Open the Energy GIS Map to see the 7 Landform Regions of Canada
Check out the 11 different types of Energy Sources below
Complete the questions starting on Page 3
Energy/Electricity Generation Types: (N) non-renewable – Non-renewable energy comes from sources that will run out or will not be replenished in our lifetimes—or even in many, many lifetimes. (R) renewable –Energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power. 1. Wind (R) Turbines capture flowing wind and convert into electricity. Can only be located in windy regions like coastlines and plains. | 2. Tidal (R) Turbines capture energy from tides as they rise/fall daily. Can only be located on coastlines where tides exist. | 3.Hydroelectric (R) Rivers are dammed. Falling water spins turbines creating electricity. Can only be located along rivers. | 4.Natural Gas (N) Gaseous fossil fuels are burned to create steam that spins a turbine, creating energy. Forms in sedimentary rock under water. | 5.Diesel (N) Liquid fossil fuel burned to create steam that spins a turbine, creating electricity. Forms in sedimentary rock under water. | 6.Oil (N) Liquid fossil is burned to create steam that spins a turbine, creating Electricity.Forms in sedimentary rock under water. | 7.Coal (N) Solid fossil fuel mineral is burned to create steam that spins a turbine, creating electricity.Forms in sedimentary rock when plants compress under water. | 8.Nuclear (N) The element uranium is split to release energy, creates steam and spins a turbine. Must be near large bodies of water to cool the reactors but produce huge amounts of energy | 9.Geothermal Energy (R) Heat generated deep in the earth finds its way to the surface near tectonic boundaries or hot spots. This heat creates steam used to spin a turbine creating electricity. | 10. Biomass (R) Waste products from forestry operations and sawdust from lumber mills are pressed into pellets and burned to create steam that spins a turbine. | 11. Solar(R) Panels that collect the energy of sunlight and convert them directly into electricity. Best located at low latitude areas with many sunny days. | |
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Part A: Patterns: What natural resources are fueling Canada’s power plants?
Go to the Energy Map you opened from the link above. Turn on the layer “Major Power Generating Stations”. Click on each region to see an image and description of the resources available in that region. The map is also summarized in the chart below.
Provinces | Landform Region | Natural Resource(s) | Main Type of Power Plant(s) |
British Columbia | Western Cordillera (tall mountains) | Forests, Fast Moving Rivers, Geothermal, Tides | Biomass, Hydro Dams |
Alberta | Interior Plains (flat, sedimentary rock) | Coal, Oil, Gas, Geothermal | Coal and Gas Plants |
Saskatchewan | Interior Plains | Coal, Gas, Geothermal, Wind | Coal and Gas Plants |
Manitoba | Interior Plains | Coal, Gas, Flowing Wind | Coal, Hydro dams |
Ontario | Great Lakes Lowlands (rolling hills, sedimentary rock and large bodies of water) | Flowing Wind & Water, Large Water Bodies | Hydro dams, Nuclear Plants, Wind Turbines |
Canadian Shield (hilly, rocky many small lakes and rivers) | Forests, Flowing water | Hydro, Biomass |
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Quebec | Canadian Shield | Flowing Water, Forests | Hydro, Biomass |
St Lawrence Lowlands (rolling hills, sedimentary rock and large bodies of water) | Flowing Wind & Water, Large Water Bodies | Wind Turbines and Hydro |
New Brunswick | Appalachians (smaller round mountains) | Flowing Wind & Water. Large Water Bodies, Tides | Wind Power , Hydro, Nuclear, |
Nova Scotia | Appalachians | Fossil fuels, Flowing Water | Hydro, Oil, Coal, Tidal |
Newfoundland | Appalachians | Flowing Water and Oil | Hydro, Oil |
Northern Canada: Nunavut, The Northwest Territories, Yukon and northern parts of other provinces. | The Arctic and Northern parts of the Interior Plains, Canadian Shield and Western Cordillera. | Few reliable Natural resources that generate power. | Diesel Fuel Power Plants |
Use the Map and/or Chart to Connect The Resource with the Power Plant Type
Answer | Type of Power Plant | Resource, Landform Region, Province |
c | Nuclear | A Nunavut, Yukon and Northwest Territories use this liquid fossil fuel |
b | Tidal | B On the coastline of BC and Nova Scotia, caused by the moon’s gravity |
i | Coal | C Along the shores of the large Great Lakes water supply |
a | Diesel | D Quebec is by far the biggest producer of this flow resource |
h | Biomass | E Heat escaping the center of the earth near tectonic boundaries |
d | Hydro | F In the flat Interior plains or coastlines of lakes or oceans |
e | Geothermal | G The sun shines everywhere but interior plains have the most sunny days |
g | Solar | H Anywhere you have a large forest, logging operation or sawmill |
f | Wind | I Found only in sedimentary rock and formed by compressing ancient plants |
Part B: Interrelationships- How does the landscape impact how we generate electricity?
1. The Canadian Shield, Western Cordillera and Appalachians have either hilly or mountainous landscapes and consistent rainfall. Which type of power generation is widely used in these locations as a result of the elevation changes, rainfall and fast moving rivers in these regions? Look for repeating symbols on the map or in the chart you just filled out
2. The Interior Plains and Great Lakes Lowlands are both made of sedimentary rock. What group of similar non-renewable natural resources do these two regions burn as a source of electricity generation?
Coal & Gas (Fossil Fuels) |
3.The Great Lakes Lowlands have a huge supply of freshwater from the Great Lakes. They also have a massive population of 13 million people, and factories hungry for energy. Which source(s) of energy takes advantage of the water provided by the lakes and is capable of producing huge amounts of electricity?
Climate: How does the climate impact how we generate electricity?
5. Northern Canada has a variety of landscapes but what they all share in common are harsh climate conditions. What type of energy does northern Canada rely on most (which symbol do you see up north)?
Diesel (Fossil Fuels) they use this likely because it is cheap and effective and it's easier to transport compared to other natural resources like water etc. |
Vegetation: How does vegetation impact how we generate electricity?
6. The Western Cordillera and Canadian Shield are covered in vast forests. Which type of energy production is being used in places that connect to the forests?
Biomass Depending on the type of vegetation it can help us use different types of energy, ex the more of this vegetation the more we can use for biomass electricity. |
7. What are two places (regions) in Canada are you not likely to find a Biomass Power plant? Explain your reasoning.
In the interior plains and in the arctic because conditions are harsher and less vegetation grows there |
Part D: Geographic Perspectives:
Which province has the most sustainable energy grid? Use the chart, map and answers so far to support your answer.
I would personally say New Brunswick uses their resources most sustainably because there is an even balance between a wide variety of energy sources and that way they won't overuse one specific resource. This will result in them having the most sustainable energy grid |
Note
Studied by 10 people