Topic 3.5: Generating and Using Electrical Energy Sustainably

Sustainable use of electrical energy begins with understanding how its use is measured.
Electrical energy is measured in two main ways:
- Watts and Kilowatts
- Kilowatt-Hours

Appliances are labelled with a power rating (the rate they use energy).
Examples:
- Light bulb: $100 \text{ W}$
- Iron: $1000 \text{ W}$
If a light bulb and an iron are on for the same length of time, the iron uses 10 times more energy than the light bulb.

Electrical energy used by an appliance over time is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
kWh: Combines the units for power and time.
If you use an appliance rated at 1 kW for one hour, you will have used 1 kWh of electrical energy.

Smart meter: An electrical energy meter that measures how energy use changes in a building over the course of the day.
- Data is sent to the utility company wirelessly.
- Can encourage “smart” behavior since it allows consumers to track their electrical energy usage.

EnerGuide label: A label that gives details about the amount of energy that an appliance uses in one year of normal use.
- Large number: Shows how much energy is used in one year of normal use.
- Shaded bar: Shows how the appliance compares with similar ones on the market.
- Numbers on the shaded bar: Gives a range of efficiency for yearly energy use.

ENERGY STAR® label: Identifies a product as meeting or exceeding certain standards for energy efficiency.
- Appliances with this label use 10-50% less energy compared with a standard product in the same category.

Phantom load: Electrical energy a device uses when it is turned off.
Appliances in stand-by mode (TVs, computers) are actually “on” and have phantom loads.
Phantom loads account for about $900 \text{ kWh}$ of energy use each year in the average home.

Renewable energy sources provide sustainable options for generating electrical energy.
Electrical energy is always generated from another source of energy. The sources can be:
- Nonrenewable energy sources
- Renewable energy sources

Nonrenewable energy source: An energy source that is non-replaceable in a human lifetime.
- Examples: Coal, natural gas, uranium (nuclear reactions).
Renewable energy sources: An energy source that is available on a continuous basis.
- Examples: Sunlight, wind, river flow, tides and waves, geothermal sources, biomass.

WAC Bennett Dam (Peace River)
- Generates $2730 \text{ MW}$ of electrical energy.
- Provides most of B.C.’s electrical energy.
- Large-scale hydroelectric dam.
Bear Mountain Wind Park (Dawson Creek)
- Generates $144 \text{ MW}$ of electrical energy.
- 34 wind turbines.
The Klemtu Small-scale Hydro and Solar Project
- Hydro generates $1.7 \text{ MW}$ of energy.
- Solar generates $0.023 \text{ MW}$ of energy.
- Solar project has photovoltaic cells on the top of the Kitasoo Community School.
- These projects reduce the community’s reliance on diesel generators.

Sustainable energy system: A sustainable way of perceiving, producing, and using energy.
Characteristics of the system include:
- Ensuring that the extraction, production, and use of energy have limited impact on environmental and human health.
- Less reliance on nonrenewable sources.
- Ensuring the availability of renewable and reliable energy sources for current and future generations.
- Providing access to affordable energy for Earth’s entire population.

Many characteristics of a sustainable energy system are in line with First Peoples Ecosystem Based Management (EBM):
- Respect and Responsibility (making decisions that respect the natural world; responsible use of resources).
- Intergenerational Knowledge (listening to Elders and sharing knowledge between generations).
- Balance and Interconnectedness (balance makes sure future generations are considered; interconnectedness takes many relationships with an ecosystem into consideration).
- Giving and Receiving (giving thanks for natural resources recognizes their value; benefits of resources are shared in a community).