Green Energy Futures

Kassandra and Martin were looking for a new home in the core of the City and they hoped to include some green features in their home. But then they discovered Blatchford Carbon Neutral Community and as Martin said "Boom Done." They found Landmark Homes in Blatchford and their home is solar powered, heated by a super energy efficient air-source heat pump and it's super energy efficient. The big BONUS! This net-zero home has only one utility bill (electricity) and there's a good chance the cost will net out to zero cost over the course of the year. And they're protected from heat domes thanks to their heat pump, future energy costs and more. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast BLOG: GreenEnergyFutures.ca VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Oxm6nTABUtM This is part 5 in our Blatchford, Carbon Neutral Community Series SUBSCRIBE AND HEAT MORE THAN 400 inspiring stories about our green energy future.

Landmark Homes pioneered the most affordable net-zero homes in Canada and now the company has found the perfect home for their homes in Blatchford Carbon Neutral Community in Edmonton, Alberta. Their unique combination of solar and air-source heat pumps mean homeowners can wind up paying little or nothing for their utilities, a boon in an energy uncertain future. We talk to the company founder Reza Nasseri, Micah Dueck of Landmark and Kassandra Starkell and Martin Martinyiak a young couple who made their first home purchase a net-zero home. Oh, these net-zero homes also come with a battery storage system that's part of a pilot program to create a virtual power plant out of a network of similar homes. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast BLOG - GreenEnergyFutures.ca FULL VIDEO STORY - https://youtu.be/UZUyme2nXIc SUBSCRIBE TODAY for more than 400 stories on people building a sustainable future.

Josh Culling was looking for a green home powered and heated by green energy in the heart of the city with plenty of green spaces. Sounds impossible? He found his new home in Blatchford, the largest planned carbon neutral community in North America. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Episode 399 - also see blog and video https://greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/399-green-spaces-green-energy-green-homes-josh-blatchford

“What we love about Blatchford is that all of the homes here are heated with renewable energy,” says Heather MacKenzie," of their home in the largest carbon neutral community in North America. In Part 2 of our series on Blatchford Carbon Neutral Community we meet Heather and Justin, two of the early residents of this visionary community. Blatchford has a green building code, geo-exchange (geothermal) district heating and its located right in the heart of the city. Heather and Justin love the renewable energy heating, the downtown location of their home and the amazing amenities you would not expect in a downtown neighbourhood: a lake with wildlife, walking paths, green spaces, a pedestrian only street in front of their home, a playground, community garden and they really love that there is a light rail transit station right on site. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Listen on CKUA.com Subscribe to our Podcast Check out our full length video in our blog at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

When Blatchford was announced as the largest planned carbon neutral community in North America it was seen as "wildly ambitious." "It's right in the heart of the city, connected to transit, and boasts short travel distances. There's a grocery store already, there's an LRT stop, it's all the things that new neighbourhoods often wait years and years for, uh, but they're already here in Blatchford," says Anne Stevenson City Councillor for Edmonton, Alberta. Today Blatchford people-centred urban design is attracting residents and near net-zero building standards are just what's needed to build the affordable, resilient and sustainable neighbourhoods of the future. In short this is where things are going and "We've got a great head start in Blatchford," says Stevenson. We talk to the city councillor, the developer and some residents who are now living in this super sustainable neighbourhood located right in the heart of the City. This is part 1 in a series we are doing talking to builders, home owners, heat pump companies about this amazing project in North America's most northerly big city. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast BLOG: https://greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/397-blatchford-the-largest-planned-carbon-neutral-community-in-north-america-is-wildly-ambitious VIDEO: https://youtu.be/3xsdx7V7rwc?si=01GryhWWp4kBDqf1

This week in part 2 we return to see the straw bale dream home 8 years after filming a story on the Making of the Straw Bale Dream Home. This home features some of the most innovative features we've seen in any green home. Lance and Wendy Olson lead us on a tour of their version of a passive house that is heated mostly by passive solar energy. The home has many innovative features including passive solar energy storing rammed Earth walls, a solar thermal in floor hydronic heating system and solar PV modules to provide the electricity. Then there are recycled materials in the form of cupboard doors made from hardwood seat backs from the Jack Singer Concert Hall and many other quirky features too. Get ready to be inspired! This is our 4-minute CKUA Radio feature. You can see these and more features in our full length video: https://youtu.be/38akJEh2j4A GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Audio Podcast Check out our blog for more in this amazing story. Subscribe today on the usual podcast services.

Here is an AI deep dive summary of Green Energy Futures' David Dodge interviews with Lance and Wendy Olsen about their unique straw bale home. The Olsens, seeking to downsize and minimize their environmental impact, built a net-zero home incorporating straw bale insulation, rammed earth walls, and solar technology. The home features innovative elements, such as reclaimed concert hall seatbacks repurposed as cupboards and a toilet paper storage system built into a wall. Lance discusses the home's heating and water systems, as well as artistic details like a custom handrail he is building for the spiral staircase using reclaimed farm material. The video highlights the home's energy efficiency and sustainable design, offering inspiration for anyone interested in green building practices. Let us know if you find this a helpful addition to our coverage of the Straw Bale Dream Home. GreenEnergyFutures.ca Episode 396 - Anatomy of a Straw Bale Dream Home

In part 1 of our series on a Net-Zero Straw Bale Dream Home we meet Lance and Wendy Olson as they were building their straw bale home. They wanted to downsize, reduce their footprint and build the most energy efficient home they could. After a lot of research they landed on the idea of building a straw bale home. But they didn't stop there, this straw bale home has loads of innovative features in it from the rammed Earth walls, to solar thermal heating and solar PV for electricity. Their goal was to reach net-zero. We were there when the Olsons worked with partners at SAIT and Habib Gonzalez, the guru of straw bale building in Canada. In part one we see how the home is built and some of the unique features of this amazing and sustainable homes. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast PART 1 - Making a Straw Bale Dream Home ✅ BLOG - GreenEnergyFutures.ca ▶️ YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/greenenergyfuture/

In Part 2 of our series on the worst case scenario for an air-source heat pump, improvements were made, the post reno energy audit is done and we check back a year later after installing an air-source heat pump in a cabin with 2x4 walls and R12 insulation in the cold Canadian north. Full story GreenEnergyFutures.ca VIDEO story https://www.youtube.com/greenenergyfuture/ GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Subscribe to hear new stories every week - check back on our more than 400 stories!

Energy efficient heat pumps are revolutionizing home heating. So we wanted to know, can we install an air-source heat pump in a cabin with energy inefficient 2x4 walls? This is part 1 of that story that starts with an energy audit. Energy efficient builders hold tight to the maxim "envelope first" which means focus on improving insulation and other measure that reduce your energy needs first before looking at your mechanical systems. But what if you are on a budget? What if its a seasonal cottage? What if you can't spend tens of thousands of dollars on those improvements? We set out to answer these questions and to determine the limits of air-source heat pumps that are taking the world by storm these days. Learn more in our blog and video story and watch for part 2. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

In part 2 of our Solar & Sheep series first generation farmer Janna Greir adds Kunekune pigs to her solar & sheep farm. It turns out these cute little oinkers are symbiotic with the sheep. They eat parasites and worms left behind by the sheep thus interrupting their lifecycle keeping the sheep healthier. www.GreenEnergyFutures.ca www.CKUA.com Podcast Full story https://greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/394-first-generation-farmer-janna-greir-builds-thriving-operation-by-combining-sheep-and-solar Be sure to check our part 1 and Subscribe Today for 400 more stories just like this!

Janna Greir and her partner Ryan always loved the idea of ranching, living in the country, and operating a small farm, but becoming a first-generation farmer is nearly impossible these days. That is until she discovered the combination of sheep and solar. The family had a dozen sheep until she landed a contract with Capital Power to manage the vegetation on their Strathmore Solar Farm. Janna has become an expert in vegetation management since then and the land is now much more productive and her flock has grown to more than 1,000 sheep on this one site alone. Not only has Janna grown her flock significantly, she is also doing consulting work to help others do the same. Her experience points to a bright future for farming and solar. Part 1 in a 2-part series. GreenEnergyFutures CKUA.com Video Podcast BLOG at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

Janna Greir and her partner Ryan always loved the idea of ranching, living in the country, and operating a small farm, but becoming a first-generation farmer is nearly impossible these days. That is until she discovered the combination of sheep and solar. The family had a dozen sheep until she landed a contract with Capital Power to manage the vegetation on their Strathmore Solar Farm. Janna has become something of an expert in vegetation management since then and the land is now much more productive and her flock has grown to more than 1,000 sheep on this one site alone. Janna has become a consultant, and is already further expanding her operation pointing to an amazing bright future for what is called agrivoltaics, the combining of solar and farming. Rather than gobble up farmland, she is improving productivity and dramatically improving the economics of being a farmer, first generation or otherwise. Part 1 in a 2 part series. GreenEnergyFutures CKUA.com Video Podcast BLOG at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

Janna Greir and her partner Ryan always loved the idea of ranching, living in the country, and operating a small farm, but becoming a first-generation farmer is nearly impossible these days. That is until she discovered the combination of sheep and solar. The family had a dozen sheep until she landed a contract with Capital Power to manage the vegetation on their Strathmore Solar Farm. Janna has become something of an expert in vegetation management since then and the land is now much more productive and her flock has grown to more than 1,000 sheep on this one site alone. Her story points to a bright future for farmers who want to improve productivity and the economics of their farms. Janna says there is nothing but potential for the expansion of the idea often referred to as Agrivoltaics. This is part one in our series. GreenEnergyFutures CKUA.com Podcast BLOG at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

Gary Holden of Lodestone Energy in New Zealand says making solar energy available to everyone is the secret to building an affordable, resilient, net-zero electricity grid. The idea is to build solar projects in or near every town and offer the solar to consumers who can't put solar on their homes or businesses the opportunity to go solar. He also says this distributed energy, when coupled with energy storage will save money on grid infrastructure expansions, provide cheap energy and ultimately be a key link in transforming the electricity grid to net-zero. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Learn more in our blog at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

This week we speak to Tristan Walker one of 40 people appointed as a fellow of The Energy Futures social innovation lab to have the hard conversations about how our energy systems can evolve to meet net-zero objectives. Tristan Walker of Massif Energy is working on the Alberta's Electricity Future initiative with a diverse group of Albertans. While the social sphere is dominated by polarization, and us-verses-them narratives the people in the lab from a wide cross section of society and industry come together to find common ground on some of the biggest issues of our time, such as how to get Alberta to net-zero. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Learn more in our blog at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

The Energy Futures Lab is like a breath of fresh air in today's polarized world, where meaningful discussions about real-world problems are scarce. Every year, they invite 40 talented individuals from various fields to join their mission and tackle some of the most challenging issues facing us, like how to get Alberta to net-zero emissions. To celebrate their 10th anniversary, we caught up with Maureen Kolla from the Energy Futures Lab and Tristan Walker, an energy consultant who's part of the 40 fellows in 2024. Tristan is part of the Albertas Electricity Future group which is head up by Maureen Kolla and they recently released a vision for Alberta's electricity future, and we're excited to share it with you! GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Learn more at GreenEnergyFutures.ca SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Get totally TRUCKED UP! Simon Lindley, fed up with the FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) surrounding electric vehicle (EV) trucks, decided to take matters into his own hands. He launched the Trucked Up EVs YouTube channel, where he's on a mission to test the limits of these electric beasts, evaluate the charging infrastructure across Canada, and debunk some myths. I caught up with Simon at the very beginning of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. He was plugged into a BC Hydro DC Fast Charging station, charging his Ford F-150 Lightning at lightning speed. To truly understand the pros, cons, and challenges of touring with an EV truck, Simon embarked on an epic 24,000-kilometer cross-country adventure. He's testing the limits of his EV, exploring the charging landscape across every province, and engaging with his viewers in local coffee shops to discuss the future of electric vehicles. This is Green Energy Futures' David Dodge's full interview with Simon (35 minutes). Don't miss out! Subscribe to our channel today. Also, CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO feature (8 minutes) at https://youtu.be/sPgpl_qJwJk AND our short video (1 minute) at https://youtube.com/shorts/j9jWfk99z_k. For more IN-DEPTH CONTENT, visit GreenEnergyFutures.ca, where you'll find our collection of 400 micro-documentaries.

I met Simon Lindley at Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. His passion for EV trucks inspired him to create a YouTube Channel called Trucked Up EVs to look into the good, the bad and the ugly of EV Trucks. He has a passion for busting myths and had just wrapped up a cross Canada tour on which he tested the limits of his Ford F150 Lightning and took stock on the charging infrastructure from province to province. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Subscribe today! And see our blog at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

In a recent episode we talked to Jeremy Kureluk of Rental Bus Lines about how much they like their electric buses and how they hoped one day to connect them to a virtual power plant to feed electricity to the grid. Turns out this is already happening in Canada. Rob Safrata owns a tour bus company and he too wants to go electric. So he started FUSE Power Management, based in Vancouver, to set up the infrastruture and contracts needed to use electric buses as virtual power plants which would make going electric even more lucrative. Peaking power is valuable and fleets of electric buses that are parked during the evening peak electricity period could make revenue helping the grid when it needs electricity. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast See blog at GreenEnergyFutures.ca to learn more or subscribe to our video podcast on YouTube.

The wheels on this electric bus have been going around and around since 2017. We talk to Jeremy Kureluk of Rental Bus Lines based in Stony Plain, Alberta about owning and operating an electric school bus in the cold Canadian north. Turns out they love their electric buses and want more. We dive into all the questions you might have including range, winter performance, maintenance, and more. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Pocast

The ballots have been counted and the winners have been announced of the Energy Innovation Challenge hosted by Decentralised Energy Canada and the City of Medicine Hat. The winners were announced at the Decentralised Energy Canada Forum in Whistlers, British Columbia. (https://www.deforum.ca/) The winners solutions will be piloted on the Medicine Hat Grid to help integrate decentralized energy resources such as solar, wind, EVs, batteries and heat pumps. The solutions are a mix of software and hardware designed to use these resources to expand the capacity of the grid, provide cheap energy and better utilize existing underutilized 20th Century grid infrastructure. It's the first step in creating a resilient, affordable and reliable grid of the future. We talk to the winners from Edgecom Energy and Arcus Power. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Subscribe today and lean more in our blog and YouTube Channel.

It's a ticking time bomb - how do we integrate millions of solar, wind and battery projects along with 250 million EVs by 2030 into our outdated 20th Century Grid? Old school utilities often think of building more power plants, distribution, and transmission, but that would cost too much and could never happen fast enough. At least part of the answer lies in software, AI and smart grid technologies. This week on Green Energy Futures we talk to Sabine Erlinghagen, the CEO of Siemens Grid Software about how to build the smart, affordable, resilient and reliable grid of the future. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

The City of Medicine Hat has partnered with Decentralised Energy Canada to host the Energy Innovation Challenge, a tool they are using to navigate energy transition and transform new energy resources such as solar, EVs, batteries and managed loads into assets instead of liabilities. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Medicine Hat & The Energy Innovation Challenge: Navigating Energy Transition Medicine Hat stands out in Alberta's energy landscape due to its independent, discrete electricity grid. This allows the city to implement innovative energy solutions and set its own rates and policies. • Quote: "Medicine had, unlike other cities, has its own discrete electricity grid and sets their own rates and policies for residents so they can also implement creative energy transition solutions if it makes sense." Key Program: Hat Smart The Hat Smart program incentivizes residential energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption through rebates for devices, rooftop solar arrays, and water conservation measures. • Impact: The program has provided $6.2 million in rebates since 2008 and led to a 14-16% reduction in water use this summer. • Popularity: Rebates for rooftop solar arrays are fully subscribed by spring each year, highlighting the high demand for solar energy. • Innovation: A new PACE-like financing option called the Clean Energy Improvement Program allows residents to invest in clean energy improvements and repay through property taxes. • Quote: "We've just launched the clean energy improvement program and that it's really a financing option for residents to access top up payments to their property taxes essentially in order to do similar things in order to invest in rooftop solar or other sorts of clean energy improvement options at the household level" Current Energy Mix & Transition Plans Medicine Hat currently relies on three gas-fired power plants (300 MW capacity) and a 6 MW wind farm. They are actively exploring new energy transition avenues: • Utility-scale solar: A 325 MW solar project within city limits is economically viable and under consideration, with a request to the Alberta Utilities Commission to build in stages due to its size. • Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS): While Medicine Hat holds an exploration permit for a CCS hub, analysis suggests it is less economically viable than solar at present, with success hinging on carbon pricing. • Energy Innovation Challenge: This initiative with Decentralized Energy Canada aims to generate solutions for managing increasing demand from EVs, heat pumps, and solar projects. Quote: "We have found that utility scale wind and utility scale solar is economically viable today. So the city is currently looking at a utility scale solar array up to 325 megawatts of generation capacity within the urban limits of Medicine Hat. The city is looking at a whole host of other options including carbon capture and sequestration for hard to abate businesses." Conclusion: Medicine Hat demonstrates proactive leadership in transitioning to a cleaner energy future. Through programs like Hatsmart and exploration of large-scale renewables and CCS, the city provides a valuable case study for other municipalities seeking to decarbonize. The Energy Innovation Challenge further highlights their commitment to finding practical solutions for the evolving energy landscape. #solar #windpower #electricity #energytransition #EV #electricvehicles #decentralizedenergy

The long-held dream of using geothermal energy to satisfy our needs and save the earth is ready for a big breakthrough. Today we take a deep dive into Green Energy Futures complete guide to geothermal with hosts Sarah and Michael, our AI hosts from Notebook LM. Geothermal and its cousin Air Source Heat Pumps are ready to provide heat and power to our homes at every scale from single family homes to entire Cities. This is our complete guide to geothermal, geoexchange and because it makes so much sense, air source heat pumps. Let us know what you think and please SUBSCRIBE an SHARE our story. This podcast is based on our story written for The Earth and I magazine and reprinted at GreenEnergyFutures.ca along with our CKUA.com radio podcast. You will never think of geothermal the same again. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Deep Dive Podcast with AI Hosts Sarah and Michael of NotebookLM This episode is based on Green Energy Futures Episode 384 https://www.greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/384-geothermal-rising-big-breakthrough-is-coming

The Energy Innovation Fair is back again this year on Oct. 18-19th. We talk to organizer Rene Michalak of ReThink Red Deer about the speakers, panels, displays and demos that will be featured this year. The theme is economic diversification in Central Alberta and there are speakers on geothermal, solar, carbon storage, agrivoltaics and much more. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Learn more about the fair at https://energyinnovationfair.ca/

It's been described as a ticking time bomb. Our electricity grids were designed to accommodate a few giant power plants. But what happens when millions of solar, wind, EVs, heat pumps and other Decentralized Energy Solutions come online? The Energy Innovation Challenge was created to find new and creative solutions to not only integrate these new energy resources but to turn them into assets in a more robust, clean energy grid of the future. The challenge is being run by Decentralised Energy Canada and the City of Medicine Hat a city that has one of the largest microgrids in Canada - what better place to pioneer to approaches to integration? We take you to Medicine Hat to learn more about solving this vexing challenge. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Radio Podcast Also see GreenEnergyFutures.ca for more

Virtual power plants are simply networks of small energy producers (solar, wind, backup generators etc.) and energy storage devices that can provide power to the grid when needed. It's the digitization of the grid. It's very efficient, costing 40% less than speaker power plants and it's absolutely essential to start managing the millions of distributed energy systems (solar, batteries, EVs) coming on to the grid each year. We talk to Dwayne Caldwell CEO of ENSPI a company that helps companies understand, manage and save energy and then network their resources into a Virtual Power Plant to make money and help the grid. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Blog GreenEnergyFutures.ca Subscribe today!

Farmer Shawn Morton just said "no" the first time he was approached by solar developers. But Morton found an ally in Claude Mindorff a farmer who was working for the solar company. So he cut a deal to lease 300 acres to a solar project and to keep grazing and farming that land in the lease. It's called Agrivoltaics, or the integration of solar with farming or grazing and Shawn says it just might be the thing that can help keep his 100-year family farm in the family. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Blog GreenEnergyFutures.ca

Solar plus farming, called Agrivoltaics is helping farmers generate new sources of income, keep the family farm viable and keep farming in the solar farm. We meet up with farmer, former oil and gas guy and current renewable energy developer Claude Mindorf at the Joffre Solar Farm in Alberta to talk about agrivoltaics. It turns out Canada could produce all of its electricity from renewable energy that would occupy less than 1% of farmland and enhance the viability of farming itself at the same time. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Video Podcast

Alberta phased out its coal-fired electricity in record time representing the largest single action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. The trouble is a lot of the coal was replaced by natural gas which produces 60% of the emissions of coal. Can the fossil fuel-infatuated province also capitalize on its amazing renewable energy resources to build the net-zero grid of the future? We talk to Scott MacDougall of the Pembina Institute to look at the challenges. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Part 2 in our End of Coal series Subscribe today for more stories about building the sustainable future we need.

Alberta's last coal-fired power plant stopped burning coal on June 16, 2024 at 10:57 pm. The coal phase-out was originally proposed for 2061, but in 2015 a new target was set for 2030. On June 16 the last lump of coal was burned to produce electricity six years ahead of schedule. The phase-out represents the largest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of any initiative. We talk to Scott MacDougall of the Pembina Institute about what this all means for Alberta's grid. King Coal is Dead, so we set out to find out who the new king is and how long the new monarch will reign. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

This is huge! EAVOR believes they've cracked the geothermal nut. Using closed-loop technology they have pioneered a new kind of Geothermal that can be built almost anywhere without uncertainty. We look at EAVOR's pilot project in Alberta and their full-scale geothermal plant in Germany that will provide electricity for 8,000 homes and district heating for 120,000 homes. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

EAVOR has pioneered a new kind of geothermal that can provide heat and power almost anywhere on the planet. This could be the missing link in the energy revolution that could not only help electricity get to net-zero. It also helps solve the even bigger challenge of how to heat buildings with zero emissions. We talk to Jeanine Vany of EAVOR, a company from Calgary, Alberta that has pioneered the new technology. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast See full story at greenenergyfutures.ca

Here's what Green Infill looks like! Built to the super energy efficient Passive House standard this 16-unit townhouse style infill project replaced two underutilized single-family homes in Edmonton, Alberta. The homes require just 10% of the heating energy of a regular home, and have no natural gas or bills. We take a tour of this amazing project with developers David and Melissa Campbell of Homestretch, a multifamily developer. The project utilized an unique EPS wall system with embedded structural steel, an ICF foundation and Air Source Heat Pumps which required no backup heat in 10 of the 16 units in a City where temperatures reached -40C last year. The Coup de Gras is the homes are powered mostly by solar electricity and 10 of the 16 units are net-zero. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast See blog at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

This project checks all the boxes. T5M Connect replaced two single-family homes with 16 new units of desperately needed housing and the kicker is it was built to the passive house standard in the mostly northerly city in North America. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

Part 2 - Gregor Robertson, Vancouver's longest-serving mayor set out to create the greenest city in the world. Now he's the Global Ambassador of the Global Covenant of Mayors helping 13,000 other cities take action on climate change. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Full story GreenEnergyFutures.ca

When Gregor Robertson came up with his campaign slogan of creating the greenest city in the world who knew it would be his most popular focus? He went to become Vancouver's longest-serving Mayor, and although they may not have reached the coveted top spot, they got pretty close. They created a very green building code, increased non-car transportation and attracted a lot of green business to the city while they were at it. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Part 1 - In part 2 we talk to Robertson about what he's doing now leading the Global Covenant of Mayors helping 13,000 other cities green up their cities.

PART 2 - Summerside PEI had no electricity generation capacity a decade ago and then did some amazing things. First (in part 1) they added wind power, a smart grid and energy storing furnaces. Then they added AI-powered solar microgrids and a solar and battery farm right in the City. The little City with no generation capacity has achieved 62% locally generated renewable energy and become the leading City in Canada for integrating renewable energy. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

PART 1 - Summerside like the province of PEI had no energy production except expensive backup diesel generators just a decade or so ago. Something had to change. So in an amazing transformation, they set up their own utility, built a wind farm in the city, installed a smart grid and thermal energy storing appliances and got to 42-46% renewable energy, all produced locally. And they didn't stop there, learn more in part 2. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

This sounds counterintuitive, but a new study has found Electric Vehicles (EVs) are driving the price of electricity down and increasing net profits for utilities. Thanks to time-of-use pricing EV owners are shifting their charging habits to non-peak times thus making much more efficient use of existing grid resources. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Video Podcast

Mitchell Beer started The Energy Mix, a media service dedicated to covering climate change 10 years ago long before the conventional media took it seriously. We talk to Beer about climate change, journalism, and his media service which has published 30,000 stories on climate change and climate solutons. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

EVs produce fewer lifecycle emissions than ICE vehicles in countries with dirty grids or clean grids. A study looked at emissions in five countries including China, the US, UK, Germany and Japan and found EVs produce much lower emissions throughout the life of the vehicle. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

In part 2 of our series on Alberta's new renewable energy rules we learn that 57 projects worth $14 billion are potentially at risk. We talk to Jason Wang of the Pembina Institute which just prepared a map overlay showing the potential impact of new restrictions. We also talk to Vittoria Bellissimo of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association about changes that are coming to the structure of the electricity market in Alberta. Bottom line is uncertainty abounds for Alberta's formerly booming renewable energy industry. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast See our website for the full story.

At first glance, new rules for renewable energy development in Alberta seemed ready to block renewable energy from most of the province. Two weeks on some clarifications have been announced. We talk to Vittoria Bellissimo with the Canadian Renewable Energy Association about restrictions on agricultural land, near so-called "pristine viewscapes" and protected areas. Spoiler alert industry observers worry investment will plummet in an industry with billions in investments planned last year. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

Ciel & Terre is making a splash with floating solar having installed more than 300 projects around the world. It costs just a little more than mounted solar but its helping utilities, companies and municipalities generate renewable energy where there is no land or roof space. We talk to Chris Bartle of Ciel & Terre US about this growing industry. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

Alberta lifted it's six-month moratorium on renewable energy projects but some critics say new rules amount to a defacto moratorium. This is ironic since Alberta had a booming industry with up to $33 billion in projects under development at the time of the moratorium. We talk to renewable energy expert Dr. Sara Hastings-Simon of the University of Calgary about the new rules and the impacts they may have on the renewable energy industry in Alberta. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

Part 2 in Green Energy Futures' series on RenuWell, the idea of transforming abandoned oil wells into small solar farms. In this episode, we talk to Trevor Helwig of St. Mary River Irrigation District, the owner of the two RenuWell solar pilot projects. Irrigation and solar are a good match since they both work hardest when the sun shines. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

Of the 466,000 oil and gas wells in Alberta on third are active and 170,000 are suspended or abandoned. What to do? Keith Hirsche was a farm kid from Taber, Alberta and his company RenuWell wrapped up two pilot projects to transform a couple of long-abandoned well sites into small solar farms which are now owned by St. Mary's Irrigation District. We visit the sites with Daryl Bennett from RenuWell and discover one of the most amazing examples of energy transition anywhere. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast In part 2 we talk to Trevor Hellwig of St. Mary's Irrigation District the folks who own these two projects. Turns out solar and irrigation are a perfect match.

The town of Raymond, Alberta was told solar wouldn't work on their buildings in their town in southern Alberta. This didn't sit right with them, so they hired new consultants, installed solar everywhere and became the first community in Canada to achieve net-zero electricity. We talk to Greg Robinson of the Town of Raymond about how they did it. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

Record wildfires, crazy amounts of smoke and poor air quality, droughts, and floods - municipalities are experiencing the impacts of climate change in a big way. Cutting emissions is very important to prevent even worse impacts, but what is a small town or municipality to do to adapt to and avoid some of the bigger impacts of climate change? The Municipal Climate Change Action Centre in Alberta knows this so they created a program that has helped fund 26 communities to assess their climate risks and create climate adaptation plans. We head to Pincher Creek, Alberta to see how they are dealing with wildfires, drought and ironically floods as well. GreenEnergyFutures.ca Video GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Municipalities taking action on climate change series - Part III