The nations that gathered at the Conference of the Parties (COP-15) in Copenhagen on December 16 heard from representatives of the international electricity industry speaking with one voice.  At a side-bar event held on site at COP-15, the industry presented and outlined a paper entitled: Roadmap for a Low-Carbon Power Sector by 2050.  The paper has been in the works for more than a year.

In recognition of the vital role of electricity to global economic growth, and the simultaneous need for the sector to reduce GHG emissions, the chief executives of power companies from around the world formed the International Electricity Partnership (IEP) in October 2008 at a summit held in Atlanta, Georgia.  The objectives were to contribute constructively to the international climate debate, to square the scientific and political timelines with technical realities, and to produce a low-carbon technology roadmap that can be delivered.  I had the pleasure of attending the Atlanta summit.
 
At this summit, electricity leaders stated that, "The industry leaders believe that electricity can be the solution to climate change... new technology, with an adequate transition period, can accommodate the objective of stabilizing the carbon emissions from all sources; and, with aggressive application of technology, carbon emissions reductions of 60 to 80 percent can be achieved by 2050."
 
In line with this statement, the Roadmap for a Low Power Carbon Sector by 2050 has been produced which examines the present structure of the power sector in Australia, Canada, European Union, Japan and United States-and the technologies that are currently in use for the generation and transmission of electricity-as well as the technologies and policies that are required to deliver this low-carbon future.

The Roadmap report demonstrates that it is possible to deliver low- carbon power by 2050:

  • Through intelligent and efficient electricity generation, transmission, distribution and use;
  • With significantly increased intelligent electricity used as the driver for a secure, low-carbon energy future;
  • At a lower long-term total energy cost than under a business as usual scenario;
  • Provided that action is taken to incentivize very substantial investment in:

-   large-scale uptake of renewable

    energies, deployment of carbon
    capture & storage technologies and
    nuclear power;
-   'smart' grids and networks;
-   roll-out of electric road vehicles, 

    heat pumps and other efficient
    electro-technologies;
-   widespread energy efficiency in our
    economy and society.

Although there will be limited emission reductions before 2020 due to the lack of large-scale low-emitting baseload electricity generation, significant reductions are possible in the period 2025-2040 if the policies noted above and highlighted in the report are fully implemented.  However, it is vital that the political timeframe in climate policies recognizes the critical timing for commercial deployment of these much-needed low-carbon technologies. When produced as final, copies will be available on www.canelect.ca.  This is a good way to close 2009 and start the NEW YEAR.  I would like to wish readers all the best for 2010.  

 

 

Pierre Guimond

President and CEO

Canadian Electricity Association