What is natural gas and how is it processed? Natural gas is an energy source found underground in sedimentary basins and is colourless and odourless. It primarily consists of methane, with smaller amounts of ethane, propane, butane, pentanes, and other hydrocarbons. There are three extraction methods of natural gas in Canada, including conventional drilling,
On February 16, 2024, the federal government released an update with new design options being considered for the Clean Electricity Regulations. The draft Regulations were released on August 10, 2023, and would limit how utilities can use unabated fossil fuels to generate electricity beginning in 2035. Several provinces, utilities, and energy sector stakeholders, among
On February 23, 2024, Nova Scotia’s Clean Electricity Solutions Task Force released a report: Modernizing Energy from Transmission to Transformation. The Task Force spent the last roughly 10 months consulting with stakeholders and exploring ways to modernize the province’s electricity infrastructure and regulatory environment. Launched in April 2023, the Task Force includes Alison Scott,
Nova Scotia Power is busy preparing for a transition away from coal-fired electricity generation and to meet provincial mandates to provide 80 per cent renewable electricity sales by 2030, as well meet the federal government’s incoming Clean Electricity Regulations, which will require the utility to meet net-zero by 2035. Read below for a synopsis
What is hydrogen? Hydrogen is the lightest element on the periodic table and commonly exists as two hydrogen atoms together (H2). The H2 molecule is a colourless, odorless gas that produces energy if broken apart. Hydrogen is already an important component in some industrial processes in Atlantic Canada and could become an increasingly
As Atlantic Canada enters its coldest season, there are still ways homeowners and businesses can save money and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions when electricity demand hits its peak. Peak demand occurs when homes and businesses use the most electricity at the same time, typically on the coldest days and during certain times
Smart Grid 101 builds off of lessons learned in Electricity 101 and Electrical Grid 101. Together, these pages can help you better understand how we use electricity as energy today, and how we can do so more efficiently in the future. Over a century ago, the electrical grid in Atlantic Canada was established to
The electricity grid is something residents and businesses rely on every day to turn on lights and computers, to cook, or maybe even drive to work. It is an often-underappreciated asset in our energy sector, despite being right in front of our eyes. How does the electrical grid work? Electricity is generated by a
What is electricity? To understand the electricity we use every day, you must first understand a few common concepts to help explain it. Electricity is the flow of electrons through a conductor (wire), like water through a garden hose. This flow is called an electric current. Current is measured in
What is hydropower? Hydroelectric power, or hydro power, is a clean, renewable and consistent source of electricity generation which uses the natural flow of water downhill. There are several types of hydropower systems including: storage systems (common in Canada), where a dam creates a reservoir that releases water through turbines;
Bioenergy is energy produced from renewable, biological sources such as biomass. Biomass is plant material that can be turned into fuel to supply heat and electricity. This article will focus on forest biomass, which is the most common source in Atlantic Canada. Biomass is considered a source of clean, renewable
What does net zero actually mean? Achieving "net zero" means equalling the difference between the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by human activity and the amount removed from the atmosphere. GHGs in Canada include carbon dioxide (80%) and methane (14%), among others. Net-zero emissions is similar to carbon neutrality, which is often