Keyword Energy

84-year-old Daniel Claypool worked in Alberta’s oil and gas industry for over forty years. Now, he’s at the forefront of the energy transition, and is spearheading an innovative project that will convert a decommissioned oil and gas well to produce geothermal energy. Claypool’s work shows that Alberta’s rich history - as an energy producing province - can play an important role in bridging to a sustainable future.   Recommended Video Citation Climate Atlas of Canada. (2019). Living the Energy Transition: From oil and gas to geothermal. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/video/living-energy-transition

The community of Brant Colony in southern Alberta has built a barn unlike any other in Canada. This barn produces 13,000 eggs per day, and at the same time balances the energy it makes and uses so that it doesn’t create any emissions - so called “net-zero”. The community and project partners hope the barn will be a model for learning and inspiration across the agricultural sector.   Recommended Video Citation Climate Atlas of Canada. (2020). Net-Zero Egg Farming: An innovation in low-impact agriculture. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/video/net-zero-egg-farming

The Métis village of Green Lake may seem small, but they have big ambitions. The community started a solar energy project and installed 96 solar panels on their community hall. As Mayor Ric Richardson describes, Métis people have “used the sun for generations,” so the opportunity for renewable energy development was warmly welcomed by community members. Through this Métis leadership, Green Lake generates cheaper and more reliable power, which creates connection to the land, educational opportunities for the community, and is a source of both clean energy and cultural pride.   Recommended Video Citation Climate Atlas of Canada. (2019). First Métis community-owned solar project in Canada: Renewables, culture, and community pride. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/video/first-metis-community-owned-solar-project-canada

“It’s been nothing but positive,” says Chief Cadmus Delorme about the Cowessess First Nation wind-battery project, located just outside of Regina. In this video, community members describe the project’s significance for environmental responsibility, community pride, and local sustainable economies. The community has now developed a 320KW solar farm on the site, making the first known wind-solar battery storage project in the country, and Chief Delorme says they’re “hungry for more.”   Recommended Video Citation Climate Atlas of Canada. (2019). Wind Power on the Prairies: Groundbreaking wind-battery storage. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/video/wind-power-prairies

The Lubicon Cree Nation of northern Alberta are leading the low-carbon energy transition. Community member Melina Laboucan-Massimo witnessed the changing landscape from industrial development in her territory, and she decided to take action. As part of her Masters Thesis, she fundraised and coordinated the construction of 20KW solar energy system. Melina calls the project “a beacon of what is possible in our communities” and her perspective shows how renewable energy aligns with Indigenous philosophies of reciprocity, relationship, and reconnection with the land.   Recommended Video Citation Climate Atlas of Canada. (2019). Renewables in the Heart of the Tar Sands: Lubicon Cree leading the energy transition. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/video/renewables-heart-tar-sands

Darrin Qualman is a writer and researcher – with extensive farming experience – and who has been doing some long-term thinking about agriculture, climate change and energy systems. Given the large-scale and costly use of nitrogen fertilizer, fossil fuels and other inputs in agriculture, he has determined that it takes about 13.3 calories to make every calorie we eat. For Qualman, the solutions to climate change and the farm income crisis is to shift away from high-input, high-energy agriculture.   Recommended Video Citation Climate Atlas of Canada. (2020). Darrin Qualman: Energy, emissions and agriculture. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/video/darrin-qualman

The Reep House for Sustainable Living is a 100-year old house in Waterloo, Ontario that has been retrofitted to be maximally energy efficient. This demonstration project shows how older housing stock can be an effective part of the climate change solution through a combination of cutting edge technology and simple upgrades.   Recommended Video Citation Climate Atlas of Canada. (2018). Reep House for Sustainable Living, Waterloo: Demonstrating the benefits of energy efficiency. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/video/reep-house-waterloo

Energy transitions are often considered a scientific or technical issue. However, University of Waterloo’s Imre Szeman argues that climate change is fundamentally a cultural issue. He argues that responding to climate change requires a shift in the way we think about cars, energy, chemicals, over-consumption, and other aspects of the fossil-fuel dependent “petrocultures” that permeate our everyday lives.   Recommended Video Citation Climate Atlas of Canada. (2018). Petrocultures: Climate change, culture, and society. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/video/petrocultures

On Gabriola Island, community members are beginning to notice the impacts of climate change. To reduce their ecological footprint, some residents started a non-profit organization called GabEnergy, which helps people order and install affordable solar energy systems on their homes. GabEnergy member Michael Mehta discusses the solar panels on his house and the potential for distributed, renewable energy systems across Canada.   Recommended Video Citation Climate Atlas of Canada. (2018). Community Renewables: Supporting solar energy on Gabriola Island. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/video/community-renewables

In 2009, Vancouver announced that it wanted to become the “Greenest City in the World by 2020”. Their action plan hopes to wean the city off fossil fuels and prioritizes pedestrians, bikes and transit when planning neighborhoods. As a result, Vancouver now has the lowest carbon emissions of any city in North America.   Recommended Video Citation Climate Atlas of Canada. (2018). Vancouver: "Greenest City in the World by 2020”. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/video/vancouver