Environment Minister David Anderson Announces New Initiatives for Renewable Energy and Lower Emissions From Power Plants

OTTAWA, November 29, 2001 - The Government of Canada is continuing its campaign for cleaner air with two new draft guidelines - one to encourage the use of renewable energy sources and one that will lead to lower emissions from new power plants.

A Guideline designed to help consumers identify electricity generated from renewable energy sources with low environmental impact, commonly referred to as eco-friendly power, is being released by the Government of Canada on December 8, 2001 for a 90 day public comment period. Once finalized, the draft Guideline on Renewable Low-Impact Electricity will formalize licensing and certification criteria under Environment Canada's Environmental Choice Program

The Government of Canada is also taking steps to tighten emission limits for key air pollutants from new fossil fuel power plants. Following consultations this winter with partners and stakeholders, Environment Canada plans to issue the new emission guidelines under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) during the summer of 2002.

"Many of the pollutants that cause climate change and dirty air come from the same energy sources, so solutions to one are often solutions to the other," said Environment Minister David Anderson. "These two new draft guidelines will tackle these issues from both a pollution prevention and a pollution control perspective."

The certification and labeling of renewable low-impact electricity with the Environment Canada's EcoLogo provides consumers with an easy means of identifying electricity products that put less stress on the environment. The EcoLogo is used on a wide range of environmentally friendly products to help consumers make informed purchases.

The "Thermal Power Generation Emissions - National Guidelines for New Sources" will provide national emission standards for application to new coal, oil and gas-fired steam-electric power plants. They include emission limits for sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and total particulate matter (PM) consistent with the performance capabilities of current best available technologies (BAT). The proposed new emission limits would mean at least a 60% reduction in NO_x emission limits, a 70% reduction in PM emission limits from those in the existing Guidelines, and would introduce a new minimum of 70% reduction in SO₂ emissions from uncontrolled levels.

Related documents:

• Renewable Low-Impact Electricity Guideline
  - [Backgrounder, 2001-11-29]
• Revision of Thermal Power Generation Emissions Guidelines
  - [Backgrounder, 2001-11-29]