Sustainability encompasses everything from environmental stewardship to social responsibility and economic excellence.  However, there isn’t just one quick fix to solving sustainability challenges. Sustainability is achieved through strong leadership, commitment, innovation and long-term planning and vision. And increasingly, the electricity sector is moving in that direction.

The electricity sector has made significant progress in the implementation of sustainable practices in recent years. A review of performance shows that sector air emissions are at an all time low. In fact, in 2011:

• Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) emissions decreased by 16.7 percent;
• Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂) and Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions decreased by 16.2 and 15.1 percent, respectively, relative to the previous year.

In addition, the industry is also building quality working relationships with communities, stakeholders and Aboriginal businesses to create thousands of employment opportunities for Canadians.

While the sector is pleased with its progress to date, Canadians expect even better results in the future. However, there are still several challenges that need to be overcome in order to achieve even greater sustainability in the sector.

These challenges include:

Investing in Infrastructure:

Canada’s electricity system is aging and must be renewed to meet the needs of our modern economy. The renewal of the electricity system requires strong government policy commitment, timely regulatory approvals of projects, and regulator and public support. A recent Conference Board of Canada noted that “investment in electricity infrastructure from 2011 to 2030 will total an estimated $347.5 billion (in current dollars)”. These investments will not only help ensure a reliable and modern electricity system, but will also pave the way for better environmental, social and economic outcomes for Canadians.

Regulatory Efficiency:

Regulatory efficiency is crucial for the electricity sector. When conducting maintenance or building new power plants, distribution systems, or transmission lines, the electricity sector must meet a myriad of often duplicative federal and provincial regulations. The sector faces increasing costs in meeting the requirements of regulators and obtaining the permits required to construct and maintain infrastructure assets. An efficient regulatory environment is essential for meeting the electricity needs of Canadians and creating economic value for the communities.

Climate Change:

Mitigating and adapting to climate change remains a significant challenge and risk to the electricity sector. The sector must plan to adapt to the physical effects of climate change and continue in its efforts to reduce its own carbon footprint. The sector is taking both short-term and long-term action to reduce its carbon footprint through investments in renewable energy, carbon capture and storage, and other forms of generation. A flexible regulatory system that recognizes investments already made in new technologies, and the unique circumstances faced by some provinces, will be essential to maintaining a reliable, sustainable, and affordable electricity system for our customers.

Human Resources:

Attracting qualified skilled workers to the electricity industry remains a challenge. The sector’s workforce is aging, with a significant percentage of experienced and skilled personnel rapidly approaching retirement. According to the Electricity Sector Council’s 2011 Labour Market Information Study, utilities will have to recruit over 45,000 new workers by 2016. CEA member companies are working diligently to raise awareness about electricity-related career choices to Canadians and foreign trained workers, and are ensuring that current employees have the skills and training required to maintain a reliable electricity system.

Electricity is truly an essential service, and without it, we wouldn’t have all of the modern conveniences we have come to know and expect. As an enabler for every other sector in the economy, it’s imperative that electricity continues to be sustainable, reliable and cost-effective for future generations.  It is also imperative that Canadians support us in this journey.

Channa Perera is the Director of Sustainable Development at the Canadian Electricity Association.

We are eager to see if the budget will address some of the barriers faced by the sector, in particular, skilled labour shortages.

A modern and reliable electricity sector is a determining factor in Canada’s overall economic productivity. The sector contributed $24.6 billion to the Canadian economy in 2010, and employed more than 108,000 workers.

However, according to the International Energy Agency, Canada needs to invest significantly in refurbished or new electricity infrastructure by 2030 in order to maintain system reliability.

A 2012 Conference Board of Canada Report indicated that investment in electricity infrastructure in Canada will require an estimated $15 billion dollars per year over the next 20 years.  These investments are good news for the country as a whole, as they result in the addition of $10.9 billion per year to the national GDP.  It also means jobs for Canadians – lots of jobs – an average of 156,000 jobs per year, for the next 20 years.

In addition to the labour requirements to accommodate coming investment in electricity infrastructure, employers are increasingly encountering a shortage of workers due to pending retirements. Further compounding the challenge is the changing skill profiles of employees needed to support the integration of new smart grid technologies, which will increase system efficiency and provide customers with the ability to make more informed decisions about their electricity use based on time of day, price and source.

CEA recommended the following in their pre-budget consultation submission to the federal government:

• CEA called on the federal government to extend federal support to electricity sector projects in a fair and equitable fashion, in consultation with provincial and territorial governments and other stakeholders.
• CEA advocated for an immigration policy that targets skilled workers in occupations of greatest need. For example, once the Federal Skilled Worker Program is re-established, electricity sector occupations should be identified and included in the last of eligible occupations.
• CEA asked the federal government to develop new programs to attract and support women, Aboriginals, and other underrepresented groups to trades and other needed occupations, and to make more efficient use of existing information materials and resources to attract these groups to employment opportunities in the electricity sector.
• CEA encouraged the federal government to continue improving the Canadian legislative and regulatory landscape, thus facilitating infrastructure investment and the operation of a reliable electricity sector.

Skilled labour shortages are not unique to the electricity industry. It is happening across the country in many sectors including mining, IT, and manufacturing. This affects Canada’s competitiveness and economic growth potential. I look forward to seeing how the government addresses these issues on Thursday when the budget is tabled.

Let me know what you think should be included in the federal budget by leaving a comment below.

Jim Burpee is the President and CEO of the Canadian Electricity Association.

Several weeks ago, I met with a delegation from the Northwest Territories (NWT), including Premier Bob McLeod, to discuss the electricity needs of the North.  In addition, I flew to Yellowknife in late 2012 to take part in an “Energy Charrette” where 125 stakeholders and members of the public explored options for the NWT’s energy future.  You can read the Final Report from the Charette by clicking here.

These meetings made it very clear that there are enormous opportunities and challenges in Canada’s north when it comes to energy development.  The region stands at the threshold of change, with billions of dollars of development projects, including mining, oil and gas and pipelines that will bring jobs, prosperity, and a better quality of life to cities and towns, including Aboriginal communities.  These projects must be developed in ways that sustain the environment and the social fabric of the North, as well as build the economy.

As elsewhere around the world, economic development in the North is closely tied to the consumption of electricity.  But northern Canada faces unique challenges – for both the generation and transmission of electricity.

Let’s start with generation. Nunavut relies almost exclusively on imported diesel to run generators in individual communities.  Reliance on diesel adds significantly to the high cost of living there.  On the other hand, the Yukon gets over 90% of its electricity from hydro-electric power, and less than 10% from diesel.  The Northwest Territories draws 37% from hydro, 46% from oil and gas, and the remainder from renewables, such as wind and solar energy.

All three of the territories have committed to developing their renewable energy portfolio. These sources may help light and heat homes and businesses, but they are neither sufficient nor reliable enough to power big resource projects that will drive the future economy of the North. The region must find ways to produce more electricity.

For decades, the electricity needs of Whitehorse and the Faro zinc mine have been served by Yukon Energy’s two 15 MW turbines of a hydroelectric facility, built 36 storeys below the surface of Aishihik Lake.  A new 7 MW generator is now being added, which will save $1.2 million in diesel costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3,800 tonnes a year.

In addition to generation, another major challenge for the North is transmission.  The residents of the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are not on the same high-voltage power grid as people across the rest of the continent.  There are a few mini-grids, such as the one that connects Aishihik to Whitehorse and Faro, but for the most part, the electricity produced in a community must be consumed within that community.

This presents particular challenges for northern resource development – but it presents opportunities as well.

Consider how the demand for electricity in specific locations changes as mines open and close.  The typical lifespan for a mining operation might be 15 years. Electricity infrastructure, on the other hand, often operates for 40 years or more.  Any electricity system that supports the mines must recognize that the infrastructure remains after the population has moved on.  The solution may be in finding ways to tie these stranded electricity assets into a network of smaller generation facilities.  They could potentially supply communities that now use diesel.

Of course, such initiatives would require enormous capital investments.  The Conference Board of Canada predicts that our nation will require $347 billion of investment by 2030 to meet electricity needs.  Innovative new projects to build transmission infrastructure in northern Canada would likely add to those costs.

Yes, the price of building generation and transmission capacity in the North will be very high.  It will involve the added challenge of moving equipment over tough terrain to remote locations. However, the benefits will be significant – not just in terms of making economic development possible, and improving the quality of life of people in northern communities, but also in the reduction of the carbon footprint.  And that’s a benefit not just to northerners, and not just to Canadians, but to people all around the world.

Jim Burpee is the President and CEO of the Canadian Electricity Association.

I’ll use the occasion to raise a tough question that everyone across the country needs to ask:

Are we getting value for the money we pay for electricity?

It’s a question I’ll raise in jurisdictions across Canada over the coming months, but Nova Scotia is certainly a good place to start.

On a daily overall average, a Nova Scotian household spends $4.21 on electricity.  Obviously this varies, depending on what kind of house you live in, what appliances you power, and for how long.

What do consumers get for that $4.21?  Let’s compare.

The average daily cost that Nova Scotians pay for telecommunications services is $4.31.  They wouldn’t have telecommunications if they didn’t have electricity, of course.

On a daily average, Nova Scotians put $9.70 in gas and lubricants into their vehicles.  They spend $15.43 on food.  Housing, whether rented or owned, comes to an average of $37.92 per day.

These are all important items in any household budget.  How does the value received for these expenditures compare to the $4.21 spent on electricity?  It’s a good question, and one that everyone should decide on his or her own. And like consumers across Canada, Nova Scotians look at their electricity bills lately and wonder what the future holds.

This is a good time for people in Nova Scotia to consider the value proposition of electricity.  The media here has been reporting on regulatory hearings for a Maritime Link that would bring hydro electricity to the province from Newfoundland and Labrador.  This kind of joint development results in benefits for Canadians and is a good example of cooperation between provincial jurisdictions.

During Nova Scotia’s Electricity Week, I would like to help stimulate a discussion about what it will take to make sure our children and grandchildren have access to the same abundance of electrical power Canadians enjoy today.

Let’s face it: most of us take electricity for granted.  We expect it to be there whenever we need it. Yet the system for generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity is very complex – arguably the most complicated interconnected machine in North America.

It relies upon a vast infrastructure: from massive turbines that create electricity; to towers, transformer stations and utility poles that carry it long distances; to the meters that gauge how much each of us uses in our homes and businesses.

Electricity cannot be stored, yet it needs to be available on demand.  Electricity operators must determine how much power to generate and distribute at just the right time over a vast network.

All this requires skilled personnel. We need to attract some of Nova Scotia’s brightest and best, and I hope Electricity Week will encourage people to consider careers in our industry.

It also requires substantial capital investments, both to maintain, replace and upgrade infrastructure, and to build new capacity for growing demand.  Over the next 20 years, some $350 billion will be invested in infrastructure across Canada, just to maintain the capacity we already have.

Tough decisions must be made to keep our electricity system seamless and reliable – decisions that will depend upon a better understanding of how the electricity system works, and what it means to all of us.  The decisions should be rooted in how we view the price we pay for electricity, and the value we receive for it.

I’m sure I’ll enjoy the discussion with Nova Scotians, and I’m looking forward to taking part in similar conversations in other provinces in the future.

Jim Burpee is President and CEO of the Canadian Electricity Association.

The storm demonstrated the awesome force of nature and its ability to sweep aside what human beings can build. At the same time, it proved the resourcefulness and the determination of humanity – how capable we are of taking care of one another.

I’m not one who is easily impressed, but I was profoundly impressed by the capacity and leadership shown in the task of bringing back the electricity system. The challenge to do so after Hurricane Sandy was unprecedented, and the response was extraordinary.

The power grid – generation, transmission and distribution – is one of the largest and most complex systems on the planet. In order to ensure sufficient support in the event of a major disruption or outage, Mutual Assistance Group (MAG) agreements have been put in place. For example, during the 1998 ice storm, American MAG members came north to help restore power in Ontario and Quebec.

The day after Hurricane Sandy hit, Canadian MAG members were sending crews across the border to storm-ravaged areas. The logistical challenges alone were daunting: 150,000 gallons of gasoline were needed for emergency equipment, and 15,000 beds were needed for the emergency volunteers. Conference calls to organize the emergency response involved leadership at the highest level: President Obama participated in the efforts just days before the U.S. election.

It could have been even worse. Luckily, utilities recognized that inevitably some substations were going to flood, so they took preventative action to shut down the power in advance. As a result, electricity was restored within four to five days, as opposed to the weeks it would have taken if the substations flooded while under full power. In fact, utilities in New York restored power to at least 95% of customers within thirteen days. Compare that to Hurricane Katrina in 2004, when it took twenty-three days for utilities to restore power to just three-quarters of their customers.

CEA member utilities Hydro Ottawa, Hydro Quebec, Toronto Hydro, Oakville Hydro, New Brunswick Power, Horizon Utilities, Hydro One and Nova Scotia Power all participated in the Hurricane Sandy emergency response efforts in the U.S.

Following the storm, my office received a letter from a grateful New Jersey resident:

“I heard that your trucks just arrived in New Jersey. I just wanted to send an e-mail to thank all of your men and women that took the time away from their families to help our families.”

We always appreciate a note like that, but we know that the U.S. utility companies would do the same for us in an hour of need.  By working together, we can continue to provide customers with the service that powers their way of life. Even during extraordinary circumstances.

Jim Burpee is the President and CEO of the Canadian Electricity Association.

In a city like Ottawa, with a large high-tech component, “innovation” is usually equated with Science and Technology – Capital S, Capital T.  It’s all about R&D – again with upper case letters.

And sure, I’ll have something to say about big science and technology projects, such as the demonstration project near Estevan, Saskatchewan, to capture and store carbon dioxide from coal-fired electricity plants.  It will capture and store a million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.  That’s the equivalent of taking more than 250,000 cars off the roads.

This is innovation on a big scale, and the federal and Saskatchewan governments and the private sector are investing a total of $1.24 billion on the project.

But what about the innovation that comes down the kinds of choices that you and I make?

Allow me to share an example from my home province – Ontario. In recent years, many Ontarians have changed their routines because electricity is now priced at variable rates.  If I can turn on my dishwasher or my clothes dryer at 8 PM when electricity is cheap, why would I do it at 6 PM, when electricity use has peaked and the cost is most expensive?

With today’s smart grids, consumer choices help even out the peaks and troughs of electricity demand.

So let’s innovate even further.

What would happen if, in addition to choosing when we used electricity, we could also choose to sell electricity into the grid?

That’s the premise behind the so-called “vehicle-to-grid” technologies – or V2G – that are being developed acrossNorth America, including Hydro Quebec’s IREQ research facility.

Picture this: you plug in your electric car at night to let it recharge when the rates are cheapest.  The next day, after you’ve driven to work, you plug it in again.  Only this time, you’re not drawing electricity from the grid.  You’re returning it to the grid when the system needs it most.

You sell it back at a higher price than you paid last night.  You end the day with a tidy little profit, and you’ve helped smooth electricity supply and demand. You’ve become an electricity micro-broker.

That’s the kind of innovation we’ll see in the not-distant future.

My speech will explore many different ways in which we will innovate – not just in R&D, but in how we conduct public policy on energy issues.

If you want further information or tickets, click here.

Jim Burpee is the President and CEO of the Canadian Electricity Association.

The Economic Club of Ottawa isn’t your typical lunchtime crowd. This being the Nation’s Capital, I’m expecting a turnout of policy-makers and communications specialists, public affairs executives and elected representatives. There’s a big high-tech and R&D community in Ottawa as well. On any given noon hour, a wide cross section listen to the speakers at the Economic Club.

They come here from across the country, and work in Ottawa, because they want to make things happen. They’re passionate about policy questions and the cut and thrust of politics. More than most places, Ottawa is a city that thrives on ideas, and is open to having assumptions challenged.

So what can I tell this audience that they have not heard before?

I want them to begin to rethink how they see the electricity industry.  Canada has embarked on a nation-wide debate but, so far, much of the discussion has centred on issues such as the development of the oil sands, or the transmission of oil and gas to new markets. These are important issues, but they should be seen in the context of a much larger examination of North America’s energy future.

And the future is indeed electric.  Some $350 billion in new infrastructure projects for the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity will be coming on-stream in the coming decades.  That amount of money in itself will reshape Canada’s economy in jobs and economic growth.

But the bigger impact will come as a result of what a 21^st century electricity industry can do as an enabler of Canada’s economy and our quality of life.

I want Canadians to start thinking about the choices they will face as part of electricity’s future, and the Economic Club of Ottawa is a good place to start.

Interested in seeing the presentation?  For tickets, click here.

In the coming weeks, I want to share some of the ideas I’ll raise in the speech, and then afterward, I’ll blog about the audience reaction. Stay tuned.

Jim Burpee has been the President and CEO of the Canadian Electricity Association since February 2012.

We all know that electricity is key to the quality of life that Canadians enjoy. It’s used to power our businesses and homes, and to maintain our nation’s economic growth and prosperity.

The job of generating and delivering electricity is carried out by thousands of people every day. In fact, according to a 2011 Electricity Sector Council report, the industry currently employs 108,000 people, and is planning on recruiting 45,000 more over the next several years.

A career in the electricity sector offers many benefits and rewards. And it is safe!

However, as in any industry, there are health and safety risks that must be addressed, such as exposure to electrical energy, working at height and driving. These and other risks are anticipated and mitigated through effective prevention programming by employers.

Additionally, the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) coordinates an Occupational Health and Safety Committee that shares best practices and lessons learned from safety incidents that have occurred within the sector.

Here are some examples of what some Canadian electric utilities are doing to reduce risk factors and minimize injuries in order to ensure a healthy and safe workplace for their employees:

Toronto Hydro has developed an Internal Responsibility System (IRS) that ensures all employees understand their safety responsibilities. All supervisors and managers are required to conduct safety inspections monthly, which are reported as part of their individual performance expectations.

Saint John Energy has re-assessed and greatly improved their driving safety program. One initiative implemented is the “How Is My Driving” program, where members of the public can call a designated phone number posted prominently on the back of company vehicles and offer their comments. The program has resulted in a 40% reduction of complaints and a 25% increase in positive feedback from the public on employee driving.

TransAlta has developed a new “Best Fit” safety eyewear program. In 2010, the company made a commitment to reducing eye injuries on their fleet. They consulted with employees and contractors to understand their needs, and worked closely with vendors to find the best fitting safety eyewear available. This team-driven approach has paid off: there has been a 30% reduction in eye injuries since the new eyewear was implemented.

Nalcor Energy introduced a Green Hard Hat Policy, which requires new employees to wear green hard hats on the job rather than the typical white hard hats. This increases their visibility, and engages more experienced employees to share their safety knowledge with new employees, helping them become familiar with required safety practices.

These are just a few of many health and safety initiatives currently happening across Canada. Other industries are taking notice, and implementing some of the same ideas within their own workforce. The electricity industry is striving to set the standard for health and safety practices in any industry, anywhere, all of the time.

Click here to read the Canadian Electricity Association’s Occupational Health and Safety Report, which contains many more case studies and information on this topic.

The success of the electricity industry and the commitment to injury reduction go hand-in-hand. Canadian electric utilities will continue to deliver: in product, economic benefits, health and safety.

Writer Mark Ciufo is the Coordinator, Standards and Occupational Health & Safety, at the Canadian Electricity Association. 

CEA President and CEO Jim Burpee and Vice President Sandra Schwartz are pictured with Alberta Premier Alison Redford at the 2012 Council of the Federation in Halifax.

Your favourite childhood memories feature Saturday cartoons and homemade cookies. Your mornings start with a buzzing alarm clock and a coffee maker. You type on a computer at work. A nightlight helps your son sleep.

Though we don’t think about it every day, these things are only possible with electricity. It’s a part of almost everything we do, from turning on the lights at home to powering a manufacturing plant that employs thousands. Give it some thought. Has there ever been a power source that has had a greater impact on the economy and our quality of life?

Electricity is central to our lives at home, at work, and to our prosperity as a country. With some of the lowest prices on the globe, our electricity system has given Canadian companies a competitive advantage on the world stage. That means jobs and money going into our economy.

We all rely on electricity that is affordable, reliable and sustainable. And the decisions being made today will determine whether electricity stays that way for our kids.

Here are some of the issues the Canadian electricity industry is facing:

• Infrastructure needs investment: Some of the country’s generating stations are over one hundred years old. The Conference Board of Canada estimates that by 2030, nearly $350 billion in investment will be required to meet Canada’s electricity demand.
• Sustainability requires planning:  Investment in the next generation of Canada’s electricity infrastructure is good for the environment, good for the economy and good for our communities. It means replacing older, less efficient equipment with newer technologies. It means efficiently connecting renewable generation to the grid. It means more choices for customers. Sustainability is the cornerstone of plans for the future; it requires a coordinated strategy for investment.
• The electricity grid – where do we go from here?  As Canada considers the best way forward on a national energy strategy, we need to have a frank conversation about how to renew the electricity system that powers our economy. While a national grid is not feasible, opportunities for regional markets exist that could be supported by a pan-Canadian approach to energy planning.

The Canadian Electricity Association encourages governments to continue exploring ways forward on a Canadian energy strategy; ways that are sensitive to jurisdiction but also recognize that our electricity system is the backbone for economic growth and prosperity across the country.

To read more about electricity within the context of a Canadian energy strategy, click here.

Overwhelmingly, these are provided by electrical and natural gas infrastructure, coast to coast. Built over much of a century, the electrical and gas transmission and distribution systems across our country meet well over 50 per cent of energy end use by Canadians.  Behind the light switch on your wall or the gas burner on your stove extends a system of energy delivery that involves thousands of Canadians working in one of dozens of companies, ultimately dedicated to serving customers like you and me.

Increasingly, as infrastructure becomes more expensive to build, as urban areas grow and constrain our ability to deliver services, and as new technologies open up new possibilities, companies are finding more efficient and innovative ways to deliver within those systems.

Integrating the traditionally separate worlds of electricity and natural gas is one opportunity to do that – think of it as one big energy system, rather than several.  In many ways, this is already happening:  natural gas is increasingly used for power generation across Canada, both in its own right and as a reliable partner for intermittent renewables.  In fact, there are already two fully integrated gas and electric companies in major markets delivering both energy services to Canadians. Even greater end-use integration lies ahead.

Consider technologies like micro-CHP, where gas is taken from the meter in your home and used in a device to produce both heat (as in a conventional furnace) and electricity. The efficiencies in terms of energy usage are significant, and the wear and tear on the electricity grid is dramatically reduced.  Or, think about electric cars, with batteries charged with a natural gas charger.  In this case, you would not only integrate your use of gas and electricity, you also help integrate with the whole transportation energy service market.

In these and other examples the idea is to better use the existing energy grids to deliver what customers want.  And if there is one thing that is definitely in common between the natural gas and electricity worlds, it is the priority interests of the customer.

Looking forward, the Canadian Gas Association (CGA) and the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) are in discussions with one another to find more opportunities to work together in customers’ interests.  A more productive, efficient, and innovative Canada will benefit from it.

We always talk about how blessed Canada is with many energy resources, and that’s very true.  But our economic growth and success are dependent on constantly improving our use of these resources.  The key to that is a smart energy system – one where gas and electricity and ultimately other services are better integrated.

Timothy M. Egan is the President & CEO of the Canadian Gas Association. 

The Canadian Gas Association  represents the distribution companies, transmission companies, equipment manufacturers and other service providers who together serve natural gas to approximately 6.3 million customers – over half of all Canadians in their homes and at work.