60
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CANADIAN INDUSTRY ONLINE - JANUARY 2013
hour sold.
That’s powerful.
4.
After 130 years of proven technol-
ogy, hydropower is still cutting edge.
Each hydropower project is
unique because it is developed ac-
cording to site-specific needs. Because
hydropower projects are made to mea-
sure, each requires innovation and im-
provement. Canada is a global leader
in this field and is recognized both as
a pioneer and an innovator in state-of-
the-art hydropower technology.
New innovative hydro tech-
nologies such as in-stream kinetic and
Ocean wave and tidal designs are be-
ing studied and tested. So are technol-
ogies that improve the efficiency, flex-
ibility, and environmental performance
of conventional hydroelectric genera-
tion. The industry constantly improves
its ecological profile by developing
new technologies, such as fish-friendly
ladders, intake gates and turbines.
While hydropower is a powerful
ally in the fight against climate change,
it is not immune from its effects. Cana-
dian hydropower developers are lead-
ers in weather and climate-modelling
technologies. This is to ensure that cur-
rent and future hydropower projects
can continue operating if weather and
hydrological patterns begin to change.
That’s innovation.
5.
Hydropower benefits local and ab-
original communities.
The Canadian hydropower indus-
try works closely with host communi-
ties in the planning, construction, and
implementation of projects. This is key
to the success of project development,
ensuring that local and aboriginal
communities benefit from the proj-
ect through improved quality of life,
employment, business opportunities,
capacity building, and long-term rev-
enues.
With more than 130 years of his-
tory, the Canadian hydropower indus-
try constantly strives to improve its
practices.
Hydropower brings much more
than electricity, jobs and development
to communities. Hydropower can
provide unique flexibility and energy
storage capacity. It provides stability to
the electricity system and can instantly
meet increases in demand. Moreover, it
can help control floods and store water
for irrigation.
That’s sustainable.
HYDRO BY THE NUMBERS
0
-
Air pollutants
1 -
Electricity source in Canada
3
rd
-
Largest hydro producer in the
world
60
-
Percent of Canada’s electricity
generation
50-100
-
Years of facility life
500
-
Generating facilities
355
-
Terawatt hours per year of elec-
tricity produced
74
,
000
-
Megawatts of installed capac-
ity
163
,
000
-
Megawatts of technical po-
tential available
1
,
000
,
000
-
Canadian jobs over the
next twenty years
125
,
000
,
000
,
000
-
Billion dollars in-
vested over the next twenty years
