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Energy From Solar, Wind and Hot Water Heating Best Choice To Lower Greenhouse Gases
By GreenCompany | February 21, 2009
The C.D. Howe Institute has released a study in regards to reducing Canada’s carbon-footprint and the findings may surprise some people. The early push for lowering greenhouse gases was focused on liquid biofuels like ethanol, but the study has found they are the least cost-effective avenue to pursue. Some eco-advocates have long suggested this to be the reality.
In contrast to liquid biofuels for cost-effectiveness are energy sources like solar panels, wind generators and biomass pellet heating. These sources of energy were found to the best renewable source going ahead for heating and power needs for the money invested. The authors of the study want to see both provincial and federal governments focus more money and attention to these green energy choices.
Biodiesel and ethanol were found to be poor choices cost-wise as they were the least cost-effective target for taxpayers’ money for subsidies and incentives. Unfortunately the Canadian federal government’s ecoENERGY program which we have highlighted here in the past, has dedicated over half of the total budget of $4.5 billion towards liquid biofuels like corn-based ethanol. Worse still, most of that money for biofuel development is destined for Canada’s passenger vehicles.
Currently most of Canada’s electricity is generated from coal-fired plants.
Category: Green News
Tags: biofuel, biofuels, biomass, carbon, coal, electricity, energy, ethanol, footprint, government, green, greenhouse gas, renewable, solar panel, vehicle, wind 1 Comment »
February 21st, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Are we not overlooking their comment that “thebiggest impact, by far, being retrofitting homes and buildings”? Any home replacing 10 or more qualified windows and doors would save thousands of dollars, lower their energy consumption and increase the value of their property. Given that the HRTC savings is only available for 1 year, shouldn’t we focus on the positive impact that this action could have on our economy?