Cochrane's Renewable Energy Framework provides guidance around the management of renewable energy in the Town and helps encourage the uptake of renewable energy in the community.
Pursuing renewable energy is consistent with the Town’s shared vision for the future. The Municipal Development Plan (MDP) identifies environmental stewardship, including the use of alternative energy, as a key objective for the Town. Likewise, the Cochrane Sustainability Plan (CSP) commits the town to using energy responsibly and efficiently. The CSP identifies alternative energy use as a key success measure for the Town’s ongoing commitment to sustainability.
A Renewable Energy Framework is one among several sustainability initiatives being implemented by the Town. Other examples are the& Zero Waste Framework, which includes strategies for moving Cochrane to an 80% waste stream diversion rate, and the Green Building Policy for the implementation of green building technologies for new commercial, industrial, and institutional development.
Types of renewable energy
There are two types of solar energy. Photovoltaic and solar thermal. Photovoltaic energy systems are used to convert sunlight into electricity. Solar (thermal) hot water systems are designed to produce hot water for uses such as washing dishes, showering and/or heating interior spaces.
The feasibility of a solar energy project depends on factors such as:
local solar radiation
site shading conditions
local climate conditions
electrical grid connection
With decreasing solar equipment prices and increasing power rates, solar technologies may become a popular alternative for residents and business owners.
Geo-exchange systems, also known as ground-source heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, or earth energy systems, use energy in the earth’s crust heat or cool buildings. We will be investigating the applicability of geoexchange systems for residential and larger buildings.
Wind energy projects convert the kinetic energy of the wind into electricity. The feasibility of a wind project is dependent on the wind speeds and wind characteristics at the project site.
We will be investigating wind power projects that are most appropriate in a community setting (i.e. 10 kW and smaller). This information will help the Town better understand wind power opportunities and respond to future small wind applications within the Town’s boundary.
Biomass district energy systems are centralized heat production units that use a variety of biomass fuel types to produce heat.
A typical biomass system includes the following major components:
Fuel storage
A boiler to convert fuel to heat (heat used to heat hot water)
Hot water distribution system
Energy transfer stations for each customer (one or two per system)
Pressure reducing valves (PRV) are used within many municipal water systems to manage pressure within pipes.
An alternative to using a PRV is to integrate a small in-line turbine within the pipe to generate electricity with excess pressure energy, instead of losing the energy through the valve.
There are currently 11 PRVs within the Town and we will investigate the feasibility of installing small in-line turbines.