Much renewable energy is harnessed for the production of electricity to power homes and offices. While biofuels, wind, and solar energy are making strides in Canada, wave and tidal power has not received the same amount of attention. This may soon change due to the amount of ocean available on both coasts and to the north. In fact, these coasts are capable of producing a quarter of Canada’s annual electricity consumption through wave and tidal power. And because the waves and tides are a consistent natural force, wave-powered energy production is more dependable than that provided by the intermittent sun and wind.

The perception that Canada is lagging in the wave and tidal power department is partially due to its overshadowing accomplishments in solar and wind power. In actuality, Canada trails only the United States and United Kingdom in wave power development. Natural Resources Canada is helping future wave and tidal projects by creating an atlas that points to useful locations in which to construct wave and tidal power plants.

Nunavut is one such location. Meaning “our land” in Inuktitut, it became independent of the Northwest Territories in April of 1999 and comprises a large portion of northern Canada. Consisting of just over 29,000 residents spread over a region the size of Western Europe, it is an ideal location upon which to set up onshore wave and tidal power systems. Because the residents that live along Nunavut’s water do not use the shores for recreation, the concrete and steel structures of a wave powered turbine would not interfere with swimmers or boaters. Furthermore, in the waters of Nunavut and Canada’s eastern and western coasts, there are plenty of available oceans for offshore wave and tidal power systems.

Riding the waves in order to create the pressure needed to move electricity-producing turbines, the bobbers and hoses of a wave power system require no power besides the renewable energy of the earth’s waves to operate. Canada has more than enough water power on its shores to make wave and tidal power a priority.

The Original Post is Located Here: Canada Looking To Ride The Waves To Electricity Production

Biofuels are simply liquid fuels manufactured from plant and animal materials.  Because this matter is biodegradable, it is not only capable of powering vehicles and heating homes, but the waste is then absorbed once again into the earth, nurturing new life able to provide future renewable energy sources.

Bioethanol, commonly referred to as just ethanol, is the most common biofuel currently in production.  Canada’s federal government has taken note of ethanol’s potential as an alternative renewable energy and created a plan requiring gasoline to contain 5% ethanol by the end of this year.  The plan would also require diesel fuels to contain at least 2% ethanol by the end of 2012.  As a matter of fact, the provincial government of Manitoba has taken a leadership role in the biodiesel industry by creating mandates requiring similar percentages as those devised by the federal government that will go into effect in 2010.  This precedes the federal mandate by two years.  Manitoba is known for its prairie lands, the crops that grow there, and the animals that graze upon these crops.  The amount of plant and animal materials available for the production of biofuels is great.  Manitoba has inspired the provincial government of British Columbia to adopt similar strategies.

The corporation of Raven Biofuels Limited was established to research and develop technologies conducive to efficient and prolific use of biofuels throughout Canada, and they have identified British Columbia as a starting point.  Joining Raven Biofuels International Corporation (RBIC), their goal is to pay RBIC a fee providing them exclusive rights to biofuel development in Canada.  Their intent is to build the first commercial biorefinery and place it in Kamloops, British Columbia.  Though it may seem as though a monopoly or trust would emerge from this partnership, the goal is to set an example and to provide guidance to other potential commercial endeavors.  Municipalities have partnered with British Columbia’s provincial government to create the BC Bioenergy Strategy, which has already garnered $25 million to fund a Biofuel Network focused on furthering biofuel energy technology not just in British Columbia, but throughout Canada.

The Original Post is Located Here: Powering Canada With Biofuel Energy!