Where does the Green Power come from?

Green Power is electricity produced from renewable and low-impact sources which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and promotes our health, as well as our environment. Power generated by wind, solar, biomass (the burning of organic material), and low-impact hydro-electric produce little or no noxious emissions. Another type of generation facility, landfill gas collection, goes further by trapping methane gas and using that gas as a fuel to generate electricity with minimal emissions.

Conventional generation of electricity relies on fossil fuels such as gasoline, natural gas, oil and coal. Emissions from conventional plants include nitric oxide which results when gasoline, coal, oil and natural gas combust, creating nitrogen oxide, a main ingredient of smog. Further, the combustion of coal creates sulphur dioxide, which contributes to acid rain.

For the “Green Light Pact”, Oakville Hydro Energy Services Inc. (OHESI) orders green power from Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG). Their Evergreen TM electricity is a blend produced from wind, low-impact hydro, biomass and solar. All facilities are EcoLogo certified or equivalent by the Federal Government. The Government’s Environmental Choice Program was established to encourage the supply of, and demand for, products and services that reduce stress on the environment.

OPG Evergreen TM generation facilities throughout Ontario :
Wind

- wind farm near Kincardine in Bruce County

- large wind turbine on the lake in Pickering
Solar - large panels on top of the OPG building downtown Toronto
Small Hydro

- 29 small sites from Kingston to Ottawa and north to Sudbury and Timmins, which include:

* Lac Seul – in north western Ontario – currently under construction

* Healey Falls – on the Trent River north of Campbellford – to be expanded

* McVittie – on the Wanapitei River south of Sudbury – to be expanded

* Ranney – planned for future development
Biomass - a methane gas recovery on the landfill in Waterloo

Total capacity is approximately 145 MW, or enough to meet the needs of over 63,000 homes in Ontario each year.

 

For more information on OPG’s green power visit www.opg.com.