By the Numbers
Alberta’s electricity generation mix
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- Category: By the Numbers
According to the Alberta government, in 2009 there was a net addition of 443 megawatts of generation capacity in the province, which increased total capacity to 13,007 megawatts. About 14 per cent of that total was from renewable sources.
The province currently has more than 21,000 kilometres of transmission lines. Together, this system continuously delivers electricity to homes, farms and businesses in every corner of the province.
Roughly 45 per cent of Alberta’s electricity generation capacity is from coal and almost 40 per cent from natural gas. Alberta also uses water, wind, biomass and waste heat as forms of electricity generation.
Alberta currently has 723 megawatts of wind-powered generation, with enough capacity, when wind is blowing, to serve over 600,000 homes.
Across all fuel types, in 2009 there was 3,895 megawatts of cogeneration (30 per cent of the total generation capacity) compared to 881 megawatts in 1998 (10 per cent of the total generation capacity).
Cogeneration makes more efficient use of the input fuel by creating both electricity and steam/heat for industrial processes.
Livestock manure is currently being used for biomass power generation at one facility in the province.
The Alberta legislature building has a solar power system that can provide enough power to light 70 compact fluorescent light bulbs for approximately five hours per day, or almost half the power used by an average household in a year.
| ELECTRICITY GENERATION SOURCES Generating capacity megawatts* |
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TOTAL |
1998 8,632 |
2009 13,007 |
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* NOTE: Totals may not add up up due to rounding. Compiled by Alberta Energy based on the Energy Resources Conservation Board, Alberta Electric System Operator and industry information.
