Nova Scotia Power Sets Renewable Energy Record

Jan 28 2016

Nova Scotia Power achieved a new record in renewable energy in 2015, with 26.6% of the electricity used by Nova Scotians coming from renewable resources.

Nova Scotia Power’s performance on renewable energy exceeded the legislated 2015 requirement of 25% renewable electricity, and positions the company well to meet the 40% renewable requirement that takes effect in 2020. Also by 2020, NSP will have reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 25%, meeting the most ambitious GHG reduction regulations in North America. As recently as 2007, only 9% of Nova Scotia’s electricity was renewable.

Photo source: cbc.ca

“We have made remarkable progress in Nova Scotia,” says Mark Sidebottom, Vice President of Power Generation and Delivery for Nova Scotia Power. “No other utility in Canada has made this rapid of a transition. In 2020, we will have a greater percentage of our electricity coming from renewables than Germany, which is often recognized as a world leader in renewable energy.

Nova Scotia’s growth in renewable electricity has been largely through the development of wind power. There are now 294 commercial wind turbines producing electricity in Nova Scotia. Most are independently owned. At times wind power has accounted for as much as 50% of the province’s electricity. However, there are other times when almost no electricity is coming from wind, so the utility has to have other generation sources on hand for back-up to supply customers. The Maritime Link, delivering hydroelectricity from Muskrat Falls, will provide a firm source of renewable electricity, and help push Nova Scotia Power to more than 40% renewable electricity by 2020.

Renewable energy progress: electricity by source