Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

Since the 1960s, Canada has exploited large hydro assets to create an impressive array of hydroelectric generation facilities. However, as these large installations age a need for alternative sources of electrical energy has emerged.  This need is heightened by that fact that the nations hydroelectric facilities are freshwater resources and are located in remote interior regions of the country. To connect these generation facilities to the population centers, 18286 km of transmission lines have been constructed in BC alone - more than enough to string the Trans-Canada highway from Vancouver to St. John's and back. Alternative means for electricity generation can distribute the nations energy generation across geographical boundaries and thus ease the burden on high voltage transmission lines.  If viable generating technologies can be developed, advanced control and management strategies can be used to regulate power supply from multiple, complimentary sources. However, the most readily adoptable energy alternatives rely on burning hydrocarbons (natural gas, diesel.) and thus, the buttressing of the power grid comes at the expense of increased greenhouse gas (CO2, etc.) emmisions.   Renewable energy technologies are in various stages of maturity. Of renewable sources, wave energy is very promising as Canada has a vast wave resource  and vast hydro reservs that can be used to offset fluctuations in an intermittent wave energy source.  The proposed research will develop renewable wave energy conversion technology, model the energy systems technology and, through experimental testing, demonstrate how the variable supply of a wave resource can be managed to effectively supplement the national grid.