Ontario, Canada is gearing up to make a dent in negative climate change in the province by planning the closure of four coal-burning Ontario Power Generation (OPG) power plants. The plan, part of Ontario’s Green Energy Act of 2009, is taking off four years ahead of its 2014 target. These four coal plant closings are the first in a ten-step transition to Ontario’s generating all of its electricity from green energy.
The four plants are located two each in Nanticoke and Lambton. These plants generate about 2,000 megawatts of OPG’s power capacity. These closings and a previous 2005 closing represent a 40% reduction since 2003 of Ontario’s coal power capacity. Since 2003, Ontario has added more than 4,900 megawatts of natural gas and renewable energy power generation plants. Thus far, the province has converted, refurbished, and built new plants to make progress in the effort.
The OPG is assessing its remaining coal power plants to see if they can be feasibly converted to using fuel sources such as biomass. Its Atikokan Generating Station will be the initial focus of its biomass conversion efforts. OPG hopes to have it converted by 2012.
Ontario has touted its efforts, saying that the closure of the coal plants has resulted in a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions equal to the annual emissions of 7 million automobiles. During the first of this year, the province’s coal production dropped more than 51% and its wind generation rose more than 80% compared to the same period in 2008.
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