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| HOME > ONTARIO INDUSTRIES > ALTERNATIVE ENERGY > SMALL HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY |
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Small Hydroelectric Energy
Hydroelectric energy (hydro) is the primary source of renewable energy in Ontario, and makes up about one-quarter of Ontario’s total energy supply. Its benefits include clean, relatively inexpensive operation, the use of a renewable resource, and long plant life—over half of Ontario’s hydro plants have been dependably producing electricity for 50 years or more. The Ontario Power Authority and the Ontario Waterpower Association estimate a potential supply of almost 7,000 MW of waterpower in Ontario. Over 300 sites in Ontario have been identified as being suitable for hydro development. About 1,000 MW could be produced at facilities of less than 100 MW capacity each. The Ministry of Energy’s Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program (RESOP) includes incentives for the production of small scale hydro. The Program specifically encourages “run-of-the-river” projects, which take advantage of naturally-occurring drops in elevation to produce sufficient waterflow for the turbines; this reduces the environmental impact of power plants. As of summer 2007, nearly 70 MW of small hydro power was either in production or under construction under RESOP.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Energy; Ontario Waterpower Association (10/2007)
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