Green Energy Futures

When Blatchford was announced as the largest planned carbon neutral community in North America it was seen as "wildly ambitious." "It's right in the heart of the city, connected to transit, and boasts short travel distances. There's a grocery store already, there's an LRT stop, it's all the things that new neighbourhoods often wait years and years for, uh, but they're already here in Blatchford," says Anne Stevenson City Councillor for Edmonton, Alberta. Today Blatchford people-centred urban design is attracting residents and near net-zero building standards are just what's needed to build the affordable, resilient and sustainable neighbourhoods of the future. In short this is where things are going and "We've got a great head start in Blatchford," says Stevenson. We talk to the city councillor, the developer and some residents who are now living in this super sustainable neighbourhood located right in the heart of the City. This is part 1 in a series we are doing talking to builders, home owners, heat pump companies about this amazing project in North America's most northerly big city. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast BLOG: https://greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/397-blatchford-the-largest-planned-carbon-neutral-community-in-north-america-is-wildly-ambitious VIDEO: https://youtu.be/3xsdx7V7rwc?si=01GryhWWp4kBDqf1

This week in part 2 we return to see the straw bale dream home 8 years after filming a story on the Making of the Straw Bale Dream Home. This home features some of the most innovative features we've seen in any green home. Lance and Wendy Olson lead us on a tour of their version of a passive house that is heated mostly by passive solar energy. The home has many innovative features including passive solar energy storing rammed Earth walls, a solar thermal in floor hydronic heating system and solar PV modules to provide the electricity. Then there are recycled materials in the form of cupboard doors made from hardwood seat backs from the Jack Singer Concert Hall and many other quirky features too. Get ready to be inspired! This is our 4-minute CKUA Radio feature. You can see these and more features in our full length video: https://youtu.be/38akJEh2j4A GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Audio Podcast Check out our blog for more in this amazing story. Subscribe today on the usual podcast services.

Here is an AI deep dive summary of Green Energy Futures' David Dodge interviews with Lance and Wendy Olsen about their unique straw bale home. The Olsens, seeking to downsize and minimize their environmental impact, built a net-zero home incorporating straw bale insulation, rammed earth walls, and solar technology. The home features innovative elements, such as reclaimed concert hall seatbacks repurposed as cupboards and a toilet paper storage system built into a wall. Lance discusses the home's heating and water systems, as well as artistic details like a custom handrail he is building for the spiral staircase using reclaimed farm material. The video highlights the home's energy efficiency and sustainable design, offering inspiration for anyone interested in green building practices. Let us know if you find this a helpful addition to our coverage of the Straw Bale Dream Home. GreenEnergyFutures.ca Episode 396 - Anatomy of a Straw Bale Dream Home

In part 1 of our series on a Net-Zero Straw Bale Dream Home we meet Lance and Wendy Olson as they were building their straw bale home. They wanted to downsize, reduce their footprint and build the most energy efficient home they could. After a lot of research they landed on the idea of building a straw bale home. But they didn't stop there, this straw bale home has loads of innovative features in it from the rammed Earth walls, to solar thermal heating and solar PV for electricity. Their goal was to reach net-zero. We were there when the Olsons worked with partners at SAIT and Habib Gonzalez, the guru of straw bale building in Canada. In part one we see how the home is built and some of the unique features of this amazing and sustainable homes. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast PART 1 - Making a Straw Bale Dream Home ✅ BLOG - GreenEnergyFutures.ca ▶️ YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/greenenergyfuture/

In Part 2 of our series on the worst case scenario for an air-source heat pump, improvements were made, the post reno energy audit is done and we check back a year later after installing an air-source heat pump in a cabin with 2x4 walls and R12 insulation in the cold Canadian north. Full story GreenEnergyFutures.ca VIDEO story https://www.youtube.com/greenenergyfuture/ GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Subscribe to hear new stories every week - check back on our more than 400 stories!

Energy efficient heat pumps are revolutionizing home heating. So we wanted to know, can we install an air-source heat pump in a cabin with energy inefficient 2x4 walls? This is part 1 of that story that starts with an energy audit. Energy efficient builders hold tight to the maxim "envelope first" which means focus on improving insulation and other measure that reduce your energy needs first before looking at your mechanical systems. But what if you are on a budget? What if its a seasonal cottage? What if you can't spend tens of thousands of dollars on those improvements? We set out to answer these questions and to determine the limits of air-source heat pumps that are taking the world by storm these days. Learn more in our blog and video story and watch for part 2. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

In part 2 of our Solar & Sheep series first generation farmer Janna Greir adds Kunekune pigs to her solar & sheep farm. It turns out these cute little oinkers are symbiotic with the sheep. They eat parasites and worms left behind by the sheep thus interrupting their lifecycle keeping the sheep healthier. www.GreenEnergyFutures.ca www.CKUA.com Podcast Full story https://greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/394-first-generation-farmer-janna-greir-builds-thriving-operation-by-combining-sheep-and-solar Be sure to check our part 1 and Subscribe Today for 400 more stories just like this!

Janna Greir and her partner Ryan always loved the idea of ranching, living in the country, and operating a small farm, but becoming a first-generation farmer is nearly impossible these days. That is until she discovered the combination of sheep and solar. The family had a dozen sheep until she landed a contract with Capital Power to manage the vegetation on their Strathmore Solar Farm. Janna has become an expert in vegetation management since then and the land is now much more productive and her flock has grown to more than 1,000 sheep on this one site alone. Not only has Janna grown her flock significantly, she is also doing consulting work to help others do the same. Her experience points to a bright future for farming and solar. Part 1 in a 2-part series. GreenEnergyFutures CKUA.com Video Podcast BLOG at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

Janna Greir and her partner Ryan always loved the idea of ranching, living in the country, and operating a small farm, but becoming a first-generation farmer is nearly impossible these days. That is until she discovered the combination of sheep and solar. The family had a dozen sheep until she landed a contract with Capital Power to manage the vegetation on their Strathmore Solar Farm. Janna has become something of an expert in vegetation management since then and the land is now much more productive and her flock has grown to more than 1,000 sheep on this one site alone. Her story points to a bright future for farmers who want to improve productivity and the economics of their farms. Janna says there is nothing but potential for the expansion of the idea often referred to as Agrivoltaics. This is part one in our series. GreenEnergyFutures CKUA.com Podcast BLOG at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

Janna Greir and her partner Ryan always loved the idea of ranching, living in the country, and operating a small farm, but becoming a first-generation farmer is nearly impossible these days. That is until she discovered the combination of sheep and solar. The family had a dozen sheep until she landed a contract with Capital Power to manage the vegetation on their Strathmore Solar Farm. Janna has become something of an expert in vegetation management since then and the land is now much more productive and her flock has grown to more than 1,000 sheep on this one site alone. Janna has become a consultant, and is already further expanding her operation pointing to an amazing bright future for what is called agrivoltaics, the combining of solar and farming. Rather than gobble up farmland, she is improving productivity and dramatically improving the economics of being a farmer, first generation or otherwise. Part 1 in a 2 part series. GreenEnergyFutures CKUA.com Video Podcast BLOG at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

Gary Holden of Lodestone Energy in New Zealand says making solar energy available to everyone is the secret to building an affordable, resilient, net-zero electricity grid. The idea is to build solar projects in or near every town and offer the solar to consumers who can't put solar on their homes or businesses the opportunity to go solar. He also says this distributed energy, when coupled with energy storage will save money on grid infrastructure expansions, provide cheap energy and ultimately be a key link in transforming the electricity grid to net-zero. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Learn more in our blog at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

This week we speak to Tristan Walker one of 40 people appointed as a fellow of The Energy Futures social innovation lab to have the hard conversations about how our energy systems can evolve to meet net-zero objectives. Tristan Walker of Massif Energy is working on the Alberta's Electricity Future initiative with a diverse group of Albertans. While the social sphere is dominated by polarization, and us-verses-them narratives the people in the lab from a wide cross section of society and industry come together to find common ground on some of the biggest issues of our time, such as how to get Alberta to net-zero. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Learn more in our blog at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

The Energy Futures Lab is like a breath of fresh air in today’s polarized world, where meaningful discussions about real-world problems are scarce. Every year, they invite 40 talented individuals from various fields to join their mission and tackle some of the most challenging issues facing us, like how to get Alberta to net-zero emissions. To celebrate their 10th anniversary, we caught up with Maureen Kolla from the Energy Futures Lab and Tristan Walker, an energy consultant who’s part of the 40 fellows in 2024. Tristan is part of the Albertas Electricity Future group which is head up by Maureen Kolla and they recently released a vision for Alberta’s electricity future, and we’re excited to share it with you! GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Learn more at GreenEnergyFutures.ca SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Get totally TRUCKED UP! Simon Lindley, fed up with the FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) surrounding electric vehicle (EV) trucks, decided to take matters into his own hands. He launched the Trucked Up EVs YouTube channel, where he’s on a mission to test the limits of these electric beasts, evaluate the charging infrastructure across Canada, and debunk some myths. I caught up with Simon at the very beginning of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. He was plugged into a BC Hydro DC Fast Charging station, charging his Ford F-150 Lightning at lightning speed. To truly understand the pros, cons, and challenges of touring with an EV truck, Simon embarked on an epic 24,000-kilometer cross-country adventure. He’s testing the limits of his EV, exploring the charging landscape across every province, and engaging with his viewers in local coffee shops to discuss the future of electric vehicles. This is Green Energy Futures’ David Dodge’s full interview with Simon (35 minutes). Don’t miss out! Subscribe to our channel today. Also, CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO feature (8 minutes) at https://youtu.be/sPgpl_qJwJk AND our short video (1 minute) at https://youtube.com/shorts/j9jWfk99z_k. For more IN-DEPTH CONTENT, visit GreenEnergyFutures.ca, where you’ll find our collection of 400 micro-documentaries.

I met Simon Lindley at Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. His passion for EV trucks inspired him to create a YouTube Channel called Trucked Up EVs to look into the good, the bad and the ugly of EV Trucks. He has a passion for busting myths and had just wrapped up a cross Canada tour on which he tested the limits of his Ford F150 Lightning and took stock on the charging infrastructure from province to province. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Subscribe today! And see our blog at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

In a recent episode we talked to Jeremy Kureluk of Rental Bus Lines about how much they like their electric buses and how they hoped one day to connect them to a virtual power plant to feed electricity to the grid. Turns out this is already happening in Canada. Rob Safrata owns a tour bus company and he too wants to go electric. So he started FUSE Power Management, based in Vancouver, to set up the infrastruture and contracts needed to use electric buses as virtual power plants which would make going electric even more lucrative. Peaking power is valuable and fleets of electric buses that are parked during the evening peak electricity period could make revenue helping the grid when it needs electricity. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast See blog at GreenEnergyFutures.ca to learn more or subscribe to our video podcast on YouTube.

The wheels on this electric bus have been going around and around since 2017. We talk to Jeremy Kureluk of Rental Bus Lines based in Stony Plain, Alberta about owning and operating an electric school bus in the cold Canadian north. Turns out they love their electric buses and want more. We dive into all the questions you might have including range, winter performance, maintenance, and more. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Pocast

It's a ticking time bomb - how do we integrate millions of solar, wind and battery projects along with 250 million EVs by 2030 into our outdated 20th Century Grid? Old school utilities often think of building more power plants, distribution, and transmission, but that would cost too much and could never happen fast enough. At least part of the answer lies in software, AI and smart grid technologies. This week on Green Energy Futures we talk to Sabine Erlinghagen, the CEO of Siemens Grid Software about how to build the smart, affordable, resilient and reliable grid of the future. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

The ballots have been counted and the winners have been announced of the Energy Innovation Challenge hosted by Decentralised Energy Canada and the City of Medicine Hat. The winners were announced at the Decentralised Energy Canada Forum in Whistlers, British Columbia. (https://www.deforum.ca/) The winners solutions will be piloted on the Medicine Hat Grid to help integrate decentralized energy resources such as solar, wind, EVs, batteries and heat pumps. The solutions are a mix of software and hardware designed to use these resources to expand the capacity of the grid, provide cheap energy and better utilize existing underutilized 20th Century grid infrastructure. It's the first step in creating a resilient, affordable and reliable grid of the future. We talk to the winners from Edgecom Energy and Arcus Power. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Subscribe today and lean more in our blog and YouTube Channel.

The City of Medicine Hat has partnered with Decentralised Energy Canada to host the Energy Innovation Challenge, a tool they are using to navigate energy transition and transform new energy resources such as solar, EVs, batteries and managed loads into assets instead of liabilities. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Medicine Hat & The Energy Innovation Challenge: Navigating Energy Transition Medicine Hat stands out in Alberta's energy landscape due to its independent, discrete electricity grid. This allows the city to implement innovative energy solutions and set its own rates and policies. • Quote: "Medicine had, unlike other cities, has its own discrete electricity grid and sets their own rates and policies for residents so they can also implement creative energy transition solutions if it makes sense." Key Program: Hat Smart The Hat Smart program incentivizes residential energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption through rebates for devices, rooftop solar arrays, and water conservation measures. • Impact: The program has provided $6.2 million in rebates since 2008 and led to a 14-16% reduction in water use this summer. • Popularity: Rebates for rooftop solar arrays are fully subscribed by spring each year, highlighting the high demand for solar energy. • Innovation: A new PACE-like financing option called the Clean Energy Improvement Program allows residents to invest in clean energy improvements and repay through property taxes. • Quote: "We've just launched the clean energy improvement program and that it's really a financing option for residents to access top up payments to their property taxes essentially in order to do similar things in order to invest in rooftop solar or other sorts of clean energy improvement options at the household level" Current Energy Mix & Transition Plans Medicine Hat currently relies on three gas-fired power plants (300 MW capacity) and a 6 MW wind farm. They are actively exploring new energy transition avenues: • Utility-scale solar: A 325 MW solar project within city limits is economically viable and under consideration, with a request to the Alberta Utilities Commission to build in stages due to its size. • Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS): While Medicine Hat holds an exploration permit for a CCS hub, analysis suggests it is less economically viable than solar at present, with success hinging on carbon pricing. • Energy Innovation Challenge: This initiative with Decentralized Energy Canada aims to generate solutions for managing increasing demand from EVs, heat pumps, and solar projects. Quote: "We have found that utility scale wind and utility scale solar is economically viable today. So the city is currently looking at a utility scale solar array up to 325 megawatts of generation capacity within the urban limits of Medicine Hat. The city is looking at a whole host of other options including carbon capture and sequestration for hard to abate businesses." Conclusion: Medicine Hat demonstrates proactive leadership in transitioning to a cleaner energy future. Through programs like Hatsmart and exploration of large-scale renewables and CCS, the city provides a valuable case study for other municipalities seeking to decarbonize. The Energy Innovation Challenge further highlights their commitment to finding practical solutions for the evolving energy landscape. #solar #windpower #electricity #energytransition #EV #electricvehicles #decentralizedenergy