Under pressure to boost energy production after the summertime blackout of 2003, the Ontario government sanctioned construction of a huge natural gas-burning plant in the Toronto Portlands. The decision has set off protests by various groups, including former City Councilor and environmentalist Marilyn Churley.
As the first of the Centre for Environment’s 2006 Seminar Series, Churley’s lecture admonished the Ontario Government for not providing all the facts on the project’s cost and sustainability.
“Burning natural gas is the most expensive way to produce electricity,” Churley said. “In addition, Canada’s natural gas supply is running out; it’s a very precious commodity.”
The Portlands Energy Centre is advertised as an efficient source of clean energy, producing enough power for about 209,000 homes on an average day of use. However, like other gas plants, the centre will emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases despite operating at 56 per cent efficiency, a definite step up from conventional gas plants that operate at 35 per cent efficiency.
Churley claimed that citizens were told the plant would use “combined cycle generation” or cogeneration-meaning a steam turbine would be in place along with the gas turbine, increasing the amount of energy harnessed from burning gas. They were also told solar panels would be installed at the plant.
“The next thing we heard was that the solar panels would be dropped and then that the cogeneration was dropped,” Churley said.
Churley’s main response to the government’s warnings of Ontario’s waning power supply is energy conservation. She explains that conservation is cheaper, cleaner, and a much better use of resources.
“The plant isn’t needed,” Churley said. “The energy it can provide can be achieved through conservation efforts.”
However, the logistics of implementing a massive energy conservation effort to avert a future energy crisis is not without its problems.
“Obviously, I want to stop the power plant, but there has to be a reasonable way to do it,” a concerned activist said.
Pro-plant attendees argued that natural gas is one of the cleanest forms of power, far better than other electricity-generating sources, such as coal plants.
“The power is not here and asking people to conserve energy is not easy,” the attendee added.
“If you accept the premise that we will freeze in the dark unless we build gas plants, then you would be correct that a gas plant is better than other options,” said Churley. “However, I don’t accept that we cannot do better.”
“It’s nothing short of saving our planet for future generations,” she said. “I feel that this is the war we have to win.”
