Our Vision
Today, the majority of the electricity Alberta uses is generated by burning coal. And most of the electricity currently provided by ENMAX is purchased from companies with coal-fired power plants.

We have a better vision for Alberta.
The vision starts with generation. By having our own generation facilities that use cleaner-burning natural gas and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint. We plan to combine high efficiency natural gas-fired generation with renewable sources such as wind power and solar power.

Combined Heat and Power ("CHP") technology will make economical use of otherwise wasted heat, and District Energy systems will reduce the need for each individual building to have its own heating system.

These are all ways that we are working towards our vision. It's time for the province of Alberta to benefit from our vision of reliable, economical power for years to come.

Natural Gas
To minimize our environmental impact on the Earth, we need to think more creatively. ENMAX is doing just that.

Currently, burning coal generates most of the electricity that ENMAX Energy purchases. But the move to natural gas is on. Natural gas produces less than half the CO2 per megawatt (MW) than a conventional coal plant and, when mixed with wind power and solar power, it forms an even cleaner and more efficient energy combination than natural gas generation alone.

Today ENMAX owns and operates two natural gas-fired generation facilities: The Crossfield Energy Centre and The Calgary Energy Centre.

What does this mean for you? A lower carbon footprint, a reliable power source and the opportunity to have smaller electricity bills for years to come.

To learn more, go to enmax.com/operations.

Combined Heat and Power
Combined Heat and Power ("CHP") technology has been around for over 100 years and has been used successfully in Europe to reduce energy use and cut greenhouse gas emissions for decades. So much so in fact, that the European Union (EU) has signed a "CHP Directive" that promotes its use in EU countries.

So what makes this technology so attractive? Well, all power plants emit a certain amount of heat during electricity generation. But instead of it being released into the environment and wasted, CHP captures some or all of the heat to be used for industrial processes and residential and commercial businesses.

ENMAX intends to build two natural gas-fired generation facilities in Calgary with CHP capabilities. The Bonnybrook Energy Centre will have the potential to generate half of downtown Calgary's electricity and can also provide waste heat to businesses in the area. The Shepard Energy Centre will also have the potential to generate half of Calgary's current electricity needs.

Although initially producing electricity only, the Shepard Energy Centre will be designed to be CHP-capable, and is positioned to provide waste heat to local businesses. Who would have thought waste heat could be so….useful.

To learn more, go to enmax.com/shepard and enmax.com/bonnybrook.

District Energy
District Energy facilities produce steam and hot water which is then piped underground to nearby commercial, residential or institutional buildings for space heating or hot water heating. The use of District Energy systems is another way in which ENMAX is contributing towards a lower carbon energy future.

District Energy not only frees up space in customer buildings, but the process is much more efficient than having individual boilers in each building.

The new ENMAX Downtown District Energy Centre in Calgary is one great example of this new era of energy efficiency. The District Energy Centre already supplies heat to the City Municipal Building. ENMAX is working to secure new customers, who like the City need to replace their aging boiler systems, as well as looking at the opportunity to provide district heating to new commercial and residential developments in the East Village.

To learn more, go to enmax.com/dec.

Transmission
Like many businesses today, the benefits of location, location, location also ring true for CHP (combined heat and power). Locating the CHP generating facilities at or near customer demand will reduce the need to invest in new or upgraded transmission facilities. It will also reduce the amount of line losses from long distance transmission, resulting in a reliable, economical source of electricity.

Natural gas-fired generation facilities typically produce less than half the CO2 per MW than a conventional coal plant. Two natural gas-fired facilities with CHP capabilities are currently proposed for Calgary. The first will be The Bonnybrook Energy Centre, to be located in an established industrial park in southeast Calgary and planned for operation in 2013. Bonnybrook can connect with ENMAX's Downtown District Energy Centre (District Energy) to provide waste heat to a wide array of commercial and residential buildings in the surrounding area. The second is the Shepard Energy Centre, to be located in the heart of the new 3,350 acre Shepard Industrial area in east Calgary and planned for operation in 2015.

Although initially producing electricity only, the Shepard Energy Centre will be designed to be CHP-capable, and is positioned to provide waste heat to local businesses that may require it.

To learn more, go to enmax.com/shepard and enmax.com/bonnybrook.

Renewable Energy
ENMAX owns and operates two wind farms, Taber Wind Farm and Kettles Hill Wind Farm, and has an interest in the McBride Wind farm, delivering power to the grid from a great source of renewable energy, the wind!

And for those looking for an environmentally conscious complement to grid-connected power, they have the option of micro generation - smaller scale power generation. ENMAX is offering Albertans the option to generate their own solar and wind power at home through the Generate Choice program. This enables Albertans to support environmental initiatives without impacting their day-to-day lives by offering simple, affordable, maintenance-free solutions. To learn more visit generatechoice.ca.

In addition, there are two other micro generation technologies being evaluated. The micro combined heat and power system, which is the size and shape of an average dishwasher, draws from one source, natural gas, to generate heat and electricity for inside the home. And the compact wind generator is designed to bring energy from the wind directly to the home.

To learn more go to enmax.com/technology.