Our Actions in Six Areas

Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency

Our commitment to the future

Ensure an energy future focused on renewables
Contribute to the fight against global warming
Be an agent of change in energy efficiency

Energy Generated by Hydro-Québec in 2008

Hydro-Québec is one of the largest power producers in North America. We use water to generate close to 98% of our output. Our hydroelectric projects must meet three criteria before they can proceed: they must be profitable, environmentally acceptable and favorably received by the host communities.

Hydro-Québec also makes use of other green, renewable energies, particularly wind power, which is a logical complement to hydroelectricity.

All electricity generation methods have environmental impacts. Since the best way to limit these impacts is to control demand, we are working with the Agence de l'efficacité énergétique to encourage customers to use energy more wisely, as part of our Energy Efficiency Plan.

Our main achievements in 2008

Renewable energies

Hydroelectricity

The Romaine project in the Côte-Nord region calls for construction of four hydroelectric generating stations with a total installed capacity of 1,550 MW: a $6.5-billion investment from 2009 to 2020.

Hydro-Québec spent $145 million on studies for this project, including an extensive environmental impact assessment that was filed in 2008. All components of the physical, biological and human environments likely to be affected by the project were investigated.
Hydro-Québec is involved in an ongoing major research project on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Eastmain 1 reservoir.

This research is important because it will improve the accuracy of environmental impact assessment of hydroelectricity as compared to other generating options.

The 2008 research findings show that three years after reservoir impoundment, gross CO₂ emission levels are comparable to those in natural aquatic environments.

Wind power

The Régie de l'énergie approved 15 contracts signed by Hydro-Québec for the purchase of 2,005 MW of wind power generated in Québec. The wind farms will come on stream between 2011 and 2015.
In cooperation with Environment Canada, we continued development of a method for characterizing and forecasting wind power generation in order to maximize output from this energy source without adversely affecting the reliability of the transmission grid.

Other renewable energies

Hydro-Québec contributes to research on new energy sources, such as hydrokinetic power from ocean currents and tides, salinity gradient power generated by the difference in salinity between saltwater and freshwater, and deep geothermal energy, which uses the heat accumulated in deep rock formations.

Sustainability Report 2008

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Energy efficiency

The Energy Efficiency Plan targets savings of 11 TWh by 2015. Between 2003 and 2010, Hydro-Québec will spend $1.3 billion to achieve this objective.

In 2008, Hydro-Québec exceeded its objectives for the fifth year in a row, with energy savings of 1.1 TWh.
Under the RECYC-FRIGO Environnement^TM program, nearly 66,500 refrigerators and freezers were recovered for environmentally responsible recycling, in a partnership with Recyclage ÉcoSolutions.
In the Go with the Flow campaign, Hydro-Québec funds community projects proposed by municipalities in exchange for their help promoting the ENERGY WISE Home Diagnostic. Since 2007, 230 communities have benefited from this initiative.

Energy efficiency plan (GWh)
	Target				Actual^a
	2005	2006	2007	2008	2005	2006	2007	2008
Energy savings^b	321	523	661	745	447	710	915	1,081
Residential customers	138	257	301	352	244	366	372	419
Business customers	104	126	191	222	57	157	197	232
Large-power customers	79	140	170	171	146	187	346	430

a) May be adjusted following program evaluation.
b) Overall total and sum of subtotals may differ due to rounding.

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