PROJECT NEED
As Alberta transitions off coal-fired generation, the province will need new supplies of clean electricity to meet the growing demand for power. Combined cycle power generation facilities, such as Cascade, will provide efficient, reliable on-demand power for Albertans.
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
The Cascade Power Project will lead the transition to clean electricity generation in Alberta as the province transitions off coal-fired power. Once complete, Cascade is expected to be the largest and most efficient combined cycle power plant in the province, producing approximately 62% less CO2equivalent per MWh than existing coal-fired generation, and at least 30% less CO2equivalent per MWh than a typical coal-to-gas conversion. With Alberta contributing over 50% of Canada’s GHG emissions from electricity generation, the Project is expected to result in the largest emissions reduction opportunity in the country’s electricity sector.
Cascade has quick-ramping technology, meaning it can turn on and off quickly, supporting the integration of renewable energy projects in Alberta.
How do they work?
Natural gas combined cycle power generation facilities are a high efficiency, environmentally attractive form of power generation necessary to meet the growing demand for electricity in Alberta.
Combined cycle power facilities are comprised of both gas and steam power production technologies. A combined cycle power facility uses both a gas and a steam turbine simultaneously to produce up to 50 per cent more electricity from the same amount of fuel than a traditional simple cycle facility. This is because all of the wasted heat from the gas turbine is recovered and converted into high-pressure steam, which drives the steam turbine and generates additional electricity.