Green Energy Futures

FULL INTERVIEW - We sit down with Richard Allen, the chair of United Hydrogen, a conglomerate of 37 hydrogen companies working together to bring to market hydrogen solutions on the road the net-zero. We talk about the role, advantages and challenges of using hydrogen to reduce emissions in transport, buildings and industry. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

United Hydrogen is a conglomerate of 37 hydrogen companies based in Australia that has set it's sights on finding the solutions to help the world get to net-zero. Oh, they also are keen to take advantage of the hydrogen market, expected to reach $201 billion by 2025. We talk to United Hydrogen chair Richard Allen about solutions, challenges and the role of hydrogen. (PART 1) GreenEnergyFutures.ca...

The Red Deer Renewable Energy Fairs were a hit in Red Deer, Alberta until COVID deep-sixed the popular event. But the event is back reincarnated as the Energy Innovation Fair. We talk to organizers Rene Michalak of ReThink Red Deer and Chelsah Thomas of Sol Invictus Energy Services about the line-up for the free event being held on Saturday, October 21. A big theme this year is energy diversificat...

Norquest College is like many educational institutions. Budgets are tight, and capacity is often lacking, but by being smart about building new buildings, combining efforts with renovations to old buildings and by measuring energy use Norquest College is finding innovative ways to save big bucks on energy costs. We take a tour with the facilities manager Jason Schuller to learn what they are doing...

Edmonton wants to plant 2 million trees as part of its climate change strategy - so how are they doing? We take a walk in Edmonton's extensive forest canopy to find out. Turns out they're on track and it could transform Edmonton. Changing for Climate Series GreenEnergyFutures.ca

There are 162 community leagues in Edmonton. Sarah Delano is with Parkdale Cromdale and she says they are taking action for climate change in many small ways from growing and foraging for local food, creating local art and putting solar on their community league hall. We take a walk with Sarah to learn more. Changing for Climate GreenEnergyFutures.ca

We talk a lot about making electricity net-zero, but as Greg Caldwell explains 80% of the energy we use is in a gaseous form. Greg works for ATCO on hydrogen and he believes hydrogen can play a big role in decarbonizing our economy. We explore how hydrogen is made, what it can do and the role it can play. Changing for Climate Series GreenEnergyFutures.ca

Jena and Jesse Tufts had a choice: bulldoze their 1953 bungalow, move to the suburbs or retrofit it. They chose the cheaper option and took their 1953 home all the way to net-zero with a deep energy retrofit. Changing for Climate Series GreenEnergyFutures.ca

The Métis Nation of Alberta is investing heavily in solar and energy efficiency to save money and reduce emissions. The Nation has installed solar on 35 of its facilities in Alberta and is now building a 5-megawatt solar project at the Métis Crossing Culture Center near Smoky Lake, Alberta. We talk to their climate change guy and the woman in charge of the Métis Housing Corporation about their wor...

In Part 2 of our Climate Ready Home series we talk to sustainability teacher Kenton Zerbin about some of the things we can do around our homes and yards to adapt to the increasingly severe impacts of climate change. We cover yard landscaping and some of the things you can do to reduce emissions and adapt your home to a changing climate. Changing for Climate Video Series ChangeForClimate.ca GreenEn...

How making your home Climate Ready can save you money, reduce emissions and get you on a pathway to a solar-powered, net-zero energy home. Stephanie Ripley gives a tour of a model energy efficiency home display which identifies four steps involving 1. Energy Audit, 2. Insulation, 3. Electric Heating and Cooling, 4. Generate your own renewable energy. ChangingforClimate.ca Series GreenEnergyFutures...

Lewis Lix loved the oil industry but he grew weary of the boom and bust cycles and being away from his family all the time. After one false start and a great deal of discussion with his family, he eventually enrolled in the 2-year NAIT Alternative Energy Program in Edmonton, Alberta. This is the story of his long and winding journey and where he wound up. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

Just a few short years ago Heather discovered the wonders of solar. She help install solar on her church, then her home and now she works promoting solar in Alberta. Solar is booming in Alberta and more than 3,800 Edmonton homes and businesses have installed solar and it's growing faster every year. GreenEnergyFutures/ca CKUA.com Podcast

In part 2 Howaida talks about what it's like living with two EVs in the family. She talks about the cost to operate and what it's like driving an EV in Canada's -30 C winters. Howaida discusses why her family decided to go all-electric and how she mixes using her EV with public transit and cycling in her day-to-day life. Changing for Climate Series GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

Howaida's family dipped their toes into the world of EVs when they replaced their Smart Car with a short-range EV. But the big decision came when the time came to replace their second family vehicle. This is the story of their family journey going all-electric. This is part 1. Changing for Climate Series GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

Darren and Darcy Crichton started their DIY home retrofit on their 1969 bungalow 20 years ago. At first, they simply wanted to cut drafts by adding insulation. But with careful research, they did the right renovations in the right order and today they live in a solar-powered, net-zero home. This is their story. Changing for Climate Series GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

In part II of our E-Bike Revolution series, we find out why e-bikes are revolutionizing the idea of the bicycle as a mode of transportation. Turns out e-bikers go further and faster than regular cyclists but is the e-bike a fitness cop-out? What we learned might surprise you! GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

Seattle Architect Michael Eliason believes we can build affordable, family-friendly multifamily housing that doesn't suck and helps with the housing and climate crises. The answer he says is Point Access Blocks, single staircase buildings that have more windows, more bedrooms, better greenspace and access to well design neighbourhoods. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Learn more in our blog...

Jim Sandercock was coerced into bicycle commuting by a colleague who moved into the neighbourhood and said "Hey why don't we cycle to work?" Here's the thing - He loves it! After doing tons of research Jim bought an electric bike and became the poster boy for the E-Bike Revolution. In PART 1 of our two-part series on the E-Bike Revolution, we follow Jim's journey from bicycle agnostic to advocate...

They were told it couldn't be done affordably. Then Salvation Army Architect Michael Jones and her team reissued an RFP for a net-zero-ready 175-unit supportive housing complex and were very surprised with what happened next—an inspiring story with lessons for all mid-sized buildings. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Also see our video: https://youtu.be/HpcXhNw4TpA

Microhabitat is all about urban farming and they're bringing 30-pot container gardens to the nature deserts of the big cities. From office towers and apartments to parks, the idea is to produce local food in the most unlikely places. And people seem to love it! Since its humble beginnings in 2016, Microhabitat is installing 200 projects in 8 North American Cities this year. We tag along as they in...

How Jim Sandercock took his 1951 home and transformed it into a solar-powered net-zero home by reskinning the home by adding new super-insulated walls over the old ones. It's called an EnergieSprong Deep Energy Retrofit and it was one of the first pilots on a single-family home in Canada. The idea is to save the home's old bones and totally retrofit the home's exterior while the homeowners continu...

To some people, it's all-out war between oil and gas and renewable energy. But Alberta, Canada's oil capital also has the best renewable energy resources in the country. In this feature-length interview, Simon Dyer the author of the Pembina Institute report: Alberta's Pathway to the New Energy Economy explains the challenges Alberta faces and the opportunity that is there to create lower emissions...

Stop pitting renewable energy against oil and gas in order to develop a successful future energy economy. A new report by the Pembina Institute says Alberta must reduce carbon emissions in the oil and gas industry to remain competitive and begin investing in clean energy industries to build a successful, diversified energy economy of the future. We talk to Simon Dyer, author of "Alberta's Roadmap...

This week we're back at the net-zero home of the Brosinskis in Leduc, Alberta with Dave Butterwick to look at the key elements of a net-zero home in a cold climate. Dave covers insulation and sealing, windows, mechanical systems, solar and appliances. It's net-zero soup to nuts this week on Green Energy Futures. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast