Improve Air Quality

Energy use is a major contributor to local air pollution. Most community energy planning options that reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions also result in improved air quality.  As communities move toward energy efficiency, and non-polluting renewable energy sources like solar, ground-source, and wind, and modern technology for burning biomass, air quality will improve.

Even at low levels, pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) and ground-level ozone can affect human health, the environment, and the economy.  Province-wide, transportation accounts for the majority of nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions, a key component in ozone. Industrial wood burning and residential wood stoves are significant sources of fine particulate emissions (PM2.5).

Local governments are implementing a variety of approaches. Some have comprehensive airshed management plans; and some are integrating energy, greenhouse gas, and air quality planning.

For example, Revelstoke's community energy planning process was largely driven by poor air quality and the need to divert wood residue from the local silo burner.Now 10% of the wood waste is burned in a clean burning boiler, which provides heat for the mill’s steam kilns and a district heating system for buildings in Revelstoke’s downtown core.

With more than 90 per cent of its air pollution energy-related, Whistler is regarded as a leader in the development of an integrated energy, air quality, and greenhouse gas management plan.2

  

Notes:

  1. BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (2005), 2000 British Columbia Emissions Inventory of Criteria Air Contaminants: Result Highlights,http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/air/airquality/#inventories;
  2. Municipality of Whistler (2004), Integrated Energy, Air Quality & Greenhouse Gas Management Plan, http://www.sustainablecommunities.fcm.ca/files/Office_Documents/Action_plan.pdf.