Using energy more efficiently

Over the past decade, Canadian consumers and industries have achieved steady progress in improving the efficiency of energy use.

Between 1990 and 1999, the average fuel consumption of new passenger vehicles sold in Canada improved by 2.4 per cent (from 8.2 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres to eight litres per 100 kilometres). Light duty trucks improved by 0.9 per cent (from 11.4 litres to 11.3) over the same period.

In 2001, greenhouse gas emissions from road gasoline were only four per cent higher than in 1980, despite significant increases in the number of vehicles. This reflects the improvements in fuel consumption per vehicle kilometre by cars and light trucks. Changes in motor design, emission controls and fuel formulation have all contributed to operating and environmental improvements. Motor vehicle manufacturers are continuing to perform research and development on future vehicles that provide the same safety, comfort and capacity as today’s vehicles but use less fuel.

Working in partnership with governments and others, automakers have also developed alternative fuel technologies that can further reduce the environmental impacts of our vehicles. For example, consumers can buy vehicles that operate on cleaner burning natural gas or propane. Another option is the use of ethanol-blended fuels that reduce greenhouse gas and carbon monoxide emissions through improved combustion.

Manufacturers have introduced “hybrid” vehicles that combine the use of advanced electric motor and a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine. These can provide up to 50 per cent better fuel economy than similar gasoline-powered vehicles. Over the long term, the auto industry is exploring zero-emission fuel cell engines powered by hydrogen.

Major efficiency gains are occurring in other uses of oil and natural gas. For example, the typical home furnace in the 1970s used about 65 per cent of the heating value of natural gas, while modern furnaces can capture up to nearly 97 per cent of the heat.

An analysis by the Canadian Gas Association estimated about 68 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas in Canada in 1995 occurred at the point of end use, while 22 per cent occurred in production and processing and 10 per cent in transportation, storage and distribution. This is a bit misleading, however, because more than half of Canada’s natural gas production is exported to the U.S.