Energy and the Life of the City
The word ‘energy’ travels in a lot of places. We consume it, produce it, move it, store it and interact with energy all the time but it remains something of an abstraction. Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about it in formal ways and calculations related to energy bring us back to classrooms and textbooks where hypothetical canons are fired from hills with varying effects on velocity and distance.
People who manage the infrastructure of cities have a very direct relationship with energy. Our power grids, for example, are highly complex networks of wires and transmission lines that run above and below the ground, through buildings, and by extension, in briefcases, cars and pockets. Most of us don’t think about nuclear reactors or large reservoirs or giant machines that convert the energy of coal into electricity. But if our lights come on in the morning, if our laptop or phone is charged and ready for the day, if our food was kept cool and our rooms kept warm, we may contemplate our deep dependence on energy networks.
One of the most critical features of an electrical network is reliability. Stable supplies of electricity are essential for industrial, commercial, medical, educational and other vital services. It is no surprise that cities consume a lot of energy because that is where a lot of people, buildings, processes, and services are located. In nearly all cases, the energy a city needs comes from somewhere outside the city – the above noted coal, nuclear or hydroelectric sources. This has an impact on the wider environment in which we live.
Measuring the reliability of a cities energy supply is important but so is the degree to which that energy contributes to environmental degradation. Greenhouse gas emissions are an integral part of that measurement dynamic as are both the percentage of renewable energy consumed and the way in which power generation may contribute to secondary effects such as air quality. Where power is reliably available, the social needs of people may be an issue – who has access to the energy that sustains us? Is it affordable.
While travelling in Iceland a few years ago, I had the opportunity to tour the geothermal Hellisheidi Power Plant outside of Reykjavik. It was impressive to see the large pipeline that sent hot water to Reykjavik running alongside the highway and then to imagine how the heat in the earth’s crust was the source of that energy. Iceland has been able to forego coal fired energy and dramatically reduce fossil fuel use. Geothermal sources won’t work the same way everywhere but can be included in the mix of sources that could see cities generating more and more energy from directly in their local area. These possibilities inform our plans to become more sustainable in our energy use.
If we are able to combine reliable energy sources that minimize negative environmental impacts and then structure our societies to make that energy available to everyone in an equitable way, many of the requirements for improved quality of life will have been met. While the wind doesn’t always blow, the sun shine or our geography allow Icelandic heat extraction, there are more and more ways for both residents and city leaders to measure, track and contribute to reliable and accessible energy in our communities.
For more information, Contact:
Milton Friesen, General Manager