The Development of a Framework for the Assessment of Energy Demand-based Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Options for Alberta’s Agriculture Sector

• Author / Creator

  Bonyad, Marziyeh

• Due to rapid economic expansion, Alberta’s energy sector has witnessed an upsurge in energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The agriculture sector in Alberta ranks second among the Canadian provinces in terms of energy consumption in the agricultural sector nationally. The current research uses the Long range Energy Alternatives and Planning (LEAP) model to develop a framework to assess the future trends of energy demand and associated GHGs for Alberta’s agriculture sector. This framework helps in the assessment of various GHG mitigation options associated with energy consumption. Based on current growth rates of energy supply and demand, a business-as-usual scenario was developed for the years 2009-2050. Following this, various GHG mitigation scenarios were developed to assess the economic feasibility of energy efficiency improvement and GHG-reduction options. GHG abatement cost curves were developed to determine the marginal costs ($/tonne of GHG reduced) for all the GHG mitigation scenarios.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Greenhouse emissions
  • Energy
  • Alberta's agriculture
  • Mitigation scenario

• Graduation date

  Spring 2014

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R31H3G

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.