Manitobans have increasingly been turning to renewable heat sources, often called GREEN HEAT, for heating water and for the heating of buildings and homes.
The use of renewable energy sources can displace the need for combustion heating (e.g. using natural gas, oil, propane) or the conditioning of space or water through electric resistance heat.
Solar Thermal or Solar Heating technologies draw energy by collecting the sun's radiant energy and converting it into thermal energy, often for water and space heating.
Globally 200 million buildings now use solar thermal systems for hot water heating and to heat building space. In Manitoba, solar thermal heating applications have been found to be most cost effective when built into the design of new buildings or when performing retrofits.
Heat Pumps draw renewable energy from the ground, water or air.
A Geothermal Heat Pump can turn one kWh of electricity into three to five kWhs of heat (or up to 3 to 5 times more efficient than conventional electric resistance heat) and offers a way to responsibly use Manitoba's clean electricity and multiply the benefits. Geothermal provides a sustainable and efficient means to heat and cool buildings and homes.
In Sweden geothermal technology began gaining significant adoption more than 30 years ago. Today the USA market is the largest single user of geothermal heat pumps; and Manitoba is a Canadian leader in the adoption of geothermal heat pumps.
The community of Île-des-Chênes in southern Manitoba where a regional community centre, arena, emergency response building and fire hall are served through a community district geothermal system.
b) A means to hedge against the risk of volatile fossil fuel prices. Manitoba has taken a leadership role in developing renewable energy sources and this includes renewable energy for heating.