EDMONTON - Dr.
Christine Wörlen, an independent international expert and the former director of renewable
energies with the German Energy Agency, will be speaking in Edmonton on
Tuesday, Sept. 13, about Germany's renewable energy revolution and
opportunities for clean energy development in Alberta.
The growth in clean energy has brought Germany more
than 300,000 jobs, a robust renewable energy export economy, reduced greenhouse
gas emissions and revenue from thousands of successful community-owned projects.
Since Alberta has more solar and wind resources
than Germany, the province faces a significant opportunity to diversify and
clean up its electricity supply.
Dr. Wörlen is an international authority on renewable
energy and an expert the economic impact of renewable energy development. Her presentation
will focus on applying Germany's experience with renewable energy to the
context in Alberta, and her visit
to Edmonton comes just as the city's Task Force on Renewable Energy is preparing
to deliver its report on urban opportunities to develop renewable power.
Event
details
Where: Edmonton
City Hall (City Room)
When: Tuesday, Sept. 13, noon to 1 p.m.
Address: 1 Sir Winston Churchill Square, Edmonton
Where: Grant
MacEwan University (CN Theatre Rm
5-142)
When: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
St. Building 105 St. and 105 Ave.
Download poster
Note: Both
events are open to media and the public.
-30-
Contact:
David Dodge
Communications advisor
The Pembina Institute
780-232-6162
Tim Weis
Director, Renewable energy
The Pembina Institute
780-667-6519
Background:
About Dr.
Christine Wörlen
Dr. Wörlen has worked in Germany and for the United
Nations on the deployment of renewable energy in 60 countries and is presently
coordinating a team of 23 scientists from five institutions evaluating
Germany's National Climate Initiative.
Dr. Wörlen is being presented by the Solar
Energy Society, the Pembina Institute, and the German Embassy in Ottawa.
About
renewable energy in Germany
In 2011, the supply of renewable electricity in Germany
topped 20 per cent for the first time, as part of Germany's plan to phase out nuclear
power within 10 years, and coal after that.
Germany's interest in renewable energy is not new -
the country has led global growth in renewable energy for 15 years. The
country's goal is to generate 35 per cent of electricity from renewable sources
by 2022, and 100 per cent by 2050. Last year Germany generated enough
electricity from solar panels to power one-fifth of Alberta's electricity needs.
About
renewable energy in Edmonton
The City of Edmonton's Task Force on Renewable
Energy has gathered a substantial amount of information about urban renewable
energy opportunities and has heard from speakers including Pegeen Hanrahan, the
former mayor of Gainesville, Florida, who started one of the most ambitious municipally
led renewable energy programs in North America.
Edmonton tested the waters in Alberta with a very
small solar program that generated strong interest and participation from citizens
wanting to get involved. In Medicine Hat, citizens responded very well to the
renewable energy component of the Hat Smart program, installing solar systems
on businesses and homes across the city.
