The term 'renewable energy' refers to energy sources which can provide electricity, motive or thermal energy without depleting resources. Renewable energy sources generally include wind, solar, hydro, biomass and geothermal, as well as energy from waste.

The term GreenHeat refers to four renewable energy technologies that can be applied to space heating and cooling in residential and commercial buildings. GreenHeat technologies include:

earth energy systems (ground-coupled or geothermal heat pumps)

solar thermal water heating

solar thermal air heating

advanced biomass combustion.

Canada must reduce its GHG emissions and greater reliance on GreenHeat technologies in residential and commercial applications could reduce our national emissions by up to one-quarter of this amount.

The GreenHeat Partnership involves suppliers from these four renewable energy technologies, with a goal to increase understanding of the significant role that renewable energies can provide in space heating, space cooling and water heating and, thereby, facilitate the transition to greater use of renewable energies in Canada.

Residential Energy Use

 

Commercial Energy Use