The impact of the Kyoto Protocol on the Quebec electricity market : business opportunities, protection of reference levels, and trading of emission credits

Helimax Energy is a consulting company located in Montreal, Quebec specializing in wind energy on the national and international scene. In Canada, Helimax has worked (or is currently working) in seven provinces. To date, 96 contracts in renewable energy sources have been fulfilled throughout the world, of which 66 projects deal with wind energy. Several factors explain the growth of wind energy. These include a constant reduction of cost, Kyoto Protocol (environmental conscience), energy policies, social acceptance, technological maturity, reliability, and availability of funds to name a few. Europe is the world leader in the wind energy market. Canada represents a market ripe for expansion. The Kyoto Protocol was discussed and the relative value of carbon credits was examined with the help of a graph. The value of carbon credits remains marginal in the context of clean development mechanisms, unless a very polluting technology (in terms of carbon emissions) is replaced and the credit carbon cost is relatively high. tabs., figs