Yukon energy sector assessment 2003 : final report

A study was conducted to better understand energy issues in the Yukon. The study was based on the Yukon Energy Matrix which looks at the Yukon energy sector from the perspective of the capacity to supply various forms of energy, the markets for energy in the Yukon, and energy users. The sources of non-renewable energy in the Yukon range from natural gas, coal and oil. Renewable energy sources are also diverse and include water, biomass, wind, solar and geothermal. The main sources of electricity production in the Yukon are oil, water and wind. The link between energy and climate change has gained much attention in recent years, resulting in effective measures to conserve energy and increase energy efficiency. Coal, gas and oil are imported into the Yukon from markets in southern Alaska despite the fact that Yukon has its own vast quantities of these fossil-based forms of energy. As a result, the price of fossil-fuels consumed in the Yukon is determined in national and international markets. The absence of non-renewable energy production in the Yukon is also reflected in the lack of pipeline and rail infrastructure in the territory. The Yukon's electricity transmission grid is also very fragmented. For the purpose of this paper, energy use was categorized into the residential, commercial, industrial and transportation sectors. 19 refs., 8 tabs., 12 figs