Hybrid energy fuels conference

Winnipeg becomes hub of alt-energy

Morgan Modjeski, Staff

In the beginning of this month, some of the largest representatives for renewable fuel met in Winnipeg for the first-ever Plug-in Hybrid Energy Vehicle (PHEV) Conference.

The conference was designated as a place to discuss the possibilities and challenges of an expanding market for hybrid vehicles, specifically focusing on the plug-in vehicle. The conference also focused on developing a Canadian network of researchers specifically concentrating on PHEV issues and a discussion of Canada’s possible role in supporting potential developments with PHEV.

At the conference, representatives from many energy companies, such as Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, could be seen strolling around.

Joy Smith, a local MP for Kildonan-St. Paul, was there to discuss Canada’s direction in the category of renewable resources. According to Smith, Canada is the sixth-largest energy producer in the world.

Canada is one of the leading providers of energy. Despite this, they need to become one of the most environmentally friendly producers of energy, said Smith.

“It’s not enough for Canada to be a energy super power, we need to be a clean energy producer,” said Smith

She added that the Canadian government has allocated $1.5-billion to research renewable fuel sources, $1.5 million of which will go specifically to fund ethanol fuel research.

“We have the obligation to leave the earth in better condition than we have it now,” she said.

Another speaker at the conference was Mark Duvall, a representative from the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI). He spoke about the changes that will occur when the change from fossil fuels to electrical and renewable fuels occurs.

Duvall explained that “We need to find out what these [electric] cars will do to the environment” before signing on completely to the electric car.

The province of Manitoba currently offers a tax rebate for hybrid vehicles purchased, which was introduced in November 2006. According to the province’s website, since the implementation of the hybrid rebate, sales of hybrid cars in the province have increased by more than 50 per cent.