Comparing the Environmental Impacts of Diesel Generated Electricity with Hybrid Diesel-Wind Electricity for off grid First Nation Communities in Ontario : Incorporating a Life Cycle Approach

The cost of diesel is rapidly increasing and the environmental impacts associated with diesel fuel combustion are substantial. Hybrid diesel-wind energy was found to be a feasible energy alternative for off-grid electricity production in seven First Nation communities of Ontario. Based on calculating the wind energy potential for a proposed 250 KW wind turbine and determining the amount of diesel that the wind turbine could replace hybrid diesel-wind has the potential to reduce diesel consumption and environmental impacts associated with the current diesel energy systems by 12-46% depending on the wind energy potential. Results of a life cycle analysis comparing the environmental impacts of the proposed hybrid diesel-wind system to the diesel system through the use of GaBi software show that global warming potential is the largest impact for both energy systems, but hybrid diesel-wind can significantly reduce the overall environmental impact caused by off grid diesel electricity generation.