Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by tharkun__ 1953 days ago
Quebec has a lot of hydro. Quebec is actually the one NA state/province where I personally do not mind the fact that insulation and how to heat your house are really inefficient and sucky if you compare to some parts of Europe for example. That's because the cost has already been paid mostly. As in people relocated, methane released from vegetation suddenly being submerged in water, animals displaced etc.

I don't know the actual numbers behind the impact of flooding forest lands for hydro dams vs. burning coal but I would gather the longer the dam is usable the more favourable this equation becomes for hydro power. Any pointers to studies welcome.

Quebec is exporting its power to the US and there were some projects in the process of approval recently. I don't remember how far down the powerlines were to extend but definitely not all the way to Texas. Possibly even terminating in Vermont already.

Quebec is also prone to power outages in winter storms though I suspect that power transmission to the US would be much less affected by this than local distribution. Much easier to down a regular wooden above ground power line with trees growing all over it somewhere in Quebec proper vs downing a large metal power line going cross country in a basically 'clean shaven' corridor or through farmland.
2 comments
stephencanon 1953 days ago
> there were some projects in the process of approval recently.

I think you’re thinking of Northern Pass, which was rejected by New Hampshire in 2018.

link
belval 1953 days ago
Quebec has had a lot of incentive programs for better building insulation. I don't have any data but I'd be surprised if we weren't on top for energy efficiency.
link
tharkun__ 1953 days ago
Well then you should definitely be. We are not ;)

That said yes there were lots of programs (which I also took advantage of like the reno Vert and what not) and it probably helped put us on the map especially in NA. But not compared to Europe. I have some friends in Germany who have a Passiv Haus for example.

Walking around here I see a loooot of icicles drooping from roofs. So you know they're literally heating the snow off their roof.

link