Environment and Climate Change Canada is predicting a hotter-than-normal forecast for this summer.
For many Albertans, this means finding a way to stay cool this summer. According to Statistics Canada, 64 per cent of Canadians have some form of air conditioning unit in their homes.
As more people rely on air conditioning, the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) says the power grid is ready.
"With respect to the summer forecast, given the recent addition of approximately 1,700 megawatts of new gas generation, there are no reliability concerns," Richard Goldberger, a senior communications advisor with AESO, said in an email. "The supply cushion is significantly larger than in previous years."
While running air conditioning is one way to fight off the heat, experts say this can run up your utility bills.
"One of the key components in people's utility bills is how much energy they use," said Chris Hunt, head of the Utilities Consumer Advocate (UCA). "It's really important when taking advantage of air conditioners, or, frankly, any appliances that they're just very conscious about usage and how that's going to draw upon the power grid."
He said, if for example, you leave your air conditioning on all night, you will use more energy, and your bill will be higher. Hunt explained that closing your curtains during the day and taking advantage of breezes so you don't have to rely on air conditioning as much can help reduce your power bill.
Heather MacKenzie, the executive director of Solar Alberta, said solar energy can help power your air conditioning units and reduce your demand on the power grid. She explained you need a system large enough to offset the power usage of any deceiving including air conditioning.
"You won't be paying for electricity that you're generating yourself, you'll still have some fixed distribution and transmission costs, but you can have significantly lower utility bills with solar, whether that's with or without A/C," she said.
She added that as long as people have a solar system and the sun is shining, they have solar power. MacKenzie said Alberta is well-positioned to take advantage of solar energy, with over 33,000 homes and businesses already using solar and about 1,000 more joining each month.
"With the technologies we have today, such as solar, wind and energy and storage technologies, we could easily get 90 per cent of the way to a net zero electricity grid in very short order," she said. "Rooftop solar in Canada has the potential to actually offset all of our residential electricity use. It's just a matter of willpower and affordability"
