Glossary, units of measurement and abbreviations
Some terms are defined in the context of Capital Power’s operations and are commonly used and accepted by industry. Other terms are defined in accordance with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) documentation.
Biomass fuel Renewable organic materials, such as wood, used as a source of fuel or energy in an industrial operation, such as a biomass-fuelled power plant. Power plant biomass fuel may come from sources such as residual forest matter and sawmill waste.
Carbon dioxide Abbreviated as CO2. In the atmosphere, a greenhouse gas that affects the Earth’s temperature.
Carbon dioxide equivalent (also CO2E or CO2 equivalent) Used to compare emissions from various greenhouse gases based on their global warming potential (GWP). The CO2 equivalent for a gas is derived by multiplying the tonnes of the gas by the associated GWP. (Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Reporting Guidelines 2006).
Combined-cycle (natural gas) A combined-cycle power plant generates electricity from one or more gas and steam turbines. A turbine uses natural gas as fuel to generate electricity. The excess heat from ombustion of the natural gas is used to generate steam, which is used to power a steam turbine.
Combined heat and power (or cogeneration) Combined heat and power or cogeneration is the simultaneous production of electricity (power) and heat (thermal energy) from a single fuel source, such as natural gas, biomass, biogas, coal, waste heat, or oil.
Emission intensity The ratio of mass emissions per unit of net output or production, such as tonnes per megawatt hour (MWh).
Gigajoule (GJ) Equals one billion Joules. A Joule is the work required to produce one watt of power for one second.
Gross production The total amount of electricity generated by a power plant, including the amount consumed by station services.
Kilogram (kg) A unit of measurement that equals a thouand grams.
Lost time injury An injury/illness resulting in lost days beyond the date of injury as a direct result of an occupational injury/illness incident. (Source: Canadian Electrical Association).
Lost time injury severity The number of calendar days that the employee is unable to work beyond the day of injury/illness. Lost time ends when the employee is deemed fit to work full time by a physician or health-care professional or goes on restricted work, or after 180 calendar days.
Megagram (Mg) A unit of measurement that equals one thousandth of a gram.
Megalitres (ML) One million litres, or 1,000 cubic metres.
Megawatt (MW) A unit of power equal to 1 million watts used to represent the productive capacity of a power plant.
Megawatt hour (MWh) One megawatt hour represents one hour of electricity production (or consumption) at a constant rate of 1 MW.
Net production Electricity output (megawatt hours) to the transmission grid from the power plant. (Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Reporting Guidelines 2006).
Recordable injury Any occupational injury/illness that results in a fatality, lost time injury, medical treatment injury or other injury/illness that involves restricted work or significant occupational injury/illness or loss of consciousness. (Source: Canadian Electrical Association).
Renewable energy Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. This includes electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, biofuels, and hydrogen derived from renewable resources. (Indicators Protocol Set: Environment; Global Reporting Initiative, 2009).
Restricted work When an employee, due to a workrelated injury/illness, is medically determined to be unable to perform one or more routine functions or unable to work the normal time period of their pre-injury/illness workday, he or she is working in a “restricted capacity.” (Source: Canadian Electrical Association).
Simple cycle (natural gas) A simple cycle power plant uses electricity-generating turbines fuelled by natural gas. Simple cycle turbines quickly achieve full generation capacity to meet peak demands for electricity.
Stakeholder Stakeholders are defined broadly as those groups or individuals: (a) that can reasonably be expected to be significantly affected by the organization’s activities, products, and/or services; or (b) whose actions can reasonably be expected to affect the ability of the organization to successfully implement its strategies and achieve its objectives. (Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Reporting Guidelines 2006).
Station services All of the equipment and operations at a power plant that consume electricity. Gross production (MWh) – station services energy use (MWh) = net production (MWh).
Subcritical coal Pulverized coal that is burned in conventional or vintage plants. The coal is pulverized into fine powder before it burns in suspension inside a furnace under pressure.
Supercritical coal Pulverized coal that is burned in a supercritical boiler. Higher temperatures and steam pressure together with a high-efficiency steam turbine create a more efficient process for converting thermal energy into electricity. The process uses less coal per MWh of electrical energy than the conventional subcritical process, thereby reducing emissions. The coal burns in suspension inside a furnace at high pressure.
Total recordable injury frequency The number of recordable injuries experienced by an employer in a specified time period. The frequency is calculated by multiplying the number of recordable injuries by 200,000 hours (200,000 hours is a widely accepted industry standard base and equals 100 employees working 40 hours per week for 50 weeks per year) and then dividing that number by the hours worked (exposure hours).
Waste heat recovery Some facilities take waste heat from their own process or from another facility. This waste heat would otherwise be emitted to the atmosphere. The facilities use the waste heat to produce electricity or steam