This is a special feature that I am hoping to run every term with my University of Alberta Economics (ECON 366: Energy Economics) students. I’ve modeled their last assignment off Jason Kirby’s Economists’ Charts Week special issues in Maclean’s and the Globe and Mail. Students have submitted a chart that is particularly important to them and, where they felt comfortable doing so, have provided LinkedIn information and a little bit about themselves too. Importantly, this was an optional assignment and some students chose not to do it preferring to focus on other courses at this busy time of year.

If you’re looking to hire an economics student, make sure to reach out to some of the student on here, to me, or to the University of Alberta Faculty of Arts careers office! If you like their charts, connect with the authors on LinkedIn and tell them so!

Residential Natural Gas Consumption vs. Average Temperature for Alberta

Adam Kaldenhoven

This graph offers an insight into the interplay between natural gas consumption and the monthly average temperature for residential homes in Alberta. I chose to do this graph because I wanted to explore how weather trends impact energy usage. The dataset draws from the monthly distribution of natural gas to residential homes, sourced from Stats Canada, coupled with the average monthly temperature data retrieved from Blatchford by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The graph depicts fluctuations in gas consumption corresponding to seasonal temperature variations, with a higher consumption during colder months, and a reduced consumption during warmer months. This relationship is crucial for energy providers and policymakers to anticipate and manage energy demands for households across Alberta. With the strong influence of El nino, which is expected to usher in a milder winter than the typical seasonal trends, I anticipate a decline in natural gas consumption for the 2023/24 winter season compared to previous winters.

Data sources: Canadian monthly natural gas distribution, Environmental and Climate Change Canada

My name is Adam Kaldenhoven (email). I am 21 years old, and a third-year Economics major at the University of Alberta. My main interests are Environmental and Resource Economics, and plan to pursue a masters degree concerning these fields once I complete my undergrad . Beyond the classroom, I am an avid outdoors person and I enjoy camping, rock climbing, and snowboarding. I also enjoy watching hockey and cheering on the Edmonton Oilers, which can be quite hard sometimes. I hope you enjoyed my graph, and if you would like to reach out to me, you can reach me through the links above.

Current and Projected Natural Gas Production

Brendan Murray

As Canada is one of the worlds largest natural gas producers understanding the current and projected natural gas production is of high significance. This graph gives an incite into the production of natural gas for each province which is an important consideration for policy makers when deciding on where to invest in infrastructure. As Canada is trying to transition to cleaner energy goals this graph also shows us the trends in accessing how close the nation is to meeting these goals. The graph shows that natural gas is on an incline for the next few decades specifically in BC. However most of the smaller producing provinces decrease there production to near zero.

Entering my third year in Computer Science at the University of Alberta, I’ve integrated into Edmonton’s culture, now proudly considering myself an Edmontonian. Originating from BC, these three years have transformed the city into my home. As a member of the Canadian Forces serving with a reserve unit, my dual role as a student and military member has heightened my awareness of national issues, particularly climate change. This connection fuels my commitment to contribute meaningfully to our country’s evolving landscape, aligning my academic pursuits with the goal for sustainability as we transition to a more renewable world.

Alberta’s GHG Emissions by Sector

Changhyun Lee

This chart presents its significance in its ability to provide a visual roadmap that illustrates the relationship between Alberta’s oil and gas production landscape and its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with data retrieved from Canada’ Energy’s National GHG Emissions inventory.This graphic representation illustrates how various extraction techniques affect the environment while taking into account the province’s most important economic sectors.This data taken from 1990 to 2021 serves as a valuable historical lens through which we can observe trends and patterns to determine the main factors influencing the increase or decrease in emissions by analyzing historical trends. For example, this association can help forecast future emissions based on expected shifts in oil sands activities if emissions peaked during times of greater extraction.

As a fourth-year student majoring in economics and minoring in computing science, I was able to gain experience in analyzing data sets using computer programs and visualizing them into graphs. I am definitely interested in getting a job in this field of work as I am able to utilize both my major and minor in data analysis. I am open to any opportunities so feel free to contact me through Linkedin if you have any.

Canadian Electricity Generation by Source and Year

Dexter Dai

I chose this chart because

  1. it clearly shows how much electricity is generated from different energy sources over time. Through a live look into how Canada is generating renewable and non-renewable energy at any moment, both those watching and people in positions of authority come to possess important understanding about the nation’s movement forward on its management of significant long-term concerns for sustainability and influence on Earth’s climate.
  2. The chart also serves as a tool for policymakers and businesses to make decisions about energy use and to assess progress toward renewable energy goals. The chart’s impact lies in its ability to highlight trends in energy production. For instance, should the proportion of green bars grow over the passage of time, symbolizing a rising portion of energy coming from clean sources like wind and sunlight, one might conclude the movement towards more eco-friendly power is progressing in a desirable way.
  3. In future versions of this chart, it is expected to focus on the changing energy mix: the shift towards more sustainable energy sources compared to fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas.

I’m in my last semester here at the UofA, completing my undergrad degree in Computing Science. I currently live in Edmonton. I like play basketball, football, rugby, boxing, and high jump. After this semester, I am going to go to Paris Olympics and watch track and field events in 2024. I like sports, coding, programming (especially optimization/speed up).

A Worrying Natural Gas Scenario

Lane Missel

Alberta has over 600 TJ of natural gas storage capacity, which accounts for over half of Canada’s total capacity. Natural gas storage is a critical element of energy markets, ensuring that demand can be met during the cold winter months when production levels are insufficient. However, a concerning trend is emerging. Inventory recently reached the lowest levels seen since Statistics Canada began the Monthly Natural Gas Storage Survey. After steady decreases since 2016, 2020 saw inventory back to maximum capacity. Just two years later, storage reached the lowest level recorded. Although Alberta is on pace to reach capacity before the new year, this trend is concerning. Larger withdrawals are being made from storage, resulting in a decrease to effective capacity (days of natural gas in storage during peak demand). In the short term, if injections can continue to fill capacity there isn’t an immediate problem, but if demand continues to grow the current capacity may no longer be sufficient. Pay close attention in the future, Alberta may be left in the cold.

I am Lane Missel, a fourth-year student at the University of Alberta. I will be graduating in the spring with a Bachelor of Science with Specialization in Computing Science degree. While I enjoy software development, I have taken a keen interest in everything data. Whether that’s analysis, visualization or modeling and simulation, I enjoy applying the concepts I’ve learned during my degree to a variety of fields, especially energy economics!

Electricity Use by sector, Global Net-zero Scenario

Christopher Haber

There’s an old rule of thumb amongst historians and data scientists that humanity’s energy use accelerates exponentially with the growth of civilization. It’s therefore useful and informative to see how much energy is being used by each sector. Using data from Canada’s Energy Future 2023: Energy Supply and Demand Projections to 2050 on the Canadian Energy Regulator’s website, I have created an area chart of global electricity use by sector, under the Global Net-zero scenario. One of the most interesting things about this graph, and what should be paid most attention to in future iterations of this data, is the electricity used by the hydrogen sector. Soon, we will see a significant increase in the electricity demanded by the hydrogen sector. Currently, hydrogen is being used predominantly for industrial applications, but we will soon see its use in transportation and possibly residential and commercial sectors.

I am Christopher Haber (), a fourth-year Operations Management student at the Alberta School of Business. I have an interest in procurement and other supply chain management areas. The energy industry is a particular interest of mine because as we advance as a species, our energy use will increase exponentially, forcing us to find solutions that increase energy output and decrease energy emissions. In my spare time, I enjoy snowboarding, playing the saxophone, and having campfires with my friends. I hope you found my graph informative.

Crude in Crisis

Devon Dobchuk

All commodities are exceptionally vulnerable to the even slightest of changes in the global geopolitical make-up. Whether that event be as widespread as a war in an oil producing region, or as seemingly isolated as a trade dispute, in no market are these wild price fluctuations more apparent than in the crude oil market. Using year over year change in wellhead price data from the United States Energy Information Administration, we can track these fluctuations through some of the most consequential international crises of the last 48 years. I believe this chart is important because it highlights the global implications of these crises, and how it illustrates the importance of geopolitical stability. Stability and risk in regards to crude markets are important factors to keep in mind, particularly here in Alberta as our own future economic prosperity looks increasingly uncertain in light of climate change and the transition away from oil and gas.

Hi my name is Devon Dobchuk and I’m a 4th year student studying environmental economics and policy management here at the UofA. Aside from environmental economics, my main academic interests are geopolitics and military history, particularly in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. I also have a Substack where I write occasionally on open-source intelligence and military-technical related topics, which with time permitting, I hope to pick up again. Reflecting these interests, I hope to pursue a masters in economics or international security after graduation, with the eventual aim of working in academia or in government. Besides that, I’m into reading, weightlifting, the outdoors and fishing. Hope you find my chart interesting!

Bioenergy - Demand Forecast and Technology Advancements

Oscar Jaimes

These visuals are aimed at providing a rough outlook of biofuel end-use-demand and projected bioenergy production from technology advancements under the three CER future scenarios. As someone who works adjacent to the bioenergy sector, I’m following Alberta’s progress as it diversifies its energy portfolio to include more renewable sources. We all know that Alberta has a large livestock industry, and with that comes contributions to GHG emissions - in 2017, GHGs from livestock manure were responsible for 12% of all agricultural emissions. Given the rise of Renewable Gas (RNG) projects in Canada that use biomass from agriculture to produce biogas from anaerobic digestion, there is potential for upside investment opportunities in bioenergy production that promotes environmental sustainability. Biofuel demand in Alberta is projected to double by 2050 under the Canada Net-zero scenario from 2023 levels - this growth is exciting, and worth following in the near future.

Sources:

Alberta

British Columbia

Ontario

Quebec

Canada

My name is Oscar, and I currently in my final semester at the University of Alberta, majoring in Computing Science. My academic career has involved unique work placements in software/data engineering roles. In 2022, I completed an 8-month term at BlackBerry in Ottawa working as a full stack developer. My most significant experience, however, has been with Livestock Water Recycling (LWR), an agTech company based in Calgary. Since my second year (2019), I have progressed to a full-time software engineer, leading the development of data pipelines and software solutions for manure and wastewater treatment systems. LWR’s expertise in manure treatment technology notably contributes to the Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) sector, supplying valuable feedstock for anaerobic digesters and facilitating a more sustainable RNG lifecycle. Feel free to checkout my GitHub or LinkedIn for a closer look into my projects and experience.

Impacts of a positive electricity trade balance

Prashanth Rajendra

The balance of trade significantly impacts Real GDP, serving as an indicator of economic growth, which manifests in net positive exports. Canada’s favourable trade balance suggests a potential for economic expansion and a step in the right direction. In the context of Canada and the United States, the distinction in electricity production methods is notable. Canada’s emphasis on cleaner, renewable energy, particularly hydroelectric power, contrasts with the U.S.’s reliance on non-renewable, dirtier sources like fossil fuels. This dynamic results in net exports to the U.S., providing access to low-cost hydropower and contributing to global emission reduction efforts.

Analyzing the electricity trade balance within Canada reveals regional disparities. Provinces using dirtier sources, like Alberta, exhibit net imports, signalling a transition towards cleaner energy. Conversely, provinces relying on cleaner methods, like Québec, demonstrate net exports. Hence, it’s essential to closely examine this chart to better understand the situation.

Data source: Annual Electricity Exports & Imports to and from the U.S.

I am Prashanth Rajendra, a dedicated and results-oriented student with a strong background in economics and mathematics, coupled with a genuine enthusiasm for community engagement. Additionally, I hold a certificate in Economics and Management of Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment (EMNREE). I am actively seeking opportunities to apply my analytical mindset, problem-solving skills, and leadership experience to contribute to a dynamic organization.

GHG Emissions by Facility

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