Environmental Leadership

From hybrid maintenance vehicles to geothermal and solar-powered neighbourhoods, ATCO is engaged in dozens of innovative programs to protect, enhance and sustain the communities where we live and work.

ATCO's Commitment to Excellence

Across the ATCO Group of Companies, innovation and a commitment to excellence is driving significant efforts to reduce environmental impacts. The following are just a few renewable and alternative energy solutions being developed by ATCO:


	An Alberta first: ATCO Electric's hybrid maintenance utility vehicle operates on electricity and diesel.

ATCO Electric introduced the Alberta utility industry’s first hybrid maintenance vehicle to its fleet – a bucket truck that operates on electricity and diesel to significantly reduce the environmental impact of power line work.

Hybrid bucket trucks have the potential to reduce fuel consumption by up to 60 per cent, with the improved fuel economy cutting carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and particulate matter by up to 70 per cent. Idling and noise are also reduced by as much as 80 per cent as battery power is used instead of diesel during operation of equipment.


	ATCO Gas's Operational Centre in Viking, Alberta uses geothermal technology to provide heat to the building.

ATCO Gas showcased its environmental leadership this year with the official opening of the Viking Operations Centre, the company’s first geothermal facility that draws on heat energy from within the earth’s crust.

The new 5,576 square-foot ATCO facility includes heat-exchanger pipes installed into 14 bore holes drilled 200 feet into the earth. The facility contains energy efficient lighting, insulation and a high-efficiency water heater. The building has been designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 15 tonnes annually. The Viking Operation Centre marks another great milestone and raises the bar for sustainable building standards at ATCO.


	ATCO Power, in partnership with the Piikani Nation, has built an emmissions-free hydroelectric generating plant at the Oldman River Dam near Pincher Creek.

ATCO Power’s Oldman River hydro generating station in southwest Alberta produces 32 megawatts of clean, environmentally friendly energy. In 2007, the Piikani Nation of Brockett, Alberta, purchased a 25 per cent ownership interest in the hydro facility.

In Australia, ATCO Power’s Osborne Cogeneration Station has implemented technology upgrades that allow the facility to produce the same amount of electricity annually with a reduction in the amount of natural gas used and a reduction of 6,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. This is equivalent to removing 10,890 vehicles off the road each year.


	Students use donated refurbished electronic equipment from ATCO I-Tek to expand learning opportunities.

ATCO I-Tek donated more than 1,600 pieces of computer
equipment in 2008 to the Alberta Computers for Schools
program. The initiative provides refurbished computers to Canadian schools, public libraries and non-profit learning organizations.

A supporter of this program since 2000, to date ATCO I-Tek has donated more than 9,250 pieces of equipment including desktop computers, laptops, monitors and printers.

Through its commitment to this program, the company is investing in future generations while reducing the impact of electronic waste on the environment.

ATCO Pipelines achieved Gold Level status for its voluntary action plan on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in 2007.

ATCO Pipelines was awarded the Gold Champion Level ranking by the Canadian GHG Challenge Registry, the federal climate change office, for its efforts in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This ranking represents Canada's higest level of achievement for the voluntary reporting of greenhouse gas emissions.

ATCO Pipelines has made solid progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by increasing the efficiency of compressors used to move natural gas around its system and also by introducing “zero bleed” pressure control devices which do not release any natural gas during normal operation.