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The objective of this article was to better understand the relationship between students' age and socioeconomic level, and its influence on students' digital uses. We conducted a quantitative study of 401 elementary and high school students in Quebec. Four independent variables were initially selected: two related to age (actual age and education level) and two others related to the socioeconomic environment (school poverty index and parents' employment status). The dependent variable that represented students' digital uses was the number of different technologies they used weekly. We conducted correlation tests followed by a linear regression analysis. Socioeconomic level appears to have a stronger influence on students' digital uses compared to age, and explanations for this are proposed.

Increasing the deployment of variable renewable energy (VRE) resources is a prominent option for the decarbonization of Canada's electricity system. One of the most important challenges with rising VRE penetration is providing sufficient network flexibility. This study analyzes the potential impact of demand-side flexibility, via two distinct demand response formulations, to network flexibility under VRE-dominated scenarios in Alberta, Canada. A coupled framework consisting of an electricity system operation model (SILVER) and a capacity expansion model (COPPER), both developed for the Canadian context, is used here for this purpose. In this framework, capacity expansion scenarios are identified using COPPER, based on Canada's decarbonization targets for 2050, followed by modeling using SILVER to investigate the effect of demand response programs on operational costs and VRE curtailment. Results indicate that demand response programs can decrease VRE curtailment by approximately 44–64% by 2050 in Alberta, alongside reductions in direct operational costs of $4–8 million per month. Notably, these results are considered robust due to the high spatial and temporal resolutions made possible by the coupled modeling framework. • The impacts of demand-side flexibility on a VRE-dominated network are assessed using a novel coupled modeling framework. • Modeled network flexibility and associated impacts are sensitive to the parameterization of demand response programs. • The effectiveness of demand response programs is limited by transmission network capacity. • Demand response program implementation likely worsens network congestion, raising important economic trade-offs. • The direct real-world benefits of demand-side flexibility may be less than commonly indicated in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canada's power system is directly responsible for around 8.4% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. Integrating new variable renewable energy resources is posited as one of the core pathways to decarbonizing the system. However, the inherent variability of many renewable energy resources necessitates greater spatial and temporal flexibility. Transmission expansion can deliver spatial flexibility while bulk storage can deliver temporal flexibility. Assessing flexibility adequacy requires an operational perspective employing fine temporal and spatial resolutions. In this study, a novel bidirectionally linked framework is developed to leverage insights from both operational and planning models. Wind curtailment is selected as a metric to analyze operational flexibility, which informs iterative revisions in the planning model. The results from four cases show that: (1) Transmission and storage capacities beyond the planning model's initial output are required to maintain sufficient operational flexibility in a zero-emission power system in 2050; (2) Wind capacity overestimation in initial results must be corrected; and (3) Increased total system costs can be partially offset by improvements in wind curtailment, congestion, and load shedding. It is concluded that the iterative expansion-dispatch framework proposed in this analysis yields important insights beyond stand-alone analyses, particularly in the context of a net-zero power system. • An iterative linkage is developed for power system planning and operational model. • Spatial and temporal flexibility issues are assessed using curtailment as a metric. • Curtailment rates are dropped from 7.5% to 3.5% by implementing this framework. • Wind and storage capacities are corrected leveraging the operational insights. • Costs' additions and abatements are analyzed after flexibility improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meeting commitments to the Paris Agreement will necessitate a transition in Canada's power system including increased generation from renewable sources. This study analyzes the Canadian electricity system in terms of its readiness to operationalize decarbonization strategies. More specially, this paper evaluates potential of Canada's electricity system in terms of the flexibility required to integrate variable renewable energies (VREs). To do so, the SILVER production cost model (PCM) is refined to improve its representation in terms of hydro resources, demand response programs and price-setting mechanism. Next, a network-constrained unit commitment (NCUC) of SILVER is built for each of Canada's ten provinces for a one-year period based on 2018 data. The results are used to assess the system flexibility and transmission network sufficiency as well as operational aspects including costs and emissions. The results indicate the SILVER's improved hydro modelling enhances the result of operation model by 4% on average. Also, the results demonstrate high flexibility of Canada's hydro-dominated network side along with free capacity in the transmission network can realize 54% VREs penetration rate on average for VREs curtailment less than 10%. In addition, implementation of demand side programs improves the VREs penetration rate by 2%–6% on average. • A Canadian electricity network operation model, SILVER, is improved. • The first suite of operation model of Canada's provinces is built. • Flexibility of Canada's electricity system is assessed. • Potential of Canada's electricity system for VREs integration is analyzed. • Impact of demand response programs on VREs integration is evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]