EJQ1 - Summer 2024 - Journal - Page 9
Clean Energy Canada has given the country a spotty scorecard and reveals
a radical di昀昀erence in terms of regional support. The report deems Quebec, British Columbia and P.E.I. as the best performers. It points to Alberta, however, as failing to live up to its potential; despite being the wind
and solar capital of Canada, Alberta has imposed restrictions on renewable power development, a recent move that is a deterrent to investment.
Overall Canada received a C grade.
“Building a clean, a昀昀ordable, and reliable electricity system is at the
foundation of Canada’s e昀昀orts to tackle climate change and presents
a generational opportunity to drive clean economic growth across
the country for decades to come,” says Steven Guilbeault, Minister of
Environmental and Climate Change.
On June 10, the Canada Electricity Advisory Council released its
much-anticipated recommendations. The Council’s recommendations to
the federal government follow four critical themes – align on goals, enable the build, support the transition, and save on energy to lighten the
load -- all of which are aimed at improving the electricity transition’s
speed, reliability, a昀昀ordability, and Indigenous inclusion.
“Just as the United States and other G7 partners are doing, we need to
make supporting the low-carbon economy a priority. Setting new rules
for cleaner power plants is already stimulating investments in lowercost renewable energy and positioning Canada to be a global clean energy
superpower. The advice from Canada’s Electricity Advisory Council will
help to ensure we get the details right in this important work, including
by providing provinces and territories the 昀氀exibility they need to continue
to deliver a昀昀ordable, reliable power.”
The recommendations outline Canada’s challenge as twofold: complete
the process of decarbonizing our electricity, and grow our clean power
supplies to meet the fast-growing demands of Canadian households,
business and industry. To achieve its goals, Canada needs to rapidly
expand its buildout of clean electricity infrastructure, basically doubling
it in a generation.
But there are critics and not everyone is on board. “The Canada
Electricity Advisory Council’s latest report echoes Alberta’s longstanding warning: Ottawa’s one-size-昀椀tsall electricity regulations are a dangerous,
costly and unrealistic path to failure,” said
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Minister
LEARN MORE ABOUT
CLEAN ENERGY CANADA’S
PROVINCIAL ENERGY SCORECARD
E N V I RON M E N T J OURN A L QUA RT E RLY RE PORT • Q1 2 02 4 • P AGE 9
