CanREA is delighted to announce the return to in-person industry events this spring.
CanREA events offer unmatched opportunities for Canada’s top renewable energy companies to get noticed. Mark your calendar to claim your spot among industry leaders!
Headlined by our annual Operation Summit at the end of May, CanREA’s spring events calendar also features an informative webinar on energy storage and golden opportunities for face-to-face networking in many regions of Canada.
More events will be added shortly, so stay tuned to CanREA’s newsletters for more information.
Registration is now open for the following CanREA events:
CanREA Operations Summit 2022
May 31 and June 1, 2022 Delta Hotels Toronto Airport & Conference Centre Toronto, Ontario
CanREA’s Operations Summit is the only event in Canada dedicated to the operation of wind, solar and energy-storage sites.
The 2022 edition features an exciting educational program, a fresh emphasis on networking opportunities, and a one-stop shop exhibit hall for supply-chain professionals, construction companies, service organizations and facility owners looking for cutting-edge O&M technologies.
On April 12, Leonard Olien (CanREA’s Director for Energy Storage) will present CanREA’s perspective on what is required to advance energy storage in Canada. He will provide key information on the diversity and flexibility of energy-storage technologies and introduce CanREA’s six priorities for facilitating the deployment of energy storage in electricity markets across Canada.
Fore! This spring, join movers and shakers of the Canadian renewable-energy industry for exclusive CanREA golf tournaments in two regions. This is a unique opportunity to connect with other CanREA member companies while entertaining your important clients on the fairway—and in the club afterwards.
In Ontario, we tee off on May 11 at Forest City National Golf Club in London.
Looking to enhance your company’s profile and brand? Increase your organization’s visibility among Canadian renewable and energy-storage communities with CanREA’s event-sponsorship opportunities! Check out the event sponsorship page to learn more. Have any questions? Contact CanREA’s Membership and Business Development Manager, Julie Mair.
Health and safety
CanREA places the highest importance on health and safety. CanREA events follow, at a minimum, the relevant COVID-19 public health guidelines determined by the jurisdiction where the event is being held. CanREA is committed to taking the precautions necessary to ensure our in-person events provide a safe environment for all, including attendees, participants, vendors and employees. Detailed information about the COVID-19 measures in place for each event will be available on the event-registration webpage.
New CanREA whitepaper identifies six priorities for supporting the decarbonization of Canada’s electricity grid with energy storage.
Ottawa, February 3, 2022—The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) today released an agenda-setting paper on energy storage in Canada, authored by CanREA’s Director of Energy Storage, Leonard Olien.
“It is well understood that dynamic and versatile energy-storage technologies will be a cornerstone of Canada’s energy transition,” said Robert Hornung, CanREA’s President and CEO. “There is tremendous opportunity for the Canadian electricity sector to leverage the potential of energy storage.”
With this new paper, CanREA aims to clarify what this potential is, and how it can be leveraged to benefit all jurisdictions. It identifies six priority areas for action: education, regulation, markets, grid optimization, communities and sustainability. For each of these priorities, Laying the Foundation presents the challenge to be overcome, identifies key solutions, and outlines the specific actions recommended by CanREA.
Laying the Foundation follows up on fundamental points made in CanREA’s Vision document, Powering Canada’s Journey to Net-Zero, which demonstrates that Canada needs to deploy more than 5,000 MW of new wind and solar energy annually for the next 30 years to meet its commitment to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Overall, “energy storage can provide key flexibility services, and support electricity system reliability, as Canada develops its abundant, untapped wind and solar energy resources,” said Olien.
The full paper is available to download in English or French from CanREA’s website.
Quotes
“It is well understood that dynamic and versatile energy-storage technologies will be a cornerstone of Canada’s energy transition. There is tremendous opportunity for the Canadian electricity sector to leverage the potential of energy storage.”
—Robert Hornung, President and CEO, Canadian Renewable Energy Association
“Energy storage can provide key flexibility services, and support electricity system reliability, as Canada develops its abundant, untapped wind and solar energy resources.”
—Leonard Olien, CanREA’s Director of Energy Storage
For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact:
The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. We work to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our vision is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix. Learn more at renewablesassociation.ca.Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Subscribe to our newsletter here. Become a member here.
The Government of Nova Scotia today announced a welcome commitment to support the long-term sustainability of the solar industry in this province.
Ottawa, February 2, 2022 — The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) applauds the Government of Nova Scotia for their commitment to protecting the province’s solar industry.
As announced today, the Government will bring forward a legislative and regulatory framework necessary to protect ratepayers and the solar industry in Nova Scotia from a financial penalty on solar net metering, as proposed in January by Nova Scotia Power in the utility’s 2022 General Rate Application. Read CanREA’s statement on this proposal here.
“The Government of Nova Scotia has shown real leadership in standing up for the rights of solar net-metering customers, recognizing the important contribution of solar to achieving the province’s climate change goals,” said Nicholas Gall, CanREA’s Director of Distributed Energy Resources. “We and our partners at Solar Nova Scotia look forward to engaging with our members and policy-makers on a long-term solution to protect net-metering.”
The solar industry supports hundreds of jobs throughout Nova Scotia, primarily in rural communities, and last year contributed approximately $30 million in private-sector investment to the province’s economy while helping to reduce the province’s GHG emissions by nearly 250,000 tonnes.
The proposed “system access charge,” of $8 per kilowatt per month, would have cost the average residential customer with rooftop solar panels nearly $1,000 per year, and would have doubled the pay-back period for rooftop solar panels, from its current ten-to-12 years to more than 20 years.
“Nova Scotia’s solar industry is a great success story. It will play an important role in helping to achieve the provincial target of 80% renewable electricity by 2030,” said Jean Habel, Director for Quebec and Atlantic Canada. “By committing to legislative or regulatory change, the Government of Nova Scotia is taking an important step to support the long-term sustainability of the solar industry, one that will enable Nova Scotians to confidently invest in low-cost, non-emitting solar generation.”
Quotes
“The Government of Nova Scotia has shown real leadership in standing up for the rights of solar net-metering customers, recognizing the important contribution of solar to achieving the province’s climate change goals. We and our partners at Solar Nova Scotia look forward to engaging with our members and policy makers on a long-term solution to protect net metering.”
—Nicholas Gall, CanREA’s Director of Distributed Energy Resources.
“Nova Scotia’s solar industry is a great success story. It will play an important role in helping to achieve the provincial target of 80% renewable electricity by 2030. By committing to legislative or regulatory change, the Government of Nova Scotia is taking an important step to support the long-term sustainability of the solar industry, one that will enable Nova Scotians to confidently invest in low-cost, non-emitting solar generation.”
—Jean Habel, CanREA’s Director for Quebec and Atlantic Canada
About the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA)
The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. We work to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our aim is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Subscribe to our newsletter. Become a member. Learn more at renewablesassociation.ca.
For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact:
CanREA calls on the Nova Scotia Government to restore consumer confidence by challenging recent actions taken by NSPI.
Ottawa, January 28, 2022—The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) is calling on the Nova Scotia Government to restore consumer confidence by challenging recent actions taken by Nova Scotia Power Inc (NSPI).
A new rate application, submitted by NSPI to the province’s Utility & Review Board yesterday, proposes to introduce a “system access charge” for net-metering customers.
“We are calling on the Government of Nova Scotia to intervene to ensure that Nova Scotians can continue to pursue rooftop solar installations and make significant climate-friendly investments in the province,” said Brandy Giannetta, CanREA’s Vice-President of Policy, Regulatory and Government Affairs.
NSPI’s proposed system access charge, of $8 per kilowatt of solar PV capacity per month, or nearly $800 per year for the average solar home in Nova Scotia, would erase approximately 60% of the economic value of solar net-metering.
“This proposed charge would have a direct impact on small businesses and homeowners seeking to contribute to Nova Scotia’s target of reducing greenhouse emissions and achieving 80% renewable electricity by 2030,” said Nicholas Gall, CanREA’s Director of Distributed Energy Resources.
There are now more than 4,000 solar homes across Nova Scotia. The industry supports hundreds of jobs throughout the province, primarily in rural communities, and last year contributed approximately $30 million in private-sector investment to the Nova Scotia economy while helping to reduce the province’s GHG emissions by nearly 250,000 tonnes.
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Quotes
“We are calling on the Government of Nova Scotia to intervene to ensure that Nova Scotians can continue to pursue rooftop solar installations and make significant climate-friendly investments in the province.”
—Brandy Giannetta, CanREA’s Vice-President of Policy, Regulatory and Government Affairs
“This proposed charge would have a direct impact on small businesses and homeowners seeking to contribute to Nova Scotia’s target of reducing greenhouse emissions and achieving 80% renewable electricity by 2030.”
—Nicholas Gall, CanREA’s Director of Distributed Energy Resources
About the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA)
The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. We work to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our aim is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Subscribe to our newsletter. Become a member. Learn more at renewablesassociation.ca.
For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact:
Ontario’s Ministry of Energy announces plans for a voluntary clean-energy-credit registry.
Ottawa, January 27, 2022—The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) is encouraged by plans to develop a new, voluntary, clean-energy-credit (CEC) registry in Ontario, as announced yesterday by the Minister of Energy, the Honourable Todd Smith.
“It’s great to see the Ontario Ministry of Energy taking this important step toward the launch of a clean-energy-credit (CEC) market,” said Nicholas Gall, CanREA’s Director for Ontario. “A CEC registry could enable more Ontario consumers to choose wind and solar energy to power their operations and help companies meet their ESG targets.”
CanREA looks forward to engaging with the IESO and with other stakeholders on designing the CEC registry system. CanREA will work on behalf of its members to ensure that Ontario’s new CEC registry leverages—and unlocks additional value from—Ontario’s wind and solar resources.
“It’s great to see the Ontario Ministry of Energy taking this important step toward the launch of a clean-energy-credit (CEC) market. A CEC market could enable more Ontario consumers to choose wind and solar energy to power their operations and help companies meet their ESG targets.”
—Nicholas Gall, CanREA’s Director for Ontario
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About the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA)
The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. We work to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our aim is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Subscribe to our newsletter. Become a member. Learn more at renewablesassociation.ca.
For more information or interview opportunities, please contact:
CanREA’s new industry data for 2021 shows that Canada saw the biggest build-out of new utility-scale wind and solar energy capacity since 2015, but this was far below what is required to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.
Ottawa, January 26, 2022—The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) today announced the industry’s year-end data, reporting that Canada’s wind and solar energy sectors grew significantly in 2021, adding nearly 1 GW of new generation capacity.
“2021 was a positive year for our industries, with 677 MW of new wind energy and 288 MW of new utility-scale solar energy commissioned,” said Robert Hornung, President and CEO of CanREA, “but this rate of growth is not nearly enough. We must dramatically accelerate and expand the deployment of these technologies.”
Alberta accounted for more than 60% of new Canadian capacity installed in 2021, with Saskatchewan accounting for another 20%.
In total, Canada’s new wind and solar energy capacity created approximately 2,400 person-years of employment, primarily in the construction of new facilities, but also in the ongoing operations and maintenance of these sites.
CanREA projects that 2022 and 2023 will see significantly more growth in the deployment of wind and solar energy, with numerous projects currently under construction or in advanced stages of development.
More than 3,000 MW are expected to be commissioned in 2022 and a similar number in 2023. In addition, new commitments were made across Canada in 2021 (for example, in Saskatchewan, Quebec and Nova Scotia) that will result in new wind and solar energy deployment after 2023.
“Canada is just starting to take advantage of its massive untapped wind and solar energy potential,” said Hornung.
“As the lowest-cost source of new decarbonized electricity generation available in Canada today, wind and solar energy will be a cornerstone of Canada’s efforts to address climate change. Success, however, will require several policy, regulatory and infrastructure barriers to be addressed, enabling a dramatic increase in the scale and speed of deployment,” he said.
CanREA’s 2050 Vision, Powering Canada’s Journey to Net-Zero, demonstrates that we need to deploy more than 5,000 MW of new wind and solar energy annually for the next 30 years if Canada is to meet its commitment to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
For more information on CanREA’s latest industry data for Canada, visit the “By the Numbers” webpage.
Join CanREA Today! To learn more about membership and how you can get involved, please contact Julie Mair, CanREA’s Manager of Membership and Business Development, at jmair@renewablesassociation.ca.
Facts at a Glance
Wind energy expanded in 2021
Total wind energy capacity in Canada (as of Dec 31, 2021): 14,304 MW, up from 13,627 MW in 2020.
New wind power generation installed in 2021: 677 MW
Growth in wind energy in 2021: 4.9%
Nearly half of this growth occurred in Alberta (358 MW) with additional growth in Saskatchewan, Ontario and British Columbia.
Solar energy shone in 2021
Total major* solar energy capacity in Canada (as of Dec 31, 2021): 2,399 MW, up from 2,111 MW last year.
New major* solar power generation installed in 2021: 288 MW
Growth in solar energy in 2021: 13.6%
Almost all of this growth occurred in Alberta (250 MW), with small amounts added in Saskatchewan (21 MW), Quebec (9.5 MW), Nova Scotia (4.8 MW), Ontario (0.3 MW), Yukon Territory (1.5 MW) and Prince Edward Island (0.1 MW).
Canada added its biggest solar farm in 2021, the 132 MW Claresholm Solar project in Alberta.
*Here, “major” is defined as grid-connected solar projects, not net-metered projects for electricity use on-site. Rooftop and on-site solar data for 2021 will be included in CanREA’s mid-year data update.
Taking stock of energy storage
There was significant growth in energy storage this year, including Canada’s largest battery storage facility, the 20 MW Buffalo Creek Storage project in Alberta.
There were also smaller energy storage projects in Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Yukon Territory.
“Electricity system decision makers are now starting to discover the value of energy storage, a powerful set of technologies that can provide a broad range of services to support electricity system operators, and we expect to see rapid growth in the utilization of energy storage going forward,” said Hornung.
What’s next for 2022?
Solarsurge: We anticipate at least 1,000 MW of new solar energy this year. 18 new “major” (10 MW and up) solar projects should become operational in 2022, of which 16 are anticipated to be in Alberta and two in Saskatchewan. Canada’s biggest solar farm will become the new Travers Solar Project in Alberta, with a capacity of 465 MW.
Wind expansion: We anticipate at least 2,000 MW of wind energy growth this year. 23 new wind farms should launch in 2022: one in Saskatchewan, one in New Brunswick, and all the rest in Alberta.
Meeting Canada’s Energy Needs
Province with the greatest proportion of energy demand met by wind and solar energy: Prince Edward Island (41%)
Provinces with more than 10% of energy demand met by wind and solar energy: Nova Scotia (13.5%) and PEI (41%)
Jurisdictions with more than 5% of energy demand met by wind and solar energy: Quebec (5.7%), Northwest Territories (6.5%), New Brunswick (6.6%), Alberta (9.6%), Ontario (9.9%), Nova Scotia (13.5%) and PEI (41%). Overall, Canada met 6.5% of its energy demand with wind and solar.
Jurisdictions with less than 5% of energy demand met by wind and solar: Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador.
(source: Statistics Canada 2020)
Quotes
“2021 was a positive year for our industries, with 677 MW of new wind energy and 288 MW of new utility-scale solar energy commissioned. This rate of growth, however, is not nearly enough to move Canada to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. We must dramatically accelerate and expand the deployment of these technologies.”
“Canada is just starting to take advantage of its massive untapped wind and solar energy potential.”
“As the lowest-cost source of new decarbonized electricity generation available in Canada today, wind and solar energy will be a cornerstone of Canada’s efforts to address climate change. Success, however, will require several policy, regulatory and infrastructure barriers to be addressed, enabling a dramatic increase in the scale and speed of deployment.”
“Electricity system decision makers are now starting to discover the value of energy storage, a powerful set of technologies that can provide a broad range of services to support electricity system operators, and we expect to see rapid growth in the utilization of energy storage going forward.”
—Robert Hornung, President and CEO, Canadian Renewable Energy Association
For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact:
The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. We work to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our vision is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix. Learn more at renewablesassociation.ca.Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Subscribe to our newsletter here. Become a member here.
Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change announces $8 million for the SolarHomes program, providing incentives for single-family homes to install solar PV systems.
Ottawa, January 17, 2022 — The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) applauds the Government of Nova Scotia for an investment of $8 million in the SolarHomes incentive program for single-family homes to install solar PV systems, as announced today by Environment and Climate Change Minister Tim Halman.
“This investment will help to ensure that even more Nova Scotia families are able to benefit from solar net metering over the coming years,” said Nicholas Gall, CanREA’s Director, Ontario and Distributed Energy Resources.
There are now over 4,000 solar homes across Nova Scotia, and the industry supports hundreds of jobs in communities throughout the province.
“Solar power is poised to make an important contribution to achieving the Province’s target of 80% renewable electricity by 2030 while helping Nova Scotia households to manage their energy costs and reduce their carbon footprints,” said Gall.
This funding is part of a $37.3 million Green Fund investment, intended to help Nova Scotia reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and support the goals of its Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act.
“CanREA will continue to work closely with the Government of Nova Scotia to further these goals using wind energy, solar energy and energy storage,” said Jean Habel, CanREA’s Director for Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
“This investment will help to ensure that even more Nova Scotia families are able to benefit from solar net metering over the coming years. Solar power is poised to make an important contribution to achieving the Province’s target of 80% renewable electricity by 2030 while helping Nova Scotia households to manage their energy costs and reduce their carbon footprints.”
—Nicholas Gall, CanREA’s Director, Ontario and Distributed Energy Resources.
“CanREA will continue to work closely with the Government of Nova Scotia to further these goals using wind energy, solar energy and energy storage.”
—Jean Habel, CanREA’s Director for Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
About the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA)
The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. We work to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our aim is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix
CanREA continues its positive work with the federal government to further evolve climate-centred policies, advance renewable energy and achieve positive outcomes for Canadians.
Ottawa, December 17, 2021—CanREA is pleased to note the “whole-of-government effort to reduce emissions, create clean jobs and address the climate-related challenges” in all the new ministerial mandate letters, issued by the Government of Canada on December 16.
“This government is on the right track by prioritizing climate action for all Ministerial mandates,” said Brandy Giannetta, Vice President Policy, Regulatory & Government Affairs. “This is the priority that we want to see from this government.”
This is another clear signal of this government’s willingness to take action that will enable low-cost renewables. Wind energy, solar energy and energy storage will play a key role in collaborative solutions for decarbonizing the Canadian economy while bringing strong environmental and economic benefits for communities.
“We look forward to continuing our work with the Federal Government to further evolve these climate-centred policies, advance renewable energy and achieve positive outcomes for Canadians,” said Giannetta.
“This government is on the right track by prioritizing climate action for all Ministerial mandates. This is the priority that we want to see from this government. We look forward to continuing our work with the federal government to further evolve these climate-centred policies, advance renewable energy and achieve positive outcomes for Canadians.”
—Brandy Giannetta, CanREA’s Vice-President, Policy, Regulatory and Government Affairs
For more information or interview opportunities, please contact:
The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. We work to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our aim is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix. Learn more at renewablesassociation.ca.Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Subscribe to our newsletter here. Become a member here.
Industry movers and shakers flocked to the inaugural Electricity Transformation Canada conference, held in Toronto Nov. 17 to 19, to strategize on shifting Canada toward a greener grid by 2050.
Nearly 1,150 participants gathered in person at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from November 17 to 19 for the first-ever Electricity Transformation Canada (ETC), this country’s leading renewable energy conference.
The event featured three days of welcome networking opportunities and educational sessions, covering everything from Indigenous energy partnerships to green hydrogen and the launch of CanREA’s 2050 Vision. Please view our photo album, below, to see only a few of the many highlights from this year’s ETC.
CanREA issues an urgent call to action
“Getting to net-zero by 2050 will require Canada to build out wind energy, solar energy and energy storage at an unprecedented scale and speed,” said Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) President and CEO Robert Hornung (pictured above) during the opening session, as CanREA unveiled its 2050 Vision to a receptive crowd.
CanREA’s 2050 Vision is a call to action, urging stakeholders to work together on a tenfold expansion of wind and solar energy across the country over the next 29 years.
In the association’s ambitious, but realistic scenario, 3,800 megawatts of wind energy and 1,600 megawatts of solar energy would be built out every year, from now until 2050. That’s three times faster than Canada’s biggest five-year period to date, illustrating how quickly the industry must pivot.
“Our industries are up for the challenge, and ready to play a critical role,” said Hornung. “We need to act now and we need to act together. We have no time to waste”
For more information on the Vision, and what CanREA proposes as Canada’s To-Do List, visit this webpage.
Following Hornung’s remarks, representatives of diverse sectors echoed CanREA’s call for greater innovation and collaboration to transform the country’s energy grid.
From left to right: Robert Hornung, CanREA President and CEO; Michelle Chislett, CanREA Board Chair and Managing Director of Canada and U.S. Development at Northland Power; Dan Balaban, CEO of Greengate Power; Brendan Costigan, Director of Power & Utilities Investment Banking at National Bank of Canada; Patrick Taylor, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft; Tonja Leach, Executive Director at QUEST; Isabelle Turcotte, Director of Federal Policy at Pembina Institute.
A video of the Vision launch event is available on CanREa’s YouTube channel, here.
The road to net zero by 2050: Opportunities for electrification in Canada
With hard work, Canada’s net-zero target is within reach, said Anna Kanduth, research associate with the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices, during a session about opportunities for electrification on Nov. 17. “Net-zero is achievable for Canada by 2050,” Kanduth (far right) said.
From left to right: CanREA VP of Policy, Regulatory and Government Affairs Brandy Giannetta; Daniel Breton, President and CEO of Electric Mobility Canada; Mark Zacharias, Special Advisor at Clean Energy Canada; Catherine Cobden, President and CEO of Canadian Steel Producers Association; Anna Kanduth, Research Associate at the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
A visit from Ontario’s Minister of Energy
On Nov. 18, CanREA staff and board members welcomed Ontario Minister of Energy Todd Smith to ETC and spoke with him about the critical role wind energy, solar energy and energy storage must play if Canada is to pursue lowest-cost pathways to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. From left to right: Ontario Minister of Energy Todd Smith; CanREA Board Chair Michelle Chislett; President and CEO Robert Hornung; Vice-President of Policy, Regulatory and Government Affairs Brandy Giannetta; and DER Director Nicholas Gall.
100% Clean Electricity by 2035: The Clean Power Pathways project preview
On Nov. 18, policy experts Tom Green (left) and Stephen Thomas (centre) from the David Suzuki Foundation presented a preview of the Clean Power Pathways final report, alongside collaborator Prof. Mark Jaccard of Simon Fraser University (right). The report explores policy solutions at municipal, provincial and national levels to achieve 100 per cent clean electricity across Canada by 2035, with important roles for solar, wind and energy storage solutions.
The future of market-based renewables: Lessons learned from Alberta
In 2021, over 1,200 MW of new wind and solar energy projects have been announced in Alberta, which will result in billions of dollars of investments. That momentum could move the nation as a whole toward greener grids, said industry leaders in the province’s market.
“Alberta has seen a remarkable burst of growth in renewable energy projects,” said Associate Minister of Natural Gas and Electricity Dale Nally in a video message during this session on Alberta’s unique deregulated system.
From left to right: CanREA Senior Director for Western Canada Evan Wilson; Jordan Balaban, President of Greengate Power; Roslyn McMann, Director of Market Development at BluEarth Renewables; Jason Chee-Aloy, Managing Director at Power Advisory.
Check-in with CanREA’s policy team
On the final day of ETC, CanREA staff from across the country offered attendees a glimpse into the association’s past, present and future work – from policy challenges to provincial market differences and the DER landscape.
“We need to decarbonize the grid, and we need to do it now,” said Brandy Giannetta, Vice-President of Policy, Regulatory and Government Affairs (far left).
The session also included insights from Senior Director for Western Canada Evan Wilson (second from left), Director for Quebec and Atlantic Canada Jean Habel (centre left), DER Director Nicholas Gall (centre right), Energy Storage Director Leonard Olien (second from right), and Senior Director of Operations Phil McKay (far right).
Taking advantage of the tradeshow floor
Over the three days of the conference, attendees networked with exhibitors, sponsors and CanREA members at 100 exhibitor booths on the tradeshow floor, a much-appreciated opportunity after missing out on industry conferences during the pandemic. At the CanREA booth (pictured above), staff also offered education sessions covering provincial markets, operations, renewable energy tech and, of course, our many membership perks.
What are electricity system decision makers doing today to prepare Ontario for the electricity system of 2050?
The closing plenary luncheon, moderated by Brandy Giannetta, examined how major electricity system stakeholders in Ontario are preparing to meet Canada’s net-zero goals by 2050.
“The system we all depend on must be able to respond to the increasing demand for electricity,” said Independent Electricity System Operator President and CEO Lesley Gallinger (centre). “There’s a lot to be done.”
From left to right: CanREA VP of Policy, Regulatory and Government Affairs Brandy Giannetta; Lesley Gallinger, President and CEO of IESO; Teresa Sarkesian, President and CEO of Electricity Distributors Association.
See you next year!
Next year’s ETC conference will be on Oct. 26-28, 2022, in Toronto. We hope to see you there! To stay informed, subscribe to our Watt’s On events enewsletter and visit our Upcoming Events webpage.
Toronto, November 17, 2021 – The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) today issued an urgent call to Canada’s governments, utilities, regulators and electricity system operators, recommending five priority actions to dramatically accelerate the deployment of wind energy, solar energy and energy storage technologies in Canada.
“As Canada sets out on a transformative journey to reach net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, we need a powerful boost from wind energy, solar energy and energy storage,” said CanREA President and CEO Robert Hornung in his opening remarks at the Electricity Transformation Canada conference today. “These technologies will play a central role in driving the rapid decarbonization and massive expansion of electricity production required to make net-zero a reality.”
Powering Canada’s Journey to Net-Zero: CanREA’s 2050 Vision presents an illustrative, but realistic, scenario to support this net-zero target by relying on Canada’s abundant and low-cost wind and solar energy resources to supply two-thirds of the new electricity required by 2050. This requires an almost ten-fold expansion in this country’s wind and solar energy capacity in the next 29 years.
“We have no time to waste. Getting to net-zero by 2050 will require Canada to build out wind energy, solar energy and energy storage at an unprecedented scale and speed,” said Hornung. “Our industries are up to the challenge, but require clear signals from governments, increased collaboration among electricity sector decision-makers, and immediate actions to address existing barriers to this urgent deployment.”
CanREA’s 2050 Vision outlines 5 key tasks and 15 immediate actions required from governments, utilities, regulators and system operators to enable this pathway to net-zero. The key tasks on Canada’s to-do list include:
Decarbonization of the electricity system by 2035,
Modernization of electricity markets and regulatory structures,
Diversification and expansion of procurement opportunities,
Prioritization of efficient use and regional approaches to transmission infrastructure,
Implementation of comprehensive strategies to support increased use of decarbonized electricity and green hydrogen.
“We need to rapidly build new capacity throughout Canada. Our industries recognize that ensuringcommunity support and customer satisfaction, creating economic advantages for Canada and its communities, and contributing to sustainability and environmental protection are critical elements for success,” said Hornung.
“We are committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure that Canada fully capitalizes on its wind, solar and energy storage potential in its pursuit ofthe least-cost, reliable and sustainable pathway to Canada’s net-zero objective.”
Following Hornung’s presentation, a panel made up of Dan Balaban (Chief Executive Officer, Greengate Power), Isabelle Turcotte (Director of Federal Policy, Pembina Institute), Brendan Costigan (Director, Power & Utilities Investment Banking, National Bank of Canada), Tonja Leach (Executive Director, QUEST Canada), and Patrick Taylor (Principal Program Manager, Microsoft) presented their thoughts on CanREA’s new 2050 Vision.
The accelerated deployment of wind energy, solar energy and energy storage is supported by a diversity of stakeholders, as illustrated in CanREA’s 2050 Vision by statements from organizations like Bell Canada, Canada Green Building Council, Clean Energy Canada, Electric Mobility Canada, Indigenous Clean Energy, Marsh, National Bank of Canada, Quest Canada, Pembina Institute and Swiss Re.
“As Canada sets out on a transformative journey to reach net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, we need a powerful boost from wind energy, solar energy and energy storage. These technologies will play a central role in driving the rapid decarbonization and massive expansion of electricity production required to make net-zero a reality.”
“We have no time to waste. Getting to net-zero by 2050 will require Canada to build out wind energy, solar energy and energy storage at an unprecedented scale and speed. Our industries are up to the challenge but require clear signals from governments, increased collaboration among electricity sector decision-makers and immediate actions to address existing barriers to this urgent deployment.”
“We need to rapidly build new capacity throughout Canada. Our industries recognize that ensuring community support and customer satisfaction, creating economic advantages for Canada and its communities, and contributing to sustainability and environmental protection are critical elements for success.”
“We are committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure that Canada fully capitalizes on its wind, solar and energy storage potential in its pursuit of the least-cost, reliable and sustainable pathway to Canada’s net-zero objective.”
—Robert Hornung, CanREA President and CEO
Supportive statements
“National Bank of Canada supports CanREA’s 2050 Vision and is keen to play an active role in Canada’s net-zero objective. Just recently, we announced our pledge to join the Net-Zero Banking Alliance as part of a global initiative to accelerate efforts to address climate change. We continue our long history of partnering with our clients, financing Canadian renewable energy projects and supporting innovative solutions that will drive the significant growth in sustainable energy that Canada needs.”
—Iain Watson, Managing Director, National Bank Financial
“While there are many uncertainties involved in the energy transition, we have absolute clarity on the need to significantly increase and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and energy storage in Canada. In addition to the emissions reduction benefit, QUEST sees the integration of renewable energy and storage opportunities as a pathway to sustained and sustainable local economic prosperity and enhanced local energy resilience. Renewables and energy storage implementation enable local action on a global problem.”
—Tonja Leach, Executive Director, QUEST
“Canada must decarbonize its electricity sector by 2035 and increase electrification in order to help keep global temperature rise within 1.5C and enable a net-zero economy by 2050. The Pembina Institute supports the rapid deployment of clean energy solutions including renewables, storage, demand response, efficiency, and transmission in a manner that takes advantage of their low costs and reliability services, and enables equitable transition for impacted communities. These measures can help attract jobs, investments and businesses with sustainability goals to Canada.”
—Linda Coady, Executive Director, Pembina Institute
“The global energy system is transitioning from molecules to clean electrons as our primary source of energy. Our ambitious net-zero goals and the electrification of transportation create massive need for new renewables and energy storage capacity. This is an opportunity to fundamentally re-invent energy and its relationship to society. Renewables projects, like the ones developed by Greengate, represent a rare alignment of environmental, financial, and social interests, which I am confident will help lead us to a cleaner and more sustainable future for all.”
—Dan Balaban, CEO, Greengate Power Corporation
About the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA)
The Canadian Renewable Energy Association is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. We work to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our vision is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix. Learn more at renewablesassociation.ca. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Subscribe to our newsletter here.
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CanREA presented its new 2050 Vision at a special launch event in Toronto today, after which a panel of diverse stakeholders shared their thoughts. From L to R: Dan Balaban (Chief Executive Officer, Greengate Power), Isabelle Turcotte (Director of Federal Policy, Pembina Institute), Brendan Costigan (Director, Power & Utilities Investment Banking, National Bank of Canada), Robert Hornung (CanREA President and CEO), Michelle Chislett (CanREA Board Chair and Managing Director of Canada and US Development, Northland Power), Tonja Leach (Executive Director, QUEST Canada), and Patrick Taylor (Principal Program Manager, Microsoft).
