We can move boldly and rapidly to renewable energy systems. We must do that! Doing nothing or continuing BAU (Business As Usual) will not create a livable future for our children. Or our planet.
From the David Suzuki Foundation website:
It’s impossible to imagine modern life without electricity. As there will be many more electric cars to charge and buildings to heat and power electrically, we’ll be more than doubling the total electricity generated by 2050. The electricity used must come from clean sources to meet critical climate targets.
Canada is starting from a good position because its largely hydro-dominant energy grid is already relatively clean, and it has a wealth of wind and solar resources.
Transitioning off fossil fuel–powered electricity to clean, renewable sources is the foundation for many climate policies needed to effectively address the climate crisis.
What if we told you a 100 per cent clean power future was possible?
Have you been dreaming of an immediate, effective climate solution? Here’s one: getting off fossil fuels to power our electricity. Our modelling finds that you can have clean, reliable, affordable electricity across Canada. It will mean lots more renewable energy like wind and solar combined with energy storage, energy efficiency and better transmission connections. The good news is that 100 per cent clean electricity by 2035 is 100 per cent possible.
Shifting Power: Zero-Emissions Electricity Across Canada by 2035
This research is the first in Canada to model a pathway to 100 per cent zero-emissions electricity by 2035, ensuring we can meet our increasing electricity demand when and where we need it. As more electric vehicles and other electrified climate solutions come into our lives, swapping out fossil fuel–powered electricity for clean-powered electricity is essential. This report uses electricity system modelling to explore the potential for Canada to transition to clean electricity.
The research details how we can get to 100 per cent zero-emissions electricity by 2035 by prioritizing wind, solar, energy storage and interprovincial transmission, while also accounting for much more electrification being added in sectors like transportation. The pathways modelled avoid the need for new large hydroelectricity, new nuclear generation or carbon capture and storage technologies in the electricity sector — a welcome direction from environmental and economic perspectives.
Key Findings:
It’s possible: One hundred per cent zero-emissions electricity is possible in Canada by 2035 by primarily relying on wind and solar, and the technologies that enable them.
It’s reliable: Energy efficiency, energy storage, existing hydroelectricity and grid connections between provinces work together so we can meet our demands for electricity where and when we need it.
It’s affordable: Relying primarily on renewables like wind and solar is an affordable way to meet climate targets and the growing demand for electricity. It’s cheaper than business-as-usual alternatives.
It creates new jobs in clean energy: Construction, operation and maintenance employment alone will grow to more than 75,000 jobs a year, resulting in close to two million job-years between 2025 and 2050.
It meets climate goals: By switching out fossil fuel–powered electricity for cleaner, renewable sources, Canada can reduce emissions by more than 27 per cent, which is needed to meet its net-zero 2050 goal.
It’s a win for the environment: The path to clean electricity does not need new large hydroelectricity or nuclear generation and avoids expensive and immature carbon capture and storage technologies. With careful planning and siting, we can limit landscape and biodiversity impacts of a growing number of renewable projects.
READ MORE AT https://davidsuzuki.org/project/clean-electricity/
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