We are at a tipping point, or at least the last bit of incline to that point. We will need to electrify our economy to a level where fossil fuels will be for the emergency generators only.
The biggest problem is the upfront costs to get residential and commercial buildings retrofitted with the infrastructure needed to make renewables a practical solution. Germany needed a law to force the electrical utilities to buy power generated at homes and farms using wind, solar and methane powered generators at a premium to get the renewables widely installed. Canada has not seen fit to do the same, and I suggest that the problem is that some of the electrical utility management do not want to surrender their monopolies, either for the sake of control or because of ego.
We have enough parking lots and flat roof tops just begging for solar panels, flat rooftops with curbs begging for small vertical wind turbines, and electrical vaults with room for battery storage, or at least room outside for a secure shed. Apartment blocks with south facing balconies are begging for small solar panels that plug into the 120V electrical outlets.
The bigger installations should be done by the utilities, aiming to supply more power to residential areas for EV charging, home heating and cooling, not just to meet the lunatic demands of AI data centres. But it’s not just the utilities. Political capital will need to be spent by politicians looking further down the road than their next election.
In the meantime, we can start to push for changes to the building and electrical codes to make installations less challenging. Industries that consume allot of power can demand renewable sources as part of long term contracts, especially where it replaced fossil fuel generated power. Commercial property owners can start covering parking lots with panels and roof tops with turbines, and cut their utility bills. Where the government can help is with incentives like a corporate tax reductions for leasehold improvements that bring renewable power into the leasehold. Maybe even sweeten it to double the credit for each dollar invested.
It is all doable. We just need to get enough people to take the next step into the future.
Nova Scotia had to implement a similar law. When I first moved here I was told that if I installed my own power generation I would have to pay NS Power.
It took a Liberal government to pass a law requiring net metering. Now NS Power pays me for power that is fed back into the grid.
Have you seen what is happening in Pakistan? A phenomenally grass roots driven massive conversion to solar. Motivated by a combination of cost and reliability.
Jan Rosenow has just published a great article on substack describing this consumer driven shift.
We are at a tipping point, or at least the last bit of incline to that point. We will need to electrify our economy to a level where fossil fuels will be for the emergency generators only.
The biggest problem is the upfront costs to get residential and commercial buildings retrofitted with the infrastructure needed to make renewables a practical solution. Germany needed a law to force the electrical utilities to buy power generated at homes and farms using wind, solar and methane powered generators at a premium to get the renewables widely installed. Canada has not seen fit to do the same, and I suggest that the problem is that some of the electrical utility management do not want to surrender their monopolies, either for the sake of control or because of ego.
We have enough parking lots and flat roof tops just begging for solar panels, flat rooftops with curbs begging for small vertical wind turbines, and electrical vaults with room for battery storage, or at least room outside for a secure shed. Apartment blocks with south facing balconies are begging for small solar panels that plug into the 120V electrical outlets.
The bigger installations should be done by the utilities, aiming to supply more power to residential areas for EV charging, home heating and cooling, not just to meet the lunatic demands of AI data centres. But it’s not just the utilities. Political capital will need to be spent by politicians looking further down the road than their next election.
In the meantime, we can start to push for changes to the building and electrical codes to make installations less challenging. Industries that consume allot of power can demand renewable sources as part of long term contracts, especially where it replaced fossil fuel generated power. Commercial property owners can start covering parking lots with panels and roof tops with turbines, and cut their utility bills. Where the government can help is with incentives like a corporate tax reductions for leasehold improvements that bring renewable power into the leasehold. Maybe even sweeten it to double the credit for each dollar invested.
It is all doable. We just need to get enough people to take the next step into the future.
Oil is king. UCP are oil shills.
Everything you say is true, but nothing changes if nothing changes.
Nova Scotia had to implement a similar law. When I first moved here I was told that if I installed my own power generation I would have to pay NS Power.
It took a Liberal government to pass a law requiring net metering. Now NS Power pays me for power that is fed back into the grid.
The current NS PCs are climate change deniers.
Profit has NO place in essential services. Utilities are essential services.
Which costs more?
PROVIDE SERVICE = X$$$
OR
PROVIDE SERVICE + PROVIDE PROFIT = X$$$
Have you seen what is happening in Pakistan? A phenomenally grass roots driven massive conversion to solar. Motivated by a combination of cost and reliability.
Jan Rosenow has just published a great article on substack describing this consumer driven shift.
https://janrosenow.substack.com/p/pakistan-the-solar-revolution-nobody?r=1t0tqc
While Canadian consumers want energy costs, our industry is striving to increase demand, therefore price and profit