Report: Clean Energy More Important Than Oil Sands

The first annual survey of Canada’s clean-energy performance has found that while pipelines grab more headlines, clean energy is grabbing growth. According to a report by Clean Energy Canada, policy leadership in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec—and business leadership across the country— have helped drive $25 billion of renewable-energy investment and a 37 percent employment increase over the past five years.

“Tracking the Energy Revolution —Canada” details key policies, investments, and development in each province and region and profiles private-sector success stories. The study’s key findings include:

•Wind, solar, run-of-river, and biomass capacity have nearly doubled in the past five years.

•Large hydro remains the foundation of Canada’s electricity system, providing 85 percent of all renewable electricity capacity, and continues to grow.

•Cumulative investment in Canada’s clean-energy sector amounted to $25 billion over the past five years.

•In 2013 Canada jumped from 12th to seventh place in the G20 for clean-energy investment.

•Clean-energy jobs are growing incredibly fast. In 2013, 37 percent more Canadians worked in the renewable-energy industry than in 2009. As a result, by 2013 the clean-energy sector—encompassing manufacturing, power production, energy efficiency, and biofuels— accounted for more direct Canadian jobs than the oil sands.

•With growing selection, incentives, and public-charging networks, electric vehicle sales doubled between 2012 and 2013.

The report also points to Ontario and Quebec as clean-energy leaders. Other jurisdictions, such as Alberta, Saskatchewan, as well as the federal government, are not yet fully pursuing clean energy.

“The global clean-energy revolution isn’t a future scenario. It is underway right now, and it presents huge potential benefits for Canadians,” said Merran Smith, director of Clean Energy Canada. “Speeding up Canada’s energy transition would clean up our power grids and transportation systems, but would also help Canadian companies prosper in the fast-growing global cleanenergy marketplace.”

The report also makes policy recommendations to bolster and complement provincial actions. These include direct federal support for power storage and clean-energy infrastructure, and a national price on carbon pollution to level the playing field between clean energy and fossil fuels.

www.cleanenergycanada. org