Kirby Calvert, Policy Options
Summary
Can we power our buildings, vehicles and industry entirely on renewable resources like the sun, wind and water? Should we? Hundreds of communities across the globe and five municipalities in Canada say yes and have established a formal target through their local governments to leave fossil fuels and nuclear generation behind in favour of a 100 percent renewable energy supply (100% RE). My hometown of Guelph, Ontario, recently agreed to add our city to this growing network and is now exploring how they will reach the goal by 2050.
Setting the 100% RE target is the easy part, but how do we actually get there? This question drives my career as a researcher and as an active participant in community energy planning. While the movement is laudable — there is no pathway other than 100% RE that leads to a clean, equitable and prosperous energy system — these targets have serious flaws and should be reconsidered.
Municipalities across Canada face two significant obstacles to achieving what they promise.
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