Rising energy costs put more pressure on green plans
Being kept in the dark isn’t a good thing, at least typically. Still, you’ll be asked to turn off the lights for an hour on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. to mark Earth Hour.
It’s a purely symbolic gesture, as the amount of electricity involved is negligible – about three or four per cent below the average for a Saturday in March. Some argue the need for standby power from generating stations and the surge that comes when we turn the lights back on actually leads to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions as fossil-fueled generators pick up the slack.
Still, it does serve to remind us of our energy consumption, which is among the highest in the world. We’re also to be mindful of the perils of fossil fuels, reflecting on the alternatives. Ontarians, of course, are very much aware of what electricity costs us, at least as it applies to our wallets.
The event was launched 15 years ago in Australia by the World Wildlife Fund, expanding from a local event to something that sees hundreds of millions of participants globally. The organization stresses that the symbolism is even more relevant today given the devastating impacts of climate change, noting that this year’s second part of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP15 will see world leaders gather to decide on a new global action plan for nature.
Somewhat ironically, green energy is often blamed for ever-rising hydro rates here in Ontario. Though increasingly problematic, the impact is overstated by opponents. Whatever method we opt for, prices will go up. As consumers of electricity, we’ve never paid the actual cost of bringing it to us, let alone all the things that come along with our dependence of energy, such as the environmental impacts.
As with so much of our infrastructure, we’re having to renew decades-old systems while building new ones to accommodate population growth.
Increasingly criticized for generous payouts open to abuse, the Ontario government’s Green Energy Act has the ability to put the province in a better position for the long-term changes coming to the electricity industry. Consumers would see virtually no relief from high electricity prices in the medium and long run if the province scrapped its alternative energy plans.
In fact, studies indicate that investing in renewable energy today is likely to save ratepayers money within a few years, as natural gas becomes more expensive – that’s a scenario with which we’re familiar today – and as the cost of renewable energy technology continues to decrease.
No matter what your take on climate change, there’s no denying there are benefits to conserving energy and shifting to alternative means of generating it.
No matter what, electricity is going to eat up a larger portion of our incomes. Aging infrastructure – from nuclear plants to the wires that bring power to our homes – needs to be replaced.
In short, there are plenty of valid reasons why rates will continue to rise – sharply, in many cases – over the next several years. Green energy, however, is not one of them. Getting greener will in fact be essential if Canada is to meet its commitments to a net-zero carbon future. We’ll have to generate a great deal more green energy on route to that future. A report early this year determined we’re not ready at this point.
The Clean Energy Canada study found this country has a number of clean electricity advantages, but we’re not tapping into that potential. Still, Ottawa is aiming for a net-zero electricity grid by 2035. Today, the grid is 83 per cent emissions-free. There is, however, no roadmap for providing nearly double today’s electricity output, the amount predicted we’ll need some 30 years hence.
Given that we’re already chafing at growing energy costs, governments will have to walk a fine line between prices and going green. They’re unlikely to get it right, and citizens will let them know.