OTTAWA (November 28, 2018) – Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) members cut total greenhouse gas emissions further in 2017, despite a modest bump up in electricity generation, according to the 2018 Sustainable Electricity Report, A Future Worth Investing In. Canada’s leading carbon reduction sector has eliminated an additional 1.3 megatonnes of GHG emissions, adding to a reduction of over 38 million tonnes since 2005. By doing so, the electricity sector has already exceeded the Paris Agreement benchmark of a 30 per cent GHG reduction from 2005 levels.
Days before the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24) in Katowice kicks off, A Future Worth Investing In demonstrates the electricity sectors’ continued movement towards a low-carbon economy. The sector is already 82% GHG free, a number that will only increase as coal-fired electricity is phased out by 2030.
“Our 2018 Sustainable Electricity annual report highlights the important initiatives by our Member companies focused on the transition to a low carbon energy future,” says the Hon. Sergio Marchi, President and CEO of CEA. “I am honoured to represent an industry that embraces sustainability and is not only focused on climate change management and mitigation, but also infrastructure renewal, building relationships with local communities, supporting low-income customers and managing business risk.”
An important aspect of CEA’s Sustainable Electricity program is the development of robust relationships with Indigenous peoples including extensive business arrangements and innovative partnership-based approaches. All CEA Corporate Utility member companies are involved in the Sustainable Electricity program and are recognized within the report for their achievements under each pillar.
Some highlights of those include:
Pillar 1 – Low-Carbon Future
- Hydro Quebec harnessing the northern sun by installing 69 solar panels in the village of Quaqtaq which will help reduce the amount of diesel fuel needed to power the community
Pillar 2 – Infrastructure Renewal & Modernization
- Newfoundland & Labrador Hydro partnered with an Indigenous group in an effort to deploy a smart grid system that would include wind and solar power in an isolated community currently supplied by diesel generation
Pillar 3 – Building Relationships
- ATCO Power is working with small communities impacted by the transition to a low carbon future during the phase-out of coal
Pillar 4 – Risk-Management Systems
- Toronto Hydro is participating in the City of Toronto’s Resilient City Working Group to identify grid vulnerabilities during extreme weather events
Pillar 5 – Business Excellence
- Alectra Utilities is testing new electricity pricing models designed to better suit the varied lifestyles of residential customers which is testing on-peak, off-peak differentials, and a super off-peak overnight price
We encourage you to review the report to find out the initiatives of all CEA Corporate Utility members.
A Future Worth Investing In demonstrates that Canada’s emission targets are achievable however the industry needs a workable regulatory and investment climate. CEA and its utility members will continue to work collaboratively, to continually improve their sustainability measures.
Full copy of the English report available here: https://electricity.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/CEA_18-280_AR_E_WEB.pdf
Full copy of the French report available here: https://electricity.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/CEA_18-280_AR_F_WEB.pdf