CANADA NEEDS NEW ENERGY

Here’s what leadership means.

A staunch coalition of New Energy advocates in the Canadian province of Ontario want their provincial leaders to legislate policies that will support the development of New Energy and Energy Efficiency.

Their chief argument?

Canadian New Energy needs the same kind of support the U.S. “green” economy is expected to get from the incoming Obama administration.

This is an argument that holds its own even in Ontario, where conservative Premier Dalton McGuinty may be reluctant to go “green.” This is about sustaining the province’s economy, the Green Energy Act Alliance says, not about tree-hugging.

And that’s why the legislation has got to be strong stuff.

Rick Smith, executive director, Alliance member Environmental Defence: "Unless Ontario proceeds in an expedited fashion we're going to be left in the dust…Either the government should table an effective green energy act or it shouldn't bother."

Ontario gets 20% of its power from hydroelectric generation and intends to get 45% of its power from New Energy sources by 2025. It is developing wind, solar, hydo and biogas facilities but that development could be threatened by the new circumstances.

Major project builders in Europe (example: BP Alternative Energy) have recently announced they are shifting their capital away from Europe and Asia to the U.S. due to the highly favorable policy being developed by the incoming Obama adminstration and the immense untapped U.S. resources.

Canadians are aware of and proud of their own immense untapped resources. They realize that if their provincial and federal governments don't develop effective policies, their country could also lose the multinational players who, in the current financial circumstances, want to build green in the form of New Energy where they see green in the form of economic incentives.

Robert Hornung, president, Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA): "In the long-term, continued political support of the wind industry will hinge on the ability to create jobs…If we don't somebody else will, because in the U.S. there's no turning away from this opportunity."

Sounds like what Canada needs in order to get New Energy is a leader like Mr. Obama.

David Suzuki could be the leader Ontario is looking for. From listenupmoments via YouTube.

Green energy our best shot
Tyler Hamilton, December 8, 2008 (Toronto Star)

WHO
Green Energy Act Alliance; Dalton McGuinty, Premier, Ontario; George Smitherman, Energy and Infrastructure Minister, Ontario; John Gerretsen, Environment Minister, Ontario; Colin Andersen, chief executive, Ontario Power Authority

WHAT
The Green Energy Act Alliance is a coalition of environmental, farming, community and native groups that want the Ontario government to generate New Energy/Energy Efficiency policy for their province.

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WHEN
Ontario leaders are presently developing New Energy/Energy Efficiency legislation that is expected to be enacted in the coming few months.

WHERE
- The Alliance contends that Canadian New Energy will need policy supports to compete with U.S. New Energy that is expected to get big supports from the incoming Obama administration.
- Ontario gets 20% of its power from hydroelectric, beating New Energy giant Germany, which gets 15%. Germany will phase out nuclear and keep coal. Ontario will phase out coal but keep nuclear energy.

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WHY
- The current financial crisis gives the development of New Energy a new urgency for the Ontario coalition.
- Legislation to support New Energy development is vital to create the circumstances necessary to change from Old to New Energy.
- A “green” economy will be an important source of jobs for Ontario.
- Alliance-backed policies to grow a “green” economy: (1) Prioritize New Energy and Energy Efficiency, (2) Streamline regulation and power purchases, (3) Enable "smart-grid" technologies, (4) Facilitate low-interest project financing and (5) protect low-income ratepayers.
- The Green Energy Act proposals importantly include feed-in tariffs for New Energy producers.
- Showing support for the Act, Canadian leaders (Smitherman, Gerretsen, Andersen) attended a showing of The Suzuki Diaries.
- Energy Minister Smitherman said Ontario could someday get 100% of its power from New Energy but remains a nuclear energy advocate for the present.
- Ontario New Energy advocates (example: the United Steelworkers Union ) want the province to build New Energy manufacturing as well as New Energy generation.

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QUOTES
- Deborah Doncaster, executive director, Community Power Fund: "We have some sense they (the McGuinty government) want to use this as an industrial driver…"
- David Suzuki, documentary filmmaker, The Suzuki Diaries: "Ontario stands at a critical point now and we have to take advantage of the opportunity… We've got a very well-educated population in Ontario. I don't believe we have to take second seat to anybody if we make the commitment and see this as an opportunity."
- Andy King, United Steelworkers Union: "It makes no sense to set renewable energy standards and then import all the equipment from overseas…We can't afford the cost of not doing it…There's this opportunity of participation through employment."