Canada may be a fossil fuel superpower, but the nation could easily derive all of its electrical energy needs from renewables. Mayor Gregor Robertson and the City Council have pledged to make Vancouver Canada’s first 100 percent renewable city. The rest of the country could also adopt a 100 percent renewable energy development plan. New research reveals that we already have the technology all that is missing is committed political leadership.
According to a new study, Canada could become 100 percent reliant on low-carbon electricity in just 20 years and reduce its emissions by 80 percent by 2050.
More than three quarters of Canada’s electricity is already generated without burning fossil fuels and the experts in this study believe 100 percent renewable energy is within reach. According to the recently released policy document by scientists, engineers and economists, Canada could shift entirely to renewable sources of electricity as early as 2035. This plan relies heavily upon Canada’s abundant hydroelectric capacity but also incorporates wind and solar.
We would need to scale renewable energy and this requires government support which is not forthcoming. If we had the political will Canada could abandon fossil fuels and become a renewable energy superpower.
The major obstacle preventing Canada from being more ambitious in its renewable energy aspirations is the ruling Conservative government and their unrelenting support for fossil fuels.
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