Environment groups and the energy efficiency industry are calling on provincial, territorial and federal energy ministers to begin a massive scale up of energy efficiency measures which could cost-effectively meet future energy demands and make deep cuts in Canada's greenhouse gas emissions. The ministers have that opportunity today when the Council of Energy Ministers (CEM) meets in Whistler, B.C., to consider a national energy efficiency action plan.
"Energy efficiency has been identified at numerous international meetings as the most cost-effective solution to climate change, and other countries are already taking action," said Guy Dauncy of the British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association.
The European Union has already agreed to a 20 per cent reduction in energy use through efficiency by 2020 relative to 2005, and its members are working on individual plans to achieve this target.
"Canada now has the opportunity to join our partners in significantly improving energy efficiency," Dauncy concludes.
Non-government groups agree with federal Environment Commissioner Johanne Gélinas who, in her report to Parliament in 2006, recommended a "massive scale up" of efforts to effectively address climate change.
"The status quo is not good enough," said Marlo Raynolds, Executive Director at the Pembina Institute. "What we need to see coming out of the Council of Energy Minister's meeting is an action plan that really transforms energy use in Canada."
The groups outlined six key components necessary in an effective national energy efficiency action plan:
1. Long Term Vision.
2. Short Term Targets.
3. Efficiency Legislation.
4. Continuous Improvement.
5. Federal Leadership.
6. Giving Energy Efficiency its True Value.
"At the very least," said Raynolds, we need to see ministers leave Whistler with concrete commitments to support energy efficiency in the coming year, and an agreement to report back regularly on progress towards their goals at future CEM meetings."
"There is simply no reason to delay," agrees Ken Elsey, President & CEO of the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance representing the energy efficiency industry. "Our political leaders must understand that energy efficiency is an investment - not an expense. Many provinces do not even have building codes that benefit consumers. That has to change."
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For more information:
Marlo Raynolds,
Executive Director, The Pembina Institute
Cel: 403-607-9427
Ken Elsey,
Executive Director, Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance
Tel: 866-614-1641
Cel: 416-558-8735
Guy Dauncy,
President, British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association
Tel: 250-744-2720
Also in support of immediate action on energy efficiency:
Stephen Koch, NAIMA Canada
Ken Ogilvie, Executive Director, Pollution Probe
Emilie Moorhouse, Sierra Club of Canada
Mara Kerry, Nature Canada
Dale Marshall, David Suzuki Foundation
Andrew Jackson, Canadian Labour Congress
David Coon, Conservation Council of New Brunswick
Brent Crowhurst, Falls Brook Centre, New Brunswick
Brendon Haley, Ecology Action Centre, Nova Scotia
Leslie Malone, Environmental Coalition of Prince Edward Island
Brent Kopperson, Executive Director, Windfall Ecology Centre
Derek Coronado, Citizens Environmental Alliance of Southwestern Ontario
Anne Coxworth, Saskatchewan Environmental Society
Margaret Skeel, Nature Saskatchewan
David J. Parker, Edmonton Friends of the North Environmental Society
Nikki Skuce, One Sky - The Canadian Institute for Sustainable Living, BC
Lewis Rifkind, Yukon Conservation Society
Angela Biscoff, Greenspiration
Kevin Washbrook, Voters Taking Action on Climate Change
Ted Reede, Faith in the Common Ground
A short brief Scaling Up Action on Energy Efficiency explaining how a national energy efficiency action plan could be used to start a massive scale up of support for energy efficiency in Canada can be downloaded from www.pembina.org/pub/1527
BACKGROUND
What would Constitute Real Progress in Whistler?
Ministers meeting in Whistler should make concrete commitments for the coming year, agreeing to report back regularly on progress towards their goals at future CEM meetings. We would like to see agreement to, at least, do the following in the days ahead:
- Within 2008 federal, provincial and territorial budgets, commit significant new multi-year financial and staff resources to new energy efficiency initiatives for each sector of the economy;
- Work together on at least five concrete collaborative actions in 2008 and report on progress at the next CEM meeting;
- Prepare individual federal and provincial energy efficiency targets and plans in 2008 for consideration at the 2008 CEM meeting;
- Set up and fund a CEM energy-efficiency secretariat to support inter-governmental and stakeholder collaboration, monitor progress and prepare a white paper consolidating targets and plans by September 2008 - or delegate this role to the federal OEE.
What should be in a real action plan and what does a "massive scale up" mean?
An effective federal/provincial energy efficiency action plan should contain the following key components:
1. Long Term Vision. Adopt long term goals for each sector, providing a vision of what an efficient Canada will look like.
2. Short Term Targets. Adopt short term targets and milestones that provide a clear definition of the way forward and against which we can measure progress. For example:
- A national target of 20 per cent reduction in 2007 Canadian energy use through energy efficiency by 2020 - meeting 100 per cent of more of new energy growth through efficiency.
- Reduce industrial energy intensity (energy per unit of production) in each industrial sector by 4 per cent every year for the next 20 years.
- At least 50 per cent of all new buildings and homes to be net zero energy by 2015.
- Retrofit 50 per cent of all Canada's homes and buildings by 2020, 100 per cent by 2030.
- Reduce personal and freight transportation use (energy per person.km and per tonne.km) by 2 per cent every year for the next 20 years.
- All municipalities in Canada have smart growth and sustainable energy plans by 2015.
3. Efficiency Legislation. Use federal and provincial energy efficiency legislation to:
- Regulate the operating and standby efficiency of all major energy using products (and those that influence energy use) by 2011, and upgrade these standards to the best in North America every four years.
- Regulate a phase out of all in-efficient lighting by 2013.
- Regulate the efficiency of ALL vehicles by 2011 and upgrade these standards to the best in North America every four years.
- By 2012, mandate the energy consumption labeling of all products, houses, buildings and vehicles with special recognition of best practice and best-in-class (e.g. Energy Star).
- Implement a mandatory government procurement policy based on minimum life cycle energy use criteria.
- Embed energy efficiency requirements in all building codes by 2011 and institute a four year cycle of regular upgrades
Homes: EnerGuide for Houses: 80 by 2012, 90 by 2020
Buildings: 25 per cent improvement by 2012, net zero energy by 2020
- By 2015, introduce mandatory upgrading of energy efficiency at the time of sale or re-commissioning of all houses and buildings.
4. Continuous Improvement. Commit to a continuous cycle of energy efficiency improvements that keeps Canada among the most efficient jurisdictions in North America. This would be achieved through a coordinated series of federal and provincial capacity building measures, government procurement, financial incentives, and financing innovations, backed up every few years with new standards and codes. This coordination would be managed by a CEM secretariat with individual collaboratives on each type of measure.
5. Federal Leadership. Through a series of new federal programs, engage, foster and support the energy efficiency and green buildings industries, the financial and real estate community, and other industries that lead investment in and implement energy efficiency in Canada. These programs should include:
- National/regional training and certification initiatives for all energy efficiency professionals and trades.
- A five-fold increase in the federal ecoEnergy retrofit financial incentive program to keep pace with the goal of retrofitting all Canadian homes by 2030.
- A new federal financial incentive programs for the retrofit of commercial and institutional buildings with goals and scale similar to those of the expanded ecoEnergy retrofit program (filling a huge gap in current programs).
- A new federal retrofit assistance program of direct financial support, training and evaluation for low income and First Nations housing with the goal eliminating "energy poverty" by 2020. This addresses the energy affordability issue which poses unique and critical risk to low income families.
- Green building standards and tax incentives to help the building industry adopt green practices and achieve the target of 50 per cent net zero energy houses and buildings by 2015.
- A revenue neutral "feebate" system for appliances and lighting that provides financial incentives for high-efficiency products and adds fees for low-efficiency products. This would help accelerate the penetration of "Energy Star" products and allow a faster regulated phase out of inefficient products.
- A major national initiative to reduce the distances traveled by freight and improve the overall efficiency of freight movement.
- A major federal government investment program/provincial transfers to support public transit and the coordination of intercity and local transport modes.
- A national green communities initiative helping to achieve the goal of all municipalities having smart-growth and sustainable-energy plans by 2030.
6. Giving Energy Efficiency its True Value. Coordinate federal/provincial policies to fully value energy efficiency in Canadian markets:
- Ensure energy efficiency is fully eligible in carbon offset and carbon pricing systems and renewable energy certificate programs.
- Provide shared saving incentives to utilities to make energy efficiency financially attractive.
- Use mandatory standard-offer contracts to provide a guaranteed return for energy savings delivered to utilities.
- Provide production incentives for combined heat and power systems.