TORONTO, ON — Tim Weis, director of the Pembina Institute's renewable energy program, made the following statement in response to the Ontario government's announcement today of plans to shut down four additional units of coal power production:
"Today's announcement represents another significant step away from the use of coal to generate electricity — and a step toward cleaner air, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and a more renewable energy supply for Ontarians.
"Shutting down these four units of coal power production will reduce the amount of electricity produced by burning coal in Ontario by another forty per cent, bringing us that much closer to our goal of phasing out coal power completely by 2014 — or even sooner.
"Skeptics have argued that replacing traditional thermal power plants like coal with a variety of renewable and efficiency options would be impossible, but Ontario's ambitious efforts are proving it is both practical, and technically doable. Ontario is setting an important example that the rest of North America can and should follow."
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Contact:
Tim Weis
Director, Renewable Energy and Efficiency Policy, Pembina Institute
Cell: 780-667-6519
Cherise Burda
Director, Ontario Energy Solutions, Pembina Institute
Phone: 416-824-0256