To reach net-zero, people and businesses must start generating their own electricity

Source: David O’Reilly | · THE GLOBE AND MAIL · | September 3, 2023

Source: Solar panels on roofs at the 'Solar Settlement Gelsenkirchen-Bismarck' in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on July 4. As the first solar settlement in the Ruhr area, it was built with 71 houses by two different developers as part of the funding program '50 Solar Settlements in NRW (North Rhine-Westphalia)'. INA FASSBENDER/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Despite intentions, incentives and taxes, Canada is poised to miss its 2050 carbon goals. Aside from the coal and gas power plants that are hindering the country’s transition to a net-zero power grid, the biggest headwind is the immense amount of renewable/emission-free power generation required to meet its emissions goals.

Driven by the projected electrification of the economy – including electric vehicles, population boom and residential electrification – electricity demand is set to double by 2050. Given where we are, Canada is simply not equipped to generate sufficient capacity in that timeframe.

What we need is a new model: Homeowners and businesses need to be incentivized to generate their own electricity. When homes and buildings are turned into producers of electricity, instead of simply consumers, they become “prosumers” – things that are both consumers and producers.

By prioritizing smart buildings, every Canadian household and business can contribute to the solution. With the use of solar panels, battery storage and the adaptation of existing inverter technology, Canada can substantially reduce demand from households and businesses and potentially move entire communities off positions where they exert pressure on the grid.