For further information please contact Dr. Jose Etcheverry at mobile    1.416.843.2484    and/or via email at rejose @ yorku.ca.

Keep up to date on COP 15 results and international renewable energy activities through the following sites: 

Climate Action Network Canada:

http://www.climateactionnetwork.ca/e/

Danish Nordic Folkecenter for Renewable Energy:

http://www.folkecenter.net/gb/news/world/COP_15/

International Renewable Energy Agency:

http://www.irena.org/

International Feed-in Cooperation:

http://www.feed-in-cooperation.org/

“Our goal was to capture the momentum of Ontario’s new Green Energy Act, and work towards 100 per cent sustainable energy,” said Kristopher Stevens, executive director of OSEA. “The new International working group with WWEA will work to document and share best practices in community power while strengthening the world wide network of local sustainable energy leaders.’

Former Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, George Smitherman, delivered the keynote speech and renowned environmentalist, Dr. David Suzuki, attended as Honourary Chair. For highlights from the conference visit http://www.cpconference.ca/

Toronto, September 24 2009

Today the Ontario government officially launched its Feed-in Tariff Program and it is the most comprehensive of its kind in the entire continent of the Americas. Under the Green Energy Act, the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) will run two programs – the FIT Program for large renewable power generators and the MicroFIT Program for systems less than 10 kW. For a summary of the program download OPA’s fit-program-overview-nov1909

More details may be found on the OPA FIT web site: http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/fit/

For background on the FIT Programs and the Green Energy Act visit: http://www.allianceforrenewableenergy.org/canada-reps.html

“This exciting announcement will position Ontario as the most advanced renewable energy jurisdiction in North America” stated Dr. Jose Etcheverry President of the Canadian Renewable Energy Alliance.

In addition, Ontario’s Energy Minister, Hon. George Smitherman, earlier this week announced new transmission investment for grid expansions to accommodate renewable energy (RE) development, for details please read the article:

Ontario commits $2.3 billion over three years to grid upgrades, expansion

Last evening Minister Smitherman also announced two new funds that aim at supporting community power projects (to facilitate project feasibility, environmental and engineering studies), and to support municipalities so they can recoup costs associated with infrastructure improvements as a result of RE projects (road expansions, drainage, etc.).

“Ontario is quickly emerging as a global leader in renewable energy that rivals the renewable energy superpowers in Europe and elsewhere” said Dr. Hermann Scheer, President of EUROSOLAR; General Chairman of the World Council for Renewable Energy and Member of the German Bundestag (Federal Parliament). “The success of feed-in tariff programs in many European countries has shown they are the right choice for regions serious about renewable energy. Ontario has chosen wisely and will surely reap the rewards.”

For further information contact

Dr. Jose Etcheverry

Click to Email Dr. Etcheverry

The Canadian Renewable Energy Alliance (CanREA) was well represented at the 7th Annual World Wind Energy Conference “Community Power: Energy Autonomy for Local Economies” hosted by The Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) and the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) at St Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario on June 24 to 26 2008. CanREA co-sponsored a pre-conference workshop on feed-in tariffs where speakers from around the world desrcibed their experiences with these policies and how they could be used in Canada. Click here to view the conference resolution.

Feed-in tariffs, also known as Advanced Renewable Tariffs or Renewable Energy Payments, have been proven in Europe as the best policy to accelerate investment in renewable energy. They provide guaranteed access to the grid for renewable energy power sources and provide a premium price sufficient for these sources to provide an adequate return for investors. Communities benefit directly from the resulting economic and social development – as well as the opportunity to own and operate the renewable power project. Ontario has had a limited type of feed-in tariff since 2006 called the Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program (RESOP).

For more information see the Fact Sheet and Primer Feeding the Grid Renewably. To find out about the new North American campaign to promote renewable power using feed-in tariffs visit http://www.allianceforrenewableenergy.org

From March 3-6, 2008 ministers from around the globe along with 9000 other delegates met in Washington to discuss ways of scaling up renewable energy. At the Washington Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC) —the largest renewable energy conference ever held—each country was asked to make major new policy commitments that will support new investment in renewable energy technology. A parallel business conference and trade show illustrated the latest renewable energy technologies.Investors love the low risk, fast pay back from renewable energy projects which can be installed quickly and do not depend on future fuel prices.

Key conclusions from WIREC included:

Canada is lagging behind the rest of the world on the use of renewable energy, yet it has more renewable energy resources than most other countries. The lack of a strong Canadian commitment to renewable energy is a huge lost opportunity. We are missing out on the fastest growing energy source of the 21st century and one of the best ways to tackle global warming. Instead Canada chooses to support unreliable and environmentally problematic technologies like nuclear energy as well as unproven technologies like carbon capture and storage.

Read the report on WIREC by CanREA member Roger Peters from the Pembina Institute.
Download the CanREA media release calling on Canada to make new commitments at WIREC.
Download the background document describing how far Canada lags behind other countries.
Read the WIREC conference summary notes. March 4-6, 2008

Media Release, February 28, 2008

On March 3, 2008, ministers from around the globe will meet in Washington to discuss ways of scaling up renewable energy. At the Washington Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC) – the largest renewable energy conference ever held – each country will be asked to make major new policy commitments that will support new investment in renewable energy technology.

The combination of renewable energy with significant improvements in energy efficiency is the leading option to address global warming. A transition to renewable energy will also bring improvements in air and water quality, energy security, access to energy and economic development.

Despite having more renewable energy resources than most other countries, Canada is lagging behind the rest of the world on its use.

CanREA calls for the Canadian government to immediately adopt nine renewable energy policies and announce them at WIREC.

1. By 2009 establish national targets for renewable energy and develop a national renewable energy strategy, including a renewable energy act.

2. Scale up current incentive programs for renewable power by three fold over the next five years.

3. Introduce a national tax credit for residential and small business solar water heaters.

4. Provide support for community power generation.

5. Support renewable energy deployment in the North.

6. Support sustainable, renewable biomass heating fuels.

7. Develop sustainability criteria for renewable agricultural and bio-fuels.

8. Establish a high-level national task force on renewable power grid integration, power storage and transmission.

9. Participate actively in and provide funding for international partnerships.

Download the media release.
Download the background document.

The CEEA and CanREA announced their collaboration on a national energy efficiency strategy paper. The paper, which was distributed to Federal government officials, recommends the following steps be taken to achieve a national energy efficiency strategy;

1. Leadership and foundation building.

2. Regulatory actions and higher performance standards.

3. Building capacity to deliver technology and services, and empowering citizens and business to acquire them.

4. Federal procurement policy for efficient technology.

5. Direct Investment and Financing.

6. International cooperation.

The paper highlights the fact that maximizing energy efficiency is the most effective way of cleaning Canada’s air and delivering economic value to Canadians by reducing the amount of energy they use. It also suggests that reducing energy consumption will help reduce air emissions, thereby having water and land use benefits, improved energy security and local control, and provide employment and economic opportunities in all parts of the country. Download the document.

The Canadian Renewable Energy Alliance (CanREA) called on federal and provincial energy ministers to begin the development of a National
Renewable Energy Strategy at the Council of Energy Minister’s Annual meeting being held this year in Whitehorse, YT on Monday, August
28th, 2006. CanREA released its own model strategy in July and is urging ministers to make energy efficiency and renewable energy the
cornerstones of provincial and national energy policy. Read the release.

CanREA hosted an international conference on renewable energy and climate change December 1st and 2nd 2005 in Montreal. The conference coincided with the first Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol held in Montreal November 28 to December 9. CanREA members also participated in several side events at COP 11. More…