THIS WEEK
Planes, trains, and automobiles (ferries as well), a new solar project in B.C.'s wine country, and could nuclear fusion finally happen?
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INNOVATION
Five trends driving the global energy transition
Change happens, with or without us. And as the transition to clean energy gains momentum, Canada needs to be deliberate about positioning itself to succeed.
Clean Energy Canada’s new report, Energy, Disrupted, identifies five global trends disrupting energy as we know it—and explores whether Canada is keeping pace as markets evolve.
And while some Canadian companies are finding success in clean solutions—Vancouver’s Ballard Power is fresh off a record year for revenue—others, notably in Canada’s oil patch, are at risk of falling behind. Find out what the five trends are here.
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Vancouver leads the charge
Good news, Vancouverites: Soon, all resident parking spots in new condo buildings will need to be electric-car-ready. Previously, this was true for only 20% of parking stalls. Mayor Gregor Robertson says the focus now is on getting chargers in older buildings.
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Time to streamline
Canada should make it easier for industry to adopt cleantech, says a new report from Smart Prosperity. As group co-chair Stewart Elgie put it, "It's not just about solar panels and electric cars, it's also about massive opportunities for mining, energy, manufacturing and agriculture."
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An electric transportation revolution—not just cars
By land, sea and air, the electric revolution continues. Norway is ordering seven battery-powered electric ferries having seen success with its first one, the Ampere. Meanwhile, a self-flying, all-electric air taxi has taken off in New Zealand.
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It's called Summerland after all
Summerland in B.C.'s Okanagan is using a $6-million federal grant from the Gas Tax Fund to build a solar array along with supporting battery storage—enough to meet a little more than 1% of the district's current power needs. #BCWine continues to be #LowCarbonWine.
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China's battery leader invests in Quebec mining
China's biggest battery maker (which, as you can see below, is saying something) has taken a controlling stake in a lithium mine in Quebec. The investor, Contemporary Amperex Technology, has aspirations to beat out Tesla and BYD to become the world's largest battery producer.
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Bosnia gets its first wind farm
We talk a lot about all the wind turbines in China, so let's shine a light on Bosnia, whose very first wind farm began generating electricity last week. The 22 turbines will power 27,500 homes and cut carbon pollution—which is key to helping the coal-heavy country gain membership in the EU.
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To tax or not to tax, that isn't the question actually
"If you want to stop climate change—and most Canadians say they do—economists insist they know the most efficient way of making it happen. But as provincial opposition parties in two of Canada's biggest provinces seek to eject sitting governments, both will be running on a policy that says no to carbon taxes." CBC's Don Pittis examines the carbon tax's popularity problem.
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Nuclear fusion: are we finally getting close?
A major initiative between MIT scientists and a private company is close to achieving nuclear fusion, or so they say: “The aspiration is to have a working power plant in time to combat climate change. We think we have the science, speed and scale to put carbon-free fusion power on the grid in 15 years.”
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Tomorrow's energy landscape
Oil transformed much of the world. The clean energy transition will similarly shake up the geopolitics of energy, says a new feature in the Economist. One nice thing about clean energy is that it's less dependent on geographically determined resources and allows communities to generate their own power—the so-called democratization of energy.
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Clean Energy Review is sponsored in part by Genus Capital Management, a leading provider of fossil-fuel-free investments.
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Our new private Facebook group is now live! Join and share the group to connect with and support fellow Canadians powering our sustainable future.
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IMAGE & MEDIA CREDITS
Graphics: Clean Energy Canada (feel free to share them)
Plane photo: Cora
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