The cuts, implied in the federal budget and confirmed in subsequent media
reports, seem all the more baffling in that no alternatives have been
suggested. Why downgrade or destroy successful "made in Canada" programs
like EnerGuide for Houses that clean our air and reduce the impact of high
energy prices? It is Canadian homeowners who will suffer - in their
health, environment and pocketbooks.
Using energy more efficiently not only reduces emissions and cuts energy
bills, it delays expensive investments in new power and gas capacity,
makes our energy system (and country) more secure and provides new local
jobs across the country - not just in energy producing areas.
Consumers often lack the information necessary to make good choices; also
the equipment, services and financing they need are often not available.
EnerGuide for Houses provides a plan for energy efficient home renovation
as well as a financial incentive. This removes many of these "market
barriers." Without EnerGuide, the renovation boom will continue across
Canada but without these energy efficiency improvements- effectively
losing an opportunity that will not come again for decades. This could
have a destructive impact on the emerging energy efficient renovations
sector.
High energy bills are a major issue for low-income families. Why then is
the Harper government canceling the EnerGuide for Low Income Households
Program that received all-party support just last November?
The term "energy poverty" was coined in the United Kingdom to describe a
situation where a family pays more that 20 percent of its disposable
income on home energy. For 10 years the U.K. government has run energy
efficiency improvement programs just like the proposed EnerGuide for Low
Income Households that have not only lifted many people out of energy
poverty, but also resulted in measurable improvements in family health,
child education performance and workplace absenteeism through improved
housing quality.
The rest of the world is also moving quickly to increase investment in
low-impact renewable sources of energy through a variety of policies such
as tax credits, legally binding targets and special tariffs for new power
sources. Canada stands 9th in the Ernst & Young Renewable Energy
Investment Attractiveness Index - up from 18th two years ago. We still
rank below the U.S., Spain, Germany, Italy and France and even India and
China, and the proposed Harper cuts to renewable energy programs will
likely send Canada tumbling back down the index.
Among the cuts implied in the federal budget was a full abolishment of the
government's Renewable Energy Deployment Initiative (REDI), which provided
funds contributing up to 25 percent the total cost of solar thermal hot
water systems for energy intensive, commercial applications. If this cut
stands, Canada's only program supporting solar energy at the federal level
would be history, leaving only a few provincial programs to fill in the
gap.
Other countries are making investments in low-impact renewable energy
because they see beyond the fossil fuel era and want to ensure that they
have a mature and competitive renewable energy industry in place when the
inevitable transition to renewable energy comes later this century.
Renewable energy provides the only true "sustainable" source of energy -
offering air, land and water quality benefits and stable prices, as well
as increased local control, employment and security. No other energy
source can provide these.
The Harper government should recognize the value of energy efficiency and
renewable energy's contribution to clean air, reduced greenhouse gas
emissions and increased competitiveness. The Pembina Institute and others
have shown that home energy demand in Canada could be reduced by over 25
per cent through energy efficiency at a cost well below new energy
supplies. Renewable energy could meet much of the remaining demand. The
government should rescind last week's cuts and then work with provincial
governments and the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries to
produce and implement National Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Strategies.
Other countries are well ahead of us. Member states of the European Union
are negotiating binding directives that would reduce energy use by 20 per
cent across Europe. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recently
established a "Leadership Group" to prepare a national energy efficiency
plan. China is implementing its comprehensive new Renewable Energy Law.
The Harper government inherits a situation where provincial and municipal
governments, industry, consumers and non-governmental organizations are
eager to move forward on efficiency and renewable energy. There are
existing structures in place like the Council of Energy Ministers and the
National Advisory Council on Energy Efficiency. Stakeholder groups such as
the Canadian Energy Efficiency and Renewable Alliances, the Canada Wind
Energy Association, the National Association of Insulation Manufacturers,
the Canada Green Building Council and the Green Communities Association
are all ready to help.
It's time to get serious about energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Canadians deserve it.
About the author...
Roger Peters is Senior Technical and Policy Advisor on Renewable Energy
and Energy Efficiency for the Pembina Institute. Roger is a professional
engineer with 30 years experience in energy efficiency and renewable
energy working for government, industry and non-government organizations.
Roger guides the Pembina Institute's work on renewable energy and energy
efficiency policy and financing.
