Alex Simakov is the senior research fellow for energy and environment at Policy Exchange in London. He previously served as a policy adviser to the Ontario minister of energy, northern development and mines.on new renewable energy projects puts at risk not only $3.7-billion in investment and 4,500 jobs, but the province’s reputation as one of the most business-friendly jurisdictions in North America.
Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf’s reasoning for the pause is grounded in genuine concerns and reflects challenges facing many jurisdictions at the forefront of the transition to a clean economy. Rural and farming communities can experience disruption, intermittent generation can strain transmission systems and undermine the economics of natural gas plants, and concerns regarding decommissioning and recycling must be resolved.
But while these are substantive issues, they are also entirely manageable and should be addressed concurrently with reforms to how the Alberta Utilities Commissions approves new projects – not with a blanket pause.is mistaken. Rather, farmers are the foremost beneficiaries of the sector.
Critics do have a point when they say that, with variable renewables now accounting for almost a third of the province’s installed generation capacity, they can increasingly erode the financial viability of the natural gas plants that provide 60 per cent of generation.
Meanwhile, it is understandable that Alberta is concerned with end-of-life planning for renewable energy projects. Home to thousands of