In 2021, Canada passed the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act that aims to reduce the country's greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions by 2030 and gradually progress to net-zero emissions by 2050. This is a great undertaking that will require cooperation between government legislation and policies, electrical system operators, and building management/owners.
The Impact of Electric Vehicles - Infrastructure and System Operator Needs
While Canada already has a very clean energy grid through hydro and nuclear generation, the increased demand from electric vehicle charging will stretch existing infrastructure thin. Electric vehicles are predicted to become a large contributor to the country's growing energy demand especially with its growing adoption rate and provincial legislations. Studies have found that by 2050 the country's total electricity demand could increase by over 40% with over 10% of the total consumption attributed to transportation - requiring double or even triple the power generated by non-ghg emitting sources to keep up while minimizing emissions.
Financial Impact - Changes in Canadian Legislation
As Canada sets targets and takes action to make its zero emission goal a reality, different levels of government are likely to take action. Canadian building operators and owners should be prepared for financial incentives and penalties that may affect their core activities. Some examples of this are Toronto's plans to change its financial support system for building projects and the Carbon Tax. Although it is a part of a different program, the Carbon Tax acts part of the effort to reduce emissions and Canada's contribution to climate change.
The Role of Building Management - How Can You Be Affected?
In order to avoid missing out on incentives and potentially costly ghg-related penalties, building owners and operators should look into benchmarking their current energy performance and opportunities to increase energy efficiency. Benchmarking energy performance through an energy audit allows building performance to be accurately compared to any targets set by the government or other authorities, while also identifying a wide variety of energy saving measures from relatively quick changes to deep-retrofits.
How We Can Help
Mann Energy Solutions is a professional consulting engineering company that specializes in energy management, including energy audits, mechanical/electrical engineering and implementation and has experience working with different government levels, utilities, and service providers. We are experts at helping clients realize the highest value for their retrofit investments, and selecting the right incentives for their projects.
Some of our services include:
Free site walk-through by our experienced engineers and technicians to provide an initial site assessment
Engineering feasibility studies
Incentive study and application
Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) for a turnkey project
For more information or a complimentary assessment contact us through the main site, info@mannenergysolutions.com, or call (416) 201 9109 x 158.
Sources and Further Reading
Government of Canada - Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act
Energy Manager Canada - Net zero, emissions, penalties… sustainability is crucial for facilities management
Government of Canada - Carbon pollution pricing systems across Canada
Electric Autonomy - Canada must double or triple clean power generation to meet EV and zero-emissions targets, says IEA report
Canada Energy Regulator - Canada's Energy Future 2021 - Results