December 13, 2016 Re:…

December 13, 2016

Re: Support communities to go 100% renewable

Dear Minister,

I am a proud member, investor and founder of ZooShare Biogas Co-operative Inc., which has enabled me to directly benefit from community ownership of our projects, participate in co-op decision making, and learn about the positive environmental impacts of renewable energy and energy conservation.

I believe that Ontario must change course to be 100% powered by Renewable Energy by 2050.

I want Ontario’s Long-Term Energy Plan (LTEP) to set the goals, actions and timelines for such a transition. We need to see a comprehensive plan that switching to 100% renewable energy is a viable option for Ontario’s energy future.

More and more municipalities, countries and companies are well along in their planning to transition to 100% renewable energy. Ontario’s next energy plan should put policies in place to enable citizens, communities and Indigenous communities to go 100% renewable.

Put Conservation First

To fight climate change and reduce our environmental footprint, Ontario’s next energy plan must make conservation and efficiency the first priority for all energy decisions. This principle has to apply to our buildings, institutions, industries and transportation systems.

A recent government study* showed we have the potential to cost-effectively reduce electricity demand by 30% by 2035.   I think the government should pursue and promote all cost-effective conservation measures.

Seize Opportunities

I want Ontario to continue to be a leader in the green energy transition.

I’m extremely proud of Ontario’s leadership in phasing out coal and increasing energy from renewable sources, and I would like to see Ontario maintain its reputation as a climate leader.

I am concerned that three-quarters of our energy use still comes from fossil fuels, which are directly contributing to climate change. I believe we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels by encouraging adoption of electric vehicles, and investing in public transit and green district heating technologies.

Ontario should also ensure we take advantage of emerging innovations in clean technology, such as smart grids, and storage.

Empower Citizens and Communities to go 100% Renewable

Ontario’s Long-term Energy Plan should empower community groups and Municipalities as well as First Nations & Métis communities to become energy producers.

Government policies like the Feed In Tariff program have allowed communities to participate in and benefit from renewable energy production, which has led to a number of important and tangible benefits.**

I want Ontario to continue to ensure citizens and communities have opportunities to own and participate in renewable energy projects.

Build Resilient Communities

I am concerned about the impacts of climate change, and the probability of increasing erratic weather events such as ice storms, flooding and severe heat.

In order to reliably keep the lights on, I believe Ontario should strengthen our local power production and distribution systems, and rely less on large centralized power plants.

I am concerned with Ontario’s heavy reliance on a bulk energy supply from small number of large nuclear plants, and I believe decreasing our reliance on nuclear will lead to a more flexible, more cost-effective energy supply in the long run.

I want Ontario to empower local communities with the tools they need to go 100% renewable.

Thank you very much for taking the time to consider and review public input into Ontario’s next Long Term Energy Plan.

Sincerely,

Daniel Bida, CFA

Executive Director

*Source: Achievable Potential Study: Long Term Analysis, submitted to IESO on June 30, 2016. **TREC’s “Power of Community” report commissioned polling and economic modelling data to find that community owned renewable energy projects in Ontario have generated $2 in economic activity for every $1 spend on the projects, created twice as many jobs as industry-owned projects, increased grid resiliency and reliability, and enhanced public support for renewable energy. Read the report at: trec.on.ca/report/the-power-of-community/

[Original Comment ID: 206647]