Thank you for this…

Thank you for this opportunity to comment. We commend OMRF for exploring opportunities to enhance carbon storage in Ontario's Crown Forests. It is very important that both forests from Ontario's Crown and private lands contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions in support of Ontario's Climate Change Action Plan.

Below are some considerations when considering how Ontario's forests can help to mitigate climate change.

Developing a biomass industry in Ontario. Electricity generation from biomass has many co-benefits including GHG reduction, increasing renewable, green energy innovation, can help indigenous communities go off diesel, provide local employment and other social-economic benefits.

Ontario’s forests are being sustainably managed by the Province and by forest companies under Sustainable Forest Licenses. These practices need to continue to ensure that forests remain carbon sinks while providing a renewable fuel source for biomass electricity generation in Ontario. Electricity generated from biomass sourced in Ontario emits approximately 85 per cent less emissions in comparison to natural gas (UofT, 2014).

Remote Renewables. Ontario has many remote First Nation communities that rely solely on diesel powered generation. Renewable generation resources such as biomass potentially combined with energy storage could be added to these communities to reduce the need for diesel generation and associated emissions. Even if some of these communities are to eventually be grid-connected, local renewable generation resources will continue to produce emission free generation and help to provide additional resiliency and reduce the line losses associated with such long transmission lines.

Offsets from Forests from Crown and Private Lands. OPG supports and commends MOECC for their efforts to develop an effective compliance offsets system that will provide financial incentives to uncapped sectors to adopt emission reduction activities that they otherwise would not. Achieving this will ensure that Ontario’s CO2 emissions reductions are maximized and realized in an economically efficient manner. Offsets from forest projects should be eligible to be Ontario-based compliance offsets, or voluntary offset class for use by government and the private sector for the purpose of further greening covered sectors.

Thank you for this opportunity to comment. OPG would be happy to discuss any questions you may have.

Tammy Wong

Sr. Environmental Specialist

[Original Comment ID: 207927]