Washington International Renewable Energy Conference Article
(This is the full text of the article. Download the PDF version here.)
At the 2008 Washington International Renewable Energy Conference, Dan Reicher, CEO of Google, stated, “Policy can make or break this revolution”. This is a powerful message for the renewable energy movement, and a dominant theme at WIREC, along with the necessity for collaboration and commitment. It is clear that investors need a stable policy environment that guarantees a long-term return on investment, and it is imperative that networks are expanded and sustained to share these best practices worldwide.
Feed-in Tariffs
We left WIREC with a genuinely positive sense that countries around the world are rapidly moving in this direction. Much discussion revolved around the need for policy stability, and what is commonly referred to as Feed-in Tariff’s (FITs) took centre stage as the desired policy. This policy guarantee’s that producers of renewable energy, from a family home to a large business, can sell their power to utilities for an established price over a specific period of time. Presently, 65 countries promote renewable energy, with FITs established in 45 countries and regions. FITs bring financial security, remove price risk, and guarantee return on investment – exactly the support that investors and community power projects need.
On Thursday March 6th, Democratic Congressman Jay Inslee proposed a bill that if passed will establish FIT law in the U.S.A. This bill is titled “Clean Energy Buy-Back – Performance-Based Incentive” and provides concrete measures, which would lead to a massive increase in renewable energy penetration across the United States. As Canadians at the conference, we were proud to boast of Ontario’s own leadership in implementing a FIT, the Standard Offer Program (SOP). Ontarians have shown a positive response to the SOP as there is currently a back log in applications. (www.powerauthority.con.ca/SOP)
Pledges
One pivotal outcome from the conference is a collection of voluntary pledges, committing countries, regions, cities and organizations to advance the uptake of renewable energy. The pledges take many forms, from policy commitments, to renewable energy adoption targets, to program implementation.
Over 100 pledges have been made by more than 40 nations. Some highlights included:
• New Zealand pledged 90% renewables by 2025, 30% renewable energy electricity generation by 2010
• United States pledged $10 billion in loan guarantees for renewable and electric energy to make solar PV competitive by 2015, to produce 36 million gallons of bio-fuels by 2022, and to contribute $2 billion to new developing countries clean energy trust fund.
Coming out of the conference, we feel that these pledges have truly contributed to the collaborative nature of WIREC. Bringing together these commitments from all over the world, painted a unified picture of joint international efforts, moving forward to a renewable energy future.
Despite being strong advocates for Ontario’s SOP, our enthusiasm was stifled by Canada’s failure to contribute to the ministerial pledges session. As countries and organizations from around the world pledged to advance renewables, nothing new or progressive was pledged by Canada. In an effort to encourage a meaningful pledge, we met with the Canadian WIREC delegation a day before the pledge session to discuss the measures Canada should be taking in order to promote renewable energy development.
On a positive note, Canada has not yet missed the chance to commit a pledge. WIREC announced that pledges will remain welcome for a 30 day period following the session. This means that both federal and provincial governments still have time to make a pledge, and we encourage this move wholeheartedly. As a wealthy and progressive country, we believe that Canada can and should be doing more to develop the renewable energy sector. Not only is it an imperative in terms of greenhouse gas emission reductions, but it is also vital if we intend to keep pace with the rest of the world. As cited frequently throughout WIREC, a renewable energy economy is upon us, and only the countries with a stable enough policy and financial environment to support investment will rise to the top. In our opinion, the most salient recommendations drafted by CanREA should form Canada’s pledge. These commitments include:
• Establishing national targets for renewable energy and developing a national renewable energy strategy, including a renewable energy act.
• Providing support for community power generation.
• Participating actively in, and providing funding for international partnerships.
We wish to extend an invitation to Canadian governmental officials to attend the World Wind Energy Conference taking place June 24th-26th, 2008 in Kingston, Ontario.
http://www.wwec2008.com
IRENA International Renewable Energy Agency
At an international level, the most pivotal commitment a country could have made was to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). This international governmental agency will be a coalition of like-minded countries. Thus far, 20 countries have officially joined, 50 have been approached to date, with only a handful having declined – Canada being among them
For the future of IRENA however, the question is not if, but how and who. IRENA will be in action within a year, the support for this unique coalition is undeniable. In addition to the supporting countries, NGO’s and industry represent strong backing for the coalition, this support also stemming from the unanimous adoption of the International Parliamentary Forum on Renewable Energies resolution back in 2004, which included over 300 parliametaries from more than 70 countries.
The need for IRENA is also without question. It is a vital step towards a future free from dependency on _finite resources, a future of possibility, not limits. We need a unified voice with a single message. This security in the public mind will be crucial to expanding capacity and training such that today’s and the future’s demands are met. IRENA will be our IEA, tireless and unrelenting, but towards a renewable energy future.
With dependency on nuclear and other unsustainable technologies however, countries will never escape rising commodity prices and rising costs. With a mass scale up of renewable technology, innovation costs will fall. The coalition cannot be dismissed as merely another international body. IRENA will be a center of excellence, being home to the most state of the art technologies, and resources to assist with policy, financing, shared experiences, and best practices.
Canada still has the opportunity to be a part of all this. Pledges can still be made.
In the end however, with or without Canada, the international community can count on IRENA and on the advancement of renewable technology, innovation, and market penetration.
Wrap-up!
It is clearer than ever that the technology is available and ready today. Political will, like that which led to the Standard Offer Program (SOP), is what we need to ensure a clean energy future for Ontarians.
Ontario must continue to support renewables through updating the SOP (http://www.ontario-sea.org/pdf/RenewablesWithoutLimits.pdf).
At WIREC there was much enthusiasm for renewable energy policies like the one Ontario has, and now is the time for Canada to move forward to reach its full renewable energy potential.
Julia Balabanowicz
Valerie Kitchell
Lynda O’Malley
Lily Riahi
Embedded Quotes:
“I had a question. The question was what is the non-fossil alternative to nuclear energy, because there is no doubt fossil energies will run out. The question was why should it not be the renewable energy potential? Most people, including environmental activists answered, the potential would not be enough. But I didn’t believe that and I started to make my own research. My finding was that it would be enough ... by far enough.”
- Hermann Scheer, World Council for Renewable Energy
“Investing in renewable energy is no longer just about doing the right thing and being green, it’s also about making green.”
- Janet Sawin, Worldwatch Institute
“Energy for the people, by the people”
- James White, Chelan County Public Utility District