Simon Fraser University researchers call for Canada to prioritize utility-scale solar projects, arguing they are vital for a successful transition to green energy. The report highlights the vast potential for solar energy across Canada and challenges the misconception that the country is unsuitable for large-scale solar installations.
Simon Fraser University's Clean Energy Research Group (CERG) is urging Canada to prioritize the development of utility-scale solar projects as a crucial step in its transition to green energy. These large-scale projects, combining solar power generation with battery storage technology, offer a highly efficient and sustainable energy solution.
Co-authors Anil Hira, director of CERG and a political science professor at SFU, and Prasanna Krishnan, a CERG team member and principal at Surya Energy Consulting, challenge the misconception that Canada is unsuitable for solar energy. Their research, published in Solar Compass in December 2024, highlights the vast potential of solar energy across various regions of Canada. Hira points to areas in the prairies, Ontario, and even parts of British Columbia as ideal locations for utility-scale solar installations. These provinces, according to a Government of Canada graphic, demonstrate significant photovoltaic potential, meaning they are capable of generating substantial amounts of energy from sunlight. Solar energy, Hira argues, offers multiple advantages over other renewable sources, such as its geographic flexibility, scalability, and decreasing costs. Over the past decade, the cost of installing solar panels has plummeted by an estimated 90 percent. While solar makes up roughly four percent of global electricity generation, its contribution in Canada remains paltry at just 0.5 percent. Addressing concerns about land use for large-scale solar projects, the authors suggest concentrating development in marginal areas with abundant sunlight and limited alternative uses. This approach, they believe, mitigates concerns about community acceptance and minimizes environmental impact. They cite the proposed Upper Nicola Band/Okanagan Nation Alliance utility-scale solar farm project in the interior as an example, where the project would be built on nearly 100 acres of underdeveloped land characterized by low-lying vegetation. Hira and Krishnan acknowledge the disparity in solar policy between Canada and other countries, particularly the United States. They lament the lack of robust lobbying efforts for solar energy in Canada compared to nations like Germany, where feed-in tariffs have fueled widespread solar adoption. Furthermore, they express concern about the potential for a setback in renewable energy progress under a possible Conservative government in Canada and a renewed Trump administration in the United States. While recognizing the environmental challenges associated with solar waste, they emphasize the urgency of transitioning away from fossil fuels, citing their detrimental effects on agriculture, climate change, and public health. Ultimately, they advocate for a shift in political will and public support towards embracing solar energy as a cleaner and more sustainable alternative
Solar Energy Renewable Energy Utility-Scale Projects Canada Environmental Transition Climate Change
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