| The world's nations are concerned about the potential | | | | already produce most of Canada's electricity. Quebec, |
| end of fossil fuels and the effect this would have on | | | | Manitoba, Labrador, and Yukon produce over 90% of |
| their energy infrastructures. Equally of concern is the | | | | their electricity this way. |
| economy, both the global economy and the economies | | | | Canada has plentiful solar energy resources, |
| of the individual nations. There is broad agreement | | | | particularly in Ontario, Quebec, and the Prairies. |
| amongst them that these two concerns - green | | | | Although currently only a small part of Canada's |
| energy and economy - are intertwined. Amongst the | | | | energy production, there is a solar power infrastructure |
| nations looking for solutions is Canada. | | | | in place mainly for non-electric space and water |
| Total global investment in renewable energy, in 2008, | | | | heating. Government studies show solar energy could |
| was greater than all combined investment in nuclear, | | | | account for five percent of energy needs by 2025. |
| natural gas and coal electricity. Renewable energy | | | | Many areas of Canada are hard to reach and/or |
| initiatives attracted almost US$148 billion worldwide. | | | | sparsely populated. Thus, they do not have easy |
| Nations that work to create renewable energy | | | | access to the nation's energy grid. Here solar power is |
| solutions will attract the bulk of this money. Therefore, | | | | already put to use through photovoltaic cells. PV cells, |
| if it wishes to remain globally competitive in this new | | | | when exposed to light, use semiconductor materials to |
| world market, Canada needs to present itself as an | | | | generate directly electric power. In the northern |
| attractive market in order to win these investments | | | | provinces and territory, they have are used as |
| and prevent them going elsewhere, most likely the | | | | standalone units to distribute electricity, particularly for |
| United States. | | | | remote homes, telecommunications equipment and |
| The United States Recovery and Reinvestment Act | | | | navigational devices. Because they replace the costly |
| of 2009 invests nearly fourteen times as much in | | | | diesel fuel systems that used to provide this energy, |
| renewable energy than Canada's Federal Budget of | | | | they also benefit the economy of these areas. |
| that same year. | | | | Currently 1.1 percent of Canada's electricity is produced |
| Another cause for concern and research and | | | | by ninety-nine wind farms. The Canadian Wind Energy |
| development in renewable energy is the need to | | | | Association states it could reach a capacity of 55,000 |
| reduce carbon emissions in order to halt or slow | | | | MW by 2025, meeting 20 percent of Canada's needs. |
| climate change. The International Energy Agency | | | | The impact on the economy is already on display in |
| calculates that the nations of the Major Economies | | | | parts of the country. Ontario's Green Energy and |
| Forum need to spend three to six times more per | | | | Green Economy Act of 2009 incentivizes |
| year than they are currently if they wish to reach their | | | | homeowners to use renewable energy generators like |
| goal of fifty percent reduction in emissions from 2005 | | | | solar panels by offering low- or no-interest loans to |
| levels by 2050. | | | | finance the cost. |
| One notable R&D investment is that of carbon capture | | | | In British Columbia, GLOBE Foundation of Canada |
| and storage. Canada claims to be strongly in favor of | | | | estimates the province's recent turn to a green |
| this and to be providing robust investment. However, | | | | economy could be worth over 27 billion dollars by |
| nations who have not evinced a strong commitment to | | | | 2020. It is already responsible for 117,000 full time jobs |
| climate change such as the United States and | | | | and over 15 billion dollars of provincial GDP. |
| Australia are still outspending Canada's 19 million by | | | | Canada already has the resources and the systems in |
| hundreds of millions. | | | | place for renewable energy. It remains for the nation |
| If Canada wishes to enter fully into the renewable | | | | to decide how fully it wishes to develop and integrate |
| energy economy, it already has a strong base from | | | | them into the global green market and economy grid. |
| which to develop this capacity. Hydroelectric dams | | | | |