Final Thoughts Power to change By Tim Hoy Why Canada needs biomass-based, community energy infrastructure W hen properly managed, trees, for-estry, and biomass are sustainable, renewable resources that drive many communities’ economy. Today, these communities are suffering as control over these resources has moved further away and the intricate synergies between the forest ecosystem, energy, and industry are ignored by corporations and policy makers. The “build it and they will come” men-tality of the major hydroelectric develop-ments promised the creation of secondary and tertiary industries in rural communi-ties. Utility Acts were established to reg-ulate and ensure equal access to cheap electricity as these developments moved forward. Unfortunately, Canada remains a primary resource exporter, with little value-added manufacturing, and a net importer of manufactured goods. Monop-olistic utilities have become political tools with many examples of politicians over-ruling regulatory bodies to justify projects that do not meet the interests of those the regulations are meant to protect. Mandates are now decades old and there appears to be no will or vision to renew them. Governments remain committed to subsidized energy production as a means to enable mega projects but are unable to resolve the issues around rural decline, meaningful employment, youth engage-ment, forest stewardship, rural economic diversification, and climate action. The current utility model and mandate has no way of addressing the challenges commu-nities face and the energy systems have become an impediment to much-needed change. The focus has shifted to justify-ing the paradigm and maintaining power with an effective veto on distributed com-munity-scale energy projects. The wellbeing of urban economies is re-liant on the vibrancy of our rural commu-nities. However, there is no requisite level of reciprocal value provided to maintain rural communities’ health and wellbeing, which is essential to urban sustenance and commerce. For rural communities the real-ity is widespread closures of local business-es and systems that do not enable econom-ic access to the remaining forest resources. Where resources are still being accessed it is being done unsustainably and irrespon-sibly. Community leaders have no tools to revitalize and rebuild their economies and are relegated to dispersing funds from gov-ernment emergency programs. Despite the negativity, there is a real, near-term solution to these issues. We need to change how we value our ener-gy and forestry resources: moving from the allure of cheap electricity and gas to schemes that integrate broader communi-ty and stakeholder objectives. The pendu-lum needs to swing from large generation and grid infrastructure upgrades to allow the inclusion of distributed communi-ty-based energy infrastructure. Globally, there is a transition toward distributed energy systems, but Canada is lagging be-hind. Thought leaders have clear visions of how energy and forestry should be linked. The technology to build integrated, com-munity-scale forest enterprises which fully utilize the harvest profile is proven and readily available. Economic modelling and business plans are built. Negotiations are underway. What is needed now is clear policy and mandates to create a space for these projects to move forward. Change requires a willingness to loosen the reins of power. Communities need a say in how energy infrastructure is devel-oped and deployed in their jurisdictions. The answer does not require communi-ties to break away from existing energy in-frastructure and the benefits that it brings to many ratepayers. The answer is en-abling the development of biomass-based, interdependent community-led energy utilities and infrastructure that integrate with other renewable resources, existing energy grids and hydro-electric gener-ating resources. This will provide local electricity and thermal energy generation that enhances forest-based industry and accomplishes community mandates. The overall system will have better resiliency and improved economics, eliminating the need for many expensive and contentious infrastructure upgrades required under the current paradigm. Locally and collec-tively the energy system is strengthened and resiliency improved. Governments need to empower thoughtful, well-planned projects through clear mandates to their utilities and regu-lators to enable community-based devel-opers to move forward with these proj-ects. The status quo isn’t going to create change – innovation is needed. Innovation requires risk, which utilities and govern-ment are not equipped for or prepared to accept. Conversely, communities and in-novators have proven that when given ad-equate time and resources, the risks can be engineered out and amazing things can be achieved. Refusing to change in a chang-ing world is the riskiest proposition of all! If rural communities are going to thrive – not just survive – change is needed. Distribute the generation, build the com-munity infrastructure in forestry-based communities, acknowledge that biomass provides a unique spectrum of firm ener-gy, electrical and thermal, and energy stor-age in solid, liquid, and gas form. We have the technology and tools to do things better but do we have the cour-age and political will to allow communi-ties to take back their power? • Tim Hoy is the president of Clean Energy Consulting. SPRING 2020 30 Canadian BIOMASS
Canadian Biomass Spring 2020: Page 30
