Thank you for the question. In the case of geothermal energy, there is a standard for installation and systems design. It is known by the name of CSA-C448. That standard was developed about 15 years ago—its previous version was called C445—but it has never since been revised. We realized, in developing our quality program over the past four years, that the standard had never been applied. There is a serious need to review that standard, if only to give the people who have to regulate systems installation in their areas more confidence, particularly the municipalities that refer to the standard, which moreover is cited in the National Building Code.
However, we realize that large portions of the standard do not cover the current reality of the geothermal markets, particularly as regards geothermal heat pumps operating on natural gas. There's no standard. We've had some pilot projects in Alberta and Quebec, among others, and there's currently one underway in Saskatchewan, but there is no standard. In the absence of standards, the potential danger is that everything that's decided at the federal or provincial level in terms of renewable energy policy, a municipality has the power to destroy in five minutes during one municipal council meeting. In the absence of standards, that's what we are exposing ourselves to. So as regards renewable energies as a whole, or the way in which energy is transported in an area or community, the absence of standards jeopardizes this entire idea of integrated energy services because some elements will be subject to standards, while others will not. In my view, there is an important role for the federal government to play to support the establishment of standards for all forms of renewable energy and, in particularly, to update them.