Evidence of meeting #106 for Natural Resources in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was federal.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Thank you.
I have two questions for you, Mr. Brooks. Certainly, I find that when our friends come to support the fossil fuel industry and inertia, and when they compare what we would use besides natural gas or fossil fuels, they always refer to dams. We know that hydroelectric dams are massive, huge projects, and yet in California right now, the largest contributor to the grid of California, which has a population the size of Canada, is battery power. The battery revolution is massive in both Texas and California. California is working to go from eight gigawatts to 42 gigawatts, while we're still sitting here talking about it. I want to ask you about the position that battery and wind are cheaper than natural gas.
Second, I also hear from my Conservative-minded colleagues that this is all provincial jurisdiction and we should let the provinces do whatever they want. But we are a G7 country. We have G7 obligations. We have signed international commitments. How important is it that we meet those commitments?
Programs Director, Environmental Defence Canada
Thanks for the question.
As I mentioned before, the batteries here in Ontario are significantly less expensive than a new gas plant. The government issued a contract. If we want to build a new gas plant in Napanee, that plant is going to cost $1,680 per megawatt. The battery plants they offered contracts to are going to cost $680 per megawatt, so it's 40% of the cost. The batteries are significantly less expensive than gas plants. Clean Energy Canada did the analysis around this, too. If we have wind power paired with batteries, it's going to come in cheaper than gas.
Also, we know these prices are going to be set for a long time, because we're not dependent on gas, which is a volatile commodity. Its price goes up and down based on events that are beyond our control and that happen outside this country.
On your question about Canada's international obligations and the provinces, we know some provinces are not on board with the clean electricity regulations. They're not on board with net zero by 2035. I think the federal government has an obligation, and not only to do its part as a G7 country. It is a signatory to the Paris Accord. We have an international obligation to be on track for net zero, to meet the Prime Minister's commitment to a net-zero grid by 2035 and to reduce our emissions. It's not only about meeting the targets this country has set, but also about doubling down on those targets and heeding the calls to action coming from the UN Secretary-General, the International Energy Agency and everybody watching.
This climate crisis is getting worse by the day. We have to do more, and we need the federal government to exert its power to work within its constitutional authority to get all the provinces in line, as well.
September 25th, 2024 / 6:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal George Chahal
Thank you.
We're at our allotted time for today. It's 6:30 p.m.
Thank you, witnesses, for providing your testimony and appearing on this study. If you have further written submissions you would like to provide the committee, please send them to the clerk.
Thank you, colleagues. I will see you next week.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Thanks to our chair for managing to get us right down to the minute. You do your job.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal George Chahal
Yes, it's right down to the minute. Thank you.
Have a great weekend. I'll see you next week on Wednesday for our next meeting.
That concludes our meeting. The meeting is adjourned.