Episode 8: Does Ontario Really Need More Gas-Fired Power Plants?

The Ford government in Ontario has crafted a plan to not only build new gas-fired power plants in the province, but to also ramp up the use of our existing gas-fired plants, and that will mean giving back about half the gains that Ontario made by ending the use of dirty coal to generate electricity. Yet, in September 2022, Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator released a report entitled, Ontario’s Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Potential Study, prepared by Dunsky Energy and Climate Advisors. This report tells us that Ontario doesn’t need to increase its gas-fired energy capacity at all, and that we can meet our needs with a smart combination of distributed renewable power and efficiency programs instead... all while saving Ontarians $290 billion dollars.

Taking Action:

Take the Pledge for Climate Action (Ontario Green Party petition to Doug Ford to stop funding oil and gas projects): https://gpo.ca/climate/take-the-pledge/?source=C22.TTP.E.BTN

Resources:

Doug Ford government spent $231M to scrap green energy projects: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-green-energy-wind-turbines-cancelled-230-million-1.5364815

Why all of Canada will pay for Doug Ford’s choice to cancel Ontario’s cap-and-trade program: https://thenarwhal.ca/koch-sues-canada/

Ontario could be entering an energy supply crisis. Here’s what you need to know: https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-electricity-grid/

Ontario’s Coal Phase out: Lessons from a massive climate achievement: https://www.cleanairalliance.org/ontarios-coal-phase-out-lessons-from-a-massive-climate-achievement/

Costing the Cancellation of Cap and Trade: https://youtu.be/0y0nXLwQDJk

Metrolinx removes electric vehicle chargers from GO station parking lots: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/metrolinx-ev-charging-stations-1.4972890

Electricity Systems Operator’s 2021 outlook: https://www.ieso.ca/en/Sector-Participants/Planning-and-Forecasting/Annual-Planning-Outlook

Ontario’s Electricity Options: A Cost Comparison: https://www.cleanairalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/options2022nov.pdf

Does Ontario Need New Gas Plants? https://www.cleanairalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/New-Gas-fact-or-fiction-sheet-oct-18-v_02.pdf

Ontario’s Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Potential Study (The Dunsky Report): https://www.ieso.ca/-/media/Files/IESO/Document-Library/engage/derps/derps-20220930-final-report-volume-1.ashx

IESO Annual Planning Outlook (Ontario’s electricity system needs: 2023-2042): https://www.ieso.ca/-/media/Files/IESO/Document-Library/planning-forecasts/apo/Dec2021/2021-Annual-Planning-Outlook.ashx

IESO Recommends Shift to Grid-Scale Storage in Ontario, Relying on Natural Gas Expansions to Ensure Reliability in Near-Term: https://www.ieso.ca/Corporate-IESO/Media/News-Releases/2022/10/Grid-Scale-Storage-in-Ontario-Natural-Gas-Expansions-to-Ensure-Reliability-in-Near-Term

Distributed Energy Resources: https://www.ieso.ca/en/Learn/Ontario-Electricity-Grid/Distributed-Energy-Resources

Why is Ontario spending billions on nuclear energy when cheap renewables are available? https://sppga.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2021/10/Why-is-Ontario-spending-billions-on-nuclear-energy-when-cheap-renewables-are-available_-%E2%80%93-Canadian-Dimension.pdf

Written and narrated by Art Lightstone

Music:

Feels, by Patrick Patrikios
As Time Passes, by Zapsplat
Atmospheria, by Francis Preve
Investigations, by Kevin MacLeod
Movement, by Dave Miles
Half Cool, by Gemini
Dulce Reggaeton, by An Jone
Cryogenic, by Zapslat
No pressure, by Zapsplat
Rapid Turnaround, by Zapsplat
Deep in Thought, by Zapsplat
Still Learning, by Dave Miles
Exploring, by Zapsplat
Make You Move, by Ofshane