VOLTE FACE

The report argues that Canada must transition to larger, cleaner, and smarter electrical systems to achieve net-zero emissions. It highlights the need for a massive increase in production capacity, the elimination of fossil fuel power, and enhanced grid flexibility. To overcome institutional and financial barriers, the authors recommend 'electro-federalism,' where the federal government provides strategic funding and standards while provinces manage regional implementation and integration.

• Achieving net-zero emissions requires a 'great transition' where domestic energy consumption shifts from natural gas and gasoline to clean electricity, with electricity's share of household energy projected to rise from 23% in 2020 to 96% by 2050.
• Canada's electrical systems must expand significantly to meet rising demand; electricity demand is expected to increase by a factor of 1.6 to 2.1 by 2050, requiring production capacity to grow by 2.2 to 3.4 times current levels.
• To decarbonize the grid, Canada must phase out fossil fuel power without mitigation (which could be reduced to less than 1% of total production by 2050) and accelerate wind and solar deployment, which should account for 60% to 95% of added capacity by 2030.
• Grid 'intelligence' and flexibility are essential to integrate variable renewables and improve climate resilience, requiring solutions such as large-scale energy storage, improved interregional interconnections, and demand-side flexibility.
• The transition may put upward pressure on electricity tariffs in some regions, potentially exacerbating energy poverty for low-income households and undermining public support for electrification.
• The report proposes 'electro-federalism,' a coordinated approach where the federal government implements a clean electricity standard and provides predictable funding, while provinces eliminate barriers to interregional integration and mandate climate goals for utilities.

APA

Canadian Climate Institute (2022). VOLTE FACE. https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Volte-face-4-mai-2022.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Climate Institute. VOLTE FACE. 2022. https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Volte-face-4-mai-2022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Climate Institute |title=VOLTE FACE |date=May 2022 |url=https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Volte-face-4-mai-2022.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianclimateinstitute2022volte, author = {{Canadian Climate Institute}}, title = {{VOLTE FACE}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, year = {2022}, month = may, url = {https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Volte-face-4-mai-2022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }