Scaling Up Clean Electricity

The report identifies a critical gap between current Canadian utility planning and the electricity supply needed for net-zero, suggesting that consumption must at least double by 2050. It proposes five catalysts to accelerate this transition, focusing on three supply-side actions: embedding net-zero mandates into regulator and utility roles, aligning resource planning with decarbonization pathways, and leveraging private and Indigenous capital to fund infrastructure. The document highlights that while Canada has abundant renewable resources, conservative demand forecasting and regulatory frameworks focused solely on low cost and reliability currently hinder the necessary build-out.

• To achieve net-zero by 2050, Canada's electricity sector must accommodate at least a doubling of current electricity consumption. This growth is expected to be driven primarily by buildings (approximately 50%), transport (one third), and the industrial sector (10–15%).
• There is a significant discrepancy between current utility planning and net-zero requirements. While decarbonization pathways indicate a need for 12%–25% more power by 2030, most utility plans fall short. Collectively, Canadian utilities plan for a 40% increase in output by 2050, whereas net-zero pathways require growth between 65% and 115%.
• Current regulatory frameworks in Canada act as a barrier because they prioritize safety, reliability, and lowest cost to ratepayers, with little to no requirement for utilities to meet net-zero targets.
• Indigenous entities are already significant players in the sector, acting as partners or beneficiaries of nearly 20% of Canada's electricity-generating infrastructure, most of which is renewable.
• The report recommends that provincial governments modernize regulator and utility mandates to embed net-zero objectives, allowing for the integration of electricity and natural gas systems and the use of load forecast scenarios consistent with net-zero modelling.
• Scaling the grid requires innovative financing to attract private capital and mitigate risks to ratepayers. Examples include the Innavik hydro project in Northern Quebec (a 50-50 equity partnership between an Inuit corporation and an independent power producer) and the Oneida battery energy storage project in Southern Ontario.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2022). Scaling Up Clean Electricity. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-05/scaling-up-clean-electricity-en.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Scaling Up Clean Electricity. 2022. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-05/scaling-up-clean-electricity-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Scaling Up Clean Electricity |date=May 2022 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-05/scaling-up-clean-electricity-en.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2022scaling, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Scaling Up Clean Electricity}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2022}, month = may, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-05/scaling-up-clean-electricity-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }