Beware of Greeks bearing gifts..Alberta’s environment and utilities ministers are sounding alarm bells over the federal government’s plans to decarbonize the electricity grid..On Tuesday, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson outlined the Liberal government’s vision in Vancouver for decarbonizing Canada’s electrical grid by 2035. It comes as Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault is preparing draft regulations for release sometime in October.. Alberta environment minister SchulzAlberta Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz in Calgary. .In typical ‘good cop-bad cop’ fashion, Wilkinson held out a bag of carrots in the form of new investment tax credits and programs for renewable electricity projects and technology upgrades while Guilbeault sat on the sidelines holding the the stick..Although Wilkinson held out the prospect of “compromise” around issues such as affordability and standing of assets, UCP cabinet ministers who have dealt with him and Guilbeault on the matter expressed grave concerns..In a joint statement, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz and Minister of Affordability and Utilities Nathan Neudorf said Alberta would not recognize any target that will massively drive up the cost of Alberta power bills while simultaneously risking the integrity of Alberta’s grid..“Under normal circumstances, this would be welcome news. Unfortunately, the federal government has a track record of announcing tax credits and programs and then failing to follow through,” Schulz said..She noted the amount of funding announced today, approximately $40 billion, is “a pittance” compared with the estimated $1.7 trillion in funding that would be required to fully transition the grid by 2035. Alberta has instead proposed 2050..“Alarmingly, reports indicate that Minister Wilkinson and Minister Guilbeault are considering prohibiting access to these funds, should they ever become available, to provinces that will not commit to their unrealistic 2035 timeline.” .This would obviously penalize the provinces most in need of assistance in transitioning to a carbon-neutral grid, including Alberta, she said.. Nathan NeudorfNathan Neudorf .Neudorf was equally reticent over comments from Wilkinson regarding Alberta’s “robust” renewable power market which he said is leading the country..“Alberta is Canada’s leader in renewable electricity development. However, there are many concerning issues around the rapid pace of development, which is why we have recently paused approvals to review how renewable projects move forward,” Neudorf said. .Neudorf acknowledged that renewables will play a key part in Alberta’s electrical grid, “but it is essential that we do this right so Albertans are able to count on reliable electricity without intermittency.”.“We are rapidly reducing emissions, but Ottawa’s goal for net zero by 2035 is overly ambitious and poses significant challenges for electricity reliability and affordability. Not to mention, their upcoming Clean Electricity Regulation and other policies are driving instability and uncertainty.”.The Western Standard has reached out to Minister Wilkinson for comment.
