Canadian communities are increasingly becoming empowered to play a role in planning for their energy needs, including managing their energy demand and developing local renewable energy supplies. Energy planning is important for communities seeking to effectively address their current and future energy needs in a manner that is consistent with broader planning objectives such as

• improving the delivery, reliability and affordability of local services
• building a healthy, resilient community
• minimizing environmental impacts — including greenhouse gas emissions.

Our Work

The Pembina Institute has helped over 80 municipalities and Aboriginal communities with their energy planning projects. These have included

• establishing energy baselines and forecasting future energy needs
• assessing alternative energy technology potential
• local resource monitoring and financing options
• planning and implementing energy strategies that are innovative yet consistent with local planning objectives.

In each community, we customize our approach to provide an appropriate level of technical expertise, consultation and public engagement and ensure we deliver on the objectives set by the community.

Community Energy Planning

In Hartley Bay, British Columbia our team completed an energy baseline inventory and a stream monitoring program to determine the feasibility of installing a locally owned mini-hydro plant, which the First Nation is now building to replace their diesel generators.

The City of Dawson Creek, British Columbia asked the Pembina Institute to help improve the energy efficiency of its municipal operations as part of the City’s efforts to identify, understand and address energy issues throughout the community. The Pembina Institute completed an energy baseline study and provided a series of recommendations that met with strong support from the City’s council and staff.

 

The City has since implemented many of these recommendations, including installing a solar hot water system in City Hall and developing green vehicle and building policies.

In Wha Ti, Northwest Territories, in partnership with Ecology North, our team coordinated the installation of a demonstration solar water heating system and the provision of energy efficient technologies in the local store to help individuals reduce energy costs. The Pembina Institute also completed a community energy baseline to assess the feasibility of a hydro project. We facilitated community meetings to discuss the pros and cons of building either a mini-hydro system to supply the community or a larger system to export power.

Resource Monitoring

In Kyuquot, British Columbia our team completed resource monitoring of local hydro and wind resources to determine the feasibility of installing a local renewable energy system to eliminate the need for local diesel power and to create options for electricity exports.

Benefits

Our experience demonstrates that, by undertaking an energy planning process, communities are able to

• find ways to reduce local energy costs and emissions
• proactively plan for meeting future energy needs
• increase the energy efficiency of municipal, commercial and residential buildings and energy services
• build community awareness of energy issues
• improve the quality and affordability of energy services.

Find out more about our energy planning services for municipalities and Aboriginal communities, or contact

Jesse Row, P.Eng.

• Director, Sustainable Communities Group
• Email: jesser(at)pembina.org
  Phone: 403-269-3344 Ext. 110

Tim Weis, P.Eng.

• Sustainable Energy Engineer
• Email: timw(at)pembina.org
  Phone: 780-485-9610 Ext. 103