Energy Strategies - Prince Edward Island

Ministry of Energy

Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry


Minister

The Honourable Richard Brown


Documents


Prince Edward Island Overview

The Prince Edward Island Energy Strategy and Prince Edward Island and Climate Change: A Strategy for Reducing the Impact of Global Warming were released in 2008, part of three-volume provincial “policy series.” Together with Island Wind Energy: Securing Our Future: The 10 Point Plan, which elaborates on the strategy’s stated goal of 500 MW of wind power by 2013, these documents outline the province’s energy targets into 2025. Consistent with provincial energy strategies emphasizing the financial benefits to progressive energy use, the documents outline benefits including increased energy security and the community trusts that would distribute revenues from wind farms.

As a jurisdiction that imports most of its electricity (90 per cent from New Brunswick), PEI’s emphasis on wind power and an increasing biomass supply (50 percent increase in leading to 10 MW of new electrical generation capacity) provides the province with a path to reduce its reliance on imported energy. Energy efficiency measures coordinated by The Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE), including direct incentives, loan programs, grants and rebates, would support this diversification with energy reductions in construction, transportation and government consumption. Demonstrating the importance of energy efficiency to PEI’s overall energy strategy, these efficiency measures are featured in both its energy strategy and climate change documents.


Objectives

The Prince Edward Island Strategy includes three objectives that guide the province’s actions on energy. These objectives, in turn, correspond to common themes found throughout Canada’s other provincial and territorial energy strategies.

  • Energy Security (Greater Self Sufficiency, Improved Price Stability, Diversity of Supply)
  • Environmental Sustainability (Increased Energy Efficiency and Reduced Consumption, Renewable Energy Development, Reduced GHG Emissions and Other Pollutants)
  • Economic Development (Support Growth of Local Industries and New Job Opportunities, Research, Development & Demonstration of New Technologies, Strengthen and Diversify Local Economy)

Timeline

2009
  • Prepare an annual Climate Change Report
  • Commence an energy audit program for all government owned facilities
  • Amend the Transportation Efficiency Standard and require that all new government light duty vehicles be 80 percent more fuel efficient than other vehicles in their class
  • Implement a reserved parking area for vehicles involving carpools of 3 or more employees at the Shaw, Sullivan, Jones building complex in Charlottetown
2010
  • Examine mandatory emissions testing for heavy-duty vehicles
  • Utilities [must] acquire at least 15 percent of electrical energy from renewable sources
2013
  • 500 MW of wind power on line (100 MW will be for domestic use)
  • A provincial E5 and B10 (or B10 renewable equivalent) renewable fuel standard will be introduced
  • 50 percent increase in biomass leading to 10 MW of new electrical generation capacity
  • Double [the province's] renewable energy portfolio standard from 15% to 30%
2018
  • The provincial Renewable Fuel Standard will be doubled
2020
  • 10 percent for greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels;
2025
  • Reduce the amount of CO2 emitted per megawatt hour of electricity use by 20% of current emissions