Hydro-Québec has a new program to help Québecois who would like to lower their utility bills and their fossil-fuel consumption at the same time. It’s called Dual Energy, and with it, residents can hope to access more affordable electricity rates and update their home’s heating system. Read on to learn more about the program.

What is dual energy?

Dual energy is using electricity as your home’s primary energy source during non-peak demand. During peak winter, when temperatures dip below -12°C, natural gas will be used as an auxiliary heating source to meet demand.

The dual energy program allows customers to get access to grants for upgrading their home’s heating system and adding an electric heat pump, even if they don’t immediately remove their old natural gas system. Residents are eligible for $5,500-$5,800 in grants from HVAC contractor bids.

Why should I inquire about dual energy?

Dual energy will allow customers to reduce their natural gas consumption by more than 70%. Québec’s electricity grid is roughly 94% hydroelectricity, and the province is home to some of the largest hydropower plants. So, reducing fossil-fuel dependence will go a long way to helping the province, and Canada as a whole, to meet their net-zero targets.

You will also get access to HydroQuébec’s Rate DT. Rate DT is a more affordable electricity rate available for those who use dual energy. So long as you use natural gas (or your other fossil-fuel source) during extreme cold spells to minimize pressure on demand, the average rate you pay for your electricity throughout the year will be lower than HydroQuébec’s first-tier rates.

Province-wide, for those who already use an exclusively electrical heating system, the widespread adoption of dual energy will lower electricity demand during winter peaks, driving electricity costs down. So, you still benefit even if you don’t have dual energy.

Who qualifies for the dual energy program?

Residential Énergir customers with a natural gas-powered forced air or hot water boiler heating system. These can be single-family detached homes, duplexes, triplexes, condos or rental buildings consisting of 4-19 units with separate heating systems.

Be warned, if you already have an electric or dual energy system, or you have completed similar upgrades prior to June 21, 2022, or you are not connected to Énergir’s natural gas network for at least 12 months prior to the work, you will not be eligible for the programs.

For the full list of conditions, visit the bottom of Énergir‘s page.

How can I take advantage of this program?

Simply contact Énergir, who will support you throughout your purchase. After your eligibility is determined, contractors will submit bids for work and the amount of financial assistance you can get. You can then book a work request with your contractor of choice, and they will install your new equipment on the agreed-upon dates.

When can I take advantage of this offer?

Residential customers can take advantage as of June 2022.

Commercial and industrial consumers can expect to have a similar offer to them available later in 2023 after receiving approval from the Régie de l’énergie.

“Time-of-use vs Tiered?” is a question Ontarians have been asking themselves since 2020. That was when all consumers in Ontario became free to choose a pricing plan that best suits their lifestyle and individual electricity use. However, before switching plans, it’s essential to know the difference between Time-of-use (TOU) and Tiered rates to find out which one is the most money-saving option, considering their pros and cons as well as your consumption. 

If you choose the Time-of-Use (TOU) setup, your bill will be based on when and how the electricity is used (time, frequency, etc.). If you decide on the Tiered prices, you can consume a certain amount of electricity each month at a lower price, however, once that limit is exceeded, a higher price is applied.

Once you make a decision, you can request to switch between TOU and Tiered pricing at any time by contacting the distribution company (LDC) in your region to apply to change the electricity rate plan after completing and submitting an election form. Here’s an example from EPCOR on what the form looks like; you can find more details on their website. The switch will be effective in the next billing cycle in most cases.

Tiered or Time-of-use: Which plan is better?

Taking into consideration that with Tiered rates, electricity prices remain constant during the day, and if you use most of your electricity on weekdays, this could probably be the most affordable option — as long as your household uses less than 1,000 kWh/month in winter and 600/month kWh in summer.

Those who have the option to use more of their electricity during off-peak hours may prefer the TOU option. Other ones may favour Tiered prices because they want the flexibility to use electricity at any time of the day.

The average Ontario household uses about 800 kWh of electricity per month. Although that is useful information, the best way to know if one plan or another fits you best is to consider your energy consumption and habits.

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) has a calculator that enables users to enter their consumption and bill details to compare what their bill would cost with each type of plan. The more energy bill details you enter, the more accurate the estimate gets.

According to the OEB, there are three TOU price periods:

• Off-peak, when electricity demand is lowest.
• Mid-peak, when electricity demand is moderate. These periods are during the daytime, but not the busiest times of the day.
• On-peak, when electricity demand is generally higher. These are the busier times of day – generally when people are cooking, starting up their computers, and running heaters or air conditioners.

Check our guide on how time-of-use rates and peak hours change from summer to winter.

Switching between Time-of-Use prices and Tiered prices 

The possibility of Regulated Price Plan (RPP) customers switching between these two plans began on November 1, 2020, a day after the pandemic-related fixed prices for TOU customers ended.  

With the fixed price program ending on October 31, 2020, the OEB introduced this as an option for households and small businesses looking for more predictability in times of uncertainty.  

• Consumers can switch back and forth as many times as they like between TOU and Tiered pricing. 
• All RPP-eligible customers are eligible to switch plans.  
• According to Hydro One, consumers should evaluate their price plan options, energy usage and patterns, seasonal changes, and lifestyle before deciding to switch.  

When Tiered pricing would be the best option

Tiered prices give you the flexibility to use electricity at any time of day at the same price, although that price will change if you exceed the threshold during the month.

Moreover, and still considering the electricity usage regardless of the day, the Tiered pricing may be the best option if you spend a lot of time at home, especially on weekdays, working, cooking, washing clothes, and cleaning your house, or if the opposite happens: you stay outside for a long period. 

When TOU pricing would be the best option

When you are able to manage your electricity use at home or business by shifting the usage to lower price periods if possible. As everyone uses electricity differently depending on their routine and the season. Staying inside more or even working more from home in the wintertime, for example, could impact your bills.

TOU pricing: hours

WINTER

• Off-peak hours: From 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• Mid-peak hours: From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• On-peak hours: From 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.; from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Weekend and holidays: Always off-peak

SUMMER

• Off-peak hours: From 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• Mid-peak hours: From 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.; from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• On-peak hours: From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Weekend and holidays: Always off-peak

Tiered pricing

According to the OEB, during winter (November 1 – April 30), the Tier threshold for residential customers is 1,000 kWh, so that during the heating season households can use more power at a lower price. In the summer (May 1 – October 31), the Tier threshold for residential customers is 600 kWh, while the Tier threshold for small business customers is 750 kWh all year round.

Tiered pricing rates are set by the Ontario Energy Board. (Image: EnergyRates.ca/ Source: OEB)

What about small businesses?

The reasoning behind choosing between Tiered or TOU pricing is the same for small businesses: How much electricity do you use each month, and when do you use it?

The Tier threshold for small business customers is 750 kWh all year round, and each type of business has its specific electricity usage and needs.

Reviewing your business’ routine, hours, and consumption is the starting point.

RPP, TOU and Tiered Stats

• The Ontario energy market has been deregulated since 1998. This means consumers can choose to get their electricity and natural gas at the market rate from competitive retailers. However, the ability to switch from different types of regulated plans (TOU and Tiered) was only made available in November 2020. 
• Before 2006, all RPP customers in Ontario were under the Tiered Price Plan.  
• According to the OEB, only a few consumers who had smart meters were under the TOU in 2006 under a pilot project. 
• In 2009, local distribution companies (LDCs) started replacing old meters with smart ones on a wider scale. By 2012, all utilities in Ontario had TOU prices.  
• As of 2016, 96% of RPP customers were under TOU and the remaining RPP-eligible customers were billed the tiered pricing or a separate retail contract.  
• The Regulated Price Plan (RPP) was launched by the OEB in April 2005, due to a sharp increase in the cost of electricity in the deregulated market the year before.  

In Ontario, residential and small business customers billed under the Tiered pricing structure pay a set rate for the electricity they consume up to a kilowatt-hour (kWh) threshold per month. If the monthly threshold is exceeded, they are billed at a higher rate per kWh for all additional electricity consumed. In summary, by choosing this plan, you pay a fixed rate but have a usage limit.

Because there are usage changes and different habits between Winter and Summer, the tiers are different depending on the season. In the winter period (November 1 – April 30), the tier threshold for residential customers is 1,000 kWh, so that households can use more power at a lower price. In the summer period (May 1 – October 31), the Tier threshold for residential customers is 600 kWh. For small businesses is 750 kWh all year round.

Basically, the main benefit of the Tiered prices is that this option gives consumers the flexibility to use electricity at any time of day at the same price. However, we highlight again that the price will change once the threshold is exceeded during the month (and that is the downside for some.)

How tiered rates are determined

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) determines the new Tiered rates at the same time as it sets the time-of-use (TOU) rates. Considering the energy market, the OEB sets TOU (Time-Of-Use) and Tiered prices based on its forecast of the cost to supply households and small businesses over the next 12 months.

For residential customers, the threshold changes with the season to reflect changing usage patterns, since most people tend to use more energy to heat homes and to light up their houses during winter due to colder weather and shorter days (with less sunlight.)

Tiered pricing rates are set by the Ontario Energy Board. (Image: EnergyRates.ca/ Source: OEB)

Who is eligible?

Since November 1st of 2020, Regulated Price Plan (RPP) electricity customers can choose either time-of-use (TOU) pricing and Tiered pricing plans. RPP customers include:

• households.
• small businesses.
• farms.

If you live in a condominium or apartment that has its own individual meter and your bill comes from a company other than EPCOR, for example, you are a customer of a unit sub-meter provider (USMP). Therefore, you can’t switch to Tiered prices. This decision can only be made for the building as a whole by the “master consumer”, – the person that retained a USMP for the property.

In case you are a consumer buying electricity from an energy retailer, you will pay the electricity price set out in their contract.  Once you have left their retail contract, you have a choice between paying TOU or Tiered prices. However, to understand the details of your energy contract, you need to contact your competitive energy retailer.

Winter 2023 Residential and Small Business Tiered Rates

Residential

• 8.7¢ per kWh for consumption up to 1,000 kWh/month.
  10.3¢ per kWh for consumption above 1,000 kWh/month.

Small business (non-residential)

• 8.7¢ per kWh for consumption up to 750 kWh/month.
  10.3¢ per kWh for consumption above 750 kWh/month.

The electricity bill you receive includes the costs for the electricity that you use (billed at Tiered rates), the services your local utility provides, and other costs of delivering electricity. In case of Other charges, they may also appear on your bill related to your account.

The benefits of the tiered pricing plan: How to know if it’s the right choice

As we said above, since there is a fixed rate with Tiered pricing, the consumer that chooses this option can use a certain amount of electricity each month at a lower, set price. Moreover, Tiered pricing allows the residents or business owners to use electricity regardless of the time (mornings, afternoons, evenings, or overnight), and can be more affordable compared to TOU (Time-of-Use) pricing IF the consumer doesn’t exceed a set amount of electricity.

To check if tiered electricity rates work for you, knowing how much electricity you consume is the first step. If your average usage for summer and winter are below the thresholds, then it would make sense to switch to Tiered. If you use devices/appliances all the time and often exceeds the set threshold for each season, then TOU could maybe be more cost-effective for your household. However, that will really depend on your consumption and habits.

To clarify, the Tiered plan is usually ideal if you live alone, if your family has low consumption, if you live in a smaller property and thus have lower electricity usage, or if you spend very little time at home, consequentially using less electricity.

You may think nothing of flicking the lights on or plugging in your laptop, but far away from your home are massive facilities dedicated to harvesting that energy to send to your home. So much of our modern lives wouldn’t be possible without thousands of watts travelling on miles of copper wire.

Despite its prevalence, many people don’t know how electricity is generated. It’s a relatively straightforward process, and here we try to simplify it as much as possible so you can get the picture.

A brief history of the generator

Most electrical generators stem from a principle discovered of electromagnetism. Among many other discoveries, in 1831 Michael Faraday discovered a relationship between magnetic fields and electricity in which one could influence the other. He found that rotating a magnet inside a metal coil of wire on a circut would induce an electrical current in the wire.

Energy is neither created nor destroyed but transformed from one state to another. Thus, in Faraday’s discovery, the kinetic energy from rotating the magnet would be transformed into electrical energy within the circuit.

How an electrical generator works

Electromagnetic generators simply transform the kinetic energy derived from its respective source into electrical energy. Fossil fuels, biomass and nuclear energy all use heat to turn water in a boiler into steam. This fast-moving steam is channelled towards a turbine. The turbine then rotates a magnetic core, known as a rotor, inside a series of insulated coils of wire, known as a stator. This induces an electrical current in the power plant that then powers the rest of the grid.

In combined-cycle power plants, natural gas can also be compressed with other gases so that it expands when heated. As it expands it spins a primary set of turbines and then goes on to heat a boiler. This makes the generation more efficient as exhaust heat energy is used to generate additional electricity, rather than escape the system.

Most renewable energy plants are just finding sources of energy that are abundant and already present in nature and won’t be used up in the process. Since waterfalls and wind are already kinetic, you can simply place your turbine in its path to kickstart your generation in a natural process.

How hydroelectricity is generated

Hydroelectricity is Canada’s most consumed and produced source of electricity. Roughly 60% of Canadian electricity is generated from water, with Quebec generating the most of any province and housing the biggest dams in the country. According to NatGeo, roughly 71% of the world’s renewable energy is hydroelectricity. This makes sense since gravity and nature’s most abundant resource do much of the work.

Hydro power is any which harnesses the kinetic power of moving water to generate electricity. Harnessing the power of water for work is a very old concept dating back to a Roman engineer in the first century, but we’ve since moved on from the inefficient water wheel to the reliable turbine.

There are three types of hydroelectric power plants: impoundment, diversion and pump storage. In impoundment plants, the water is first dammed or stored above ground in a reservoir. When there is a high demand for electricity, water is released and allowed to fall, spinning the turbine on its way down. Diversion plants instead simply use a series of channels or canals to divert a river towards a turbine. Pump-storage power plants are more akin to a battery, storing energy for future use. The plant uses excess energy to pump water to an elevated reservoir, and when energy is needed is simply allowed to fall back down.

Unfortunately, there are some anticipated side effects on local ecology when using hydroelectricity. Fish depend on the flow of rivers to find their breeding grounds, but damming and diversion may disrupt their breeding patterns or even harm them as they get caught in turbines. Stagnant reservoir pools may also build up algae. These problems can be mitigated by seeding programs and fish ladders which help reintroduce aquatic wildlife to their natural habitat.

How wind electricity is generated

Wind electricity is even simpler; they’re called wind turbines, after all. The most efficient wind turbines are the ones you probably imagine, that look like giant fans, called horizontal-axis turbines. Turbines are built and placed in the path of wind currents that spin the turbine en route. At higher altitudes, the wind shear is stronger due to fewer obstacles, such as buildings and mountains, that “bump into” the air currents and slow it down. This is why turbines are best built tall and placed in open plains, on top of mountains or even between mountains where winds are funnelled and intensified, per the US EIA.

You may have heard criticisms of the harmful effects that wind farms have on local wildlife, especially migrating birds and bats. While the rates of bird mortality are negligible compared to other threats (for instance, house cats), there have been some promising experiments in Norway at the Smøla plant wherein painting a blade black was shown to reduce bird collision rates by 70%.

How solar electricity is generated

Solar energy is harnessed a bit differently from other generators, but it has the same goal: induce an electrical current in the circuit. Essentially, get electrons to move along the wire. A solar panel is a module made of photovoltaic cells.

Photovoltaic cells are made of two layers of a semiconductor, typically silicon. When a particle of light energy, known as a photon, is absorbed by the panel it is absorbed by the electrons in a silicon atom. These electrons, with their newfound energy, “jump” from the bottom layer to the top.

An electrical imbalance results. Because electrons are building up on the upper panel, it gains a negative charge and is dubbed an n-type layer. Meanwhile, the lower panel that is losing electrons gains a positive charge, becoming a p-type layer. When these layers are connected by a wire, the electrons travel along the circuit to restore balance. On its way, it will power the electrical grid and our devices!

What happens in a nuclear reactor

It may surprise you to know that nuclear energy is Canada’s second-most relied-on source for electricity, with Ontario responsible for the bulk of its generation and consumption. Even though nuclear energy is not considered renewable, as the Uranium-235 is depleted as the reactor operates, it is a stable zero-carbon source that doesn’t negatively affect air quality.

We’ve already stated, earlier in the article, that nuclear energy is simply used to boil water and spin the turbine. It may seem like overkill to boil water, but nuclear fission (not fusion!) to split atoms is a simple process. When atoms break apart, they release some nuclear energy. Atoms that are unstable and prone to falling apart– or decaying– are said to be radioactive.

Uranium-235 (U-235), the element central to a nuclear reactor core, is a heavy atom. It has a total of 235 protons and neutrons in its nucleus, the core of the atom. This weight makes it unstable, and prone to release energy as it falls apart.

A neutron, a component of an atom, strikes a U-235 atom. In the impact, the U-235 breaks into two lighter atoms, additional neutrons and some energy. This energy is what causes the boiler to heat when absorbed by the water. Meanwhile, the additional neutrons that were released go on to strike the remaining lighter atoms (which may still be radioactive) and other uranium atoms present in the core.

Even though uranium naturally comes in other forms, including one heavier than U-235, uranium-235 can sustain a chain reaction, making it ideal to generate energy.

In Alberta, you are free to select both your electricity and natural gas provider for your residential, commercial or industrial utilities; whether you fix your electricity rates to never have to worry about market fluctuations or float with the market to take advantage of lower index prices. If none of those options appealed to you, you could also stay with your default regulated rate provider. We’re about to make the decision-making process easier for you.

NEW! Total Effective Costs Comparison

Introducing the new category for Total Effective Cost.

For buyers who consume electricity or natural gas at a rate in-line with or below the average across the province, the commodity price may not be the biggest determinant of the difference between the prices of two different providers. In fact, in some cases static costs– such as administration fees or how much the retailer charges for the commodity above the market rate—can drastically affect the difference in price between two retailers. On the other hand, for buyers who consume greater amounts of energy, a higher administration fee may be an appropriate trade-off to get a lower utility rate per kilowatt-hour or gigajoule.

Illustrative example: The image above is a screenshot taken in July of 2022 and it doesn’t match the current energy prices in Alberta

The Total Effective Cost column will give you a clearer picture of how much you’ll be expected to pay for your utilities during your term. It factors static fees based on the average rate of consumption for your site type across Alberta to compare the extent to which administration fees affect your utility bills. This yearly average rate of consumption is provided by the Utilities Consumer Advocate. For residents, the average consumption is 528 kWh/mo. and 10.608 GJ/mo.

NEW! Small Business Pricing Table

For small businesses that consume more energy than residential sites, there will be a brand-new pricing matrix. Because businesses often use more energy as part of their daily operations, their levels of consumption would be consistently higher than the average. In addition to this, some utility providers offer special rates for small businesses that differ from those offered to residences. So, using the same pricing matrix as residential consumers wouldn’t prove useful. Thus, our small-business pricing matrix will use the average rate of consumption for small businesses provided by the Utilities Consumer Advocate (UCA Helps) of roughly 3,290.88 kWh/mo. and 61.51 GJ/mo.

Why compare?

We often stress the utility of comparing the different products and plans available to you so you can be sure you’re getting the best rate and plan for your home or business. Hopefully, these frequently-requested features will help make your attempts to compare and lower your energy rates easier.

Climate change is already happening – according to NRCAN, Canada is warming at two times the global rate, while the Canadian Arctic is warming at approximately three times the global rate.

Still, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything that can be done about climate change – in fact, climate action has become more and more highlighted in recent years. Climate action isn’t about passively waiting for change to happen in regard to climate change – rather, it’s taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Climate action is something that can be undertaken by individuals, organizations, businesses and even countries. Environmental responsibility is something that everybody shares.

Read on below to learn more about climate change, climate action and how climate action is relevant for businesses.

What is climate change?

It would be difficult to discuss climate action without first discussing what climate change is. Climate change, as defined by the David Suzuki Foundation, is “a change in the average conditions — such as temperature and rainfall — in a region over a long period of time.” Climate change is largely caused by human activity according to the Government of Canada. Human activity-related causes of climate change can include burning fossil fuels as well as converting land from forests into lands suitable for agriculture (deforestation). Such activities lead to the production of greenhouse gases, which stay in the atmosphere for extended periods of time and trap heat, causing the Earth to become warmer.

How can climate change impact businesses?

As catastrophic weather events become more frequent around the world, businesses are also becoming more affected as a result of consequent supply chain breakdowns. See below for some of the most relevant adverse weather event-related supply chain breakdowns as outlined by an article published in Yale Environment 360 and Wired:

• The 2021 Texas Power crisis caused the worst involuntary energy blackout⁠ in U.S. history. As such, three major semiconductor plants were forced to close, worsening the global semiconductor shortage, and causing further delays to the manufacturing of microchip-dependent cars.
• In 2021, fires in British Columbia from June to October were triggered by an unprecedented heatwave – in turn, this led to the third worst wildfire season the province has seen. The wildfires caused a transportation choke point to be closed at Fraser Canyon which in turn idled numerous rail cars and stranded their contents.
• Hurricane Ida, the fifth-costliest hurricane in US history struck the Gulf of Mexico coast in August 2021, damaging key industrial installations that are used to produce a wide array of products such as plastics and pharmaceuticals.

However, climate change doesn’t necessarily have to spell out foreboding and uncertainty for businesses. Rather, it can be a source of opportunity. One example of climate action for a business could be looking into how to improve the energy efficiency of the properties they run out of. Walmart has integrated various energy efficiency measures into their stores involving lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration – overall, with these measures, the expected savings amount to approximately $69,200 a year or a reduction of 520,900 kWh per year.

What is climate action?

As we briefly touched on at the beginning of this article, climate action involves taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Below, we’ll examine the steps Canada has taken for climate action as outlined by the Government of Canada to give you a better sense of what it means to take climate action.

• Phasing out traditional coal-fired power plants and embracing renewable energy.
• Protecting 25% of the country’s natural spaces by 2025 and 30% by 2030.
• Improving building codes so that homes and buildings are using less energy overall.
• Promoting and supporting cleaner alternatives to diesel in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.
• Investing $4.4 billion to help homeowners and landlords complete deep home energy retrofits and better protect homes from climate risks by providing interest-free loans worth up to $40,000.
• Creating a national housing strategy that requires energy efficiency improvements for both retrofits and new builds, which has improved energy efficiency by at least 25%.
• Committing to purchase 5,000 more zero-emission buses across the country.
• Announcing $2.75 billion investment for zero-emission buses over the next 5 years starting in 2021.
• Introducing a 50% corporate tax cut for small and medium-sized businesses manufacturing zero-emission vehicles and components in Canada.
• Investing in EV chargers and refuelling stations, supporting the installation of more than 16,500 EV chargers, 15 hydrogen stations, and 21 natural gas stations.
• Launching the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program to support projects that will lower emissions by investing in clean energy technologies, like wind, solar, storage, hydro, and geothermal.
• Establishing a national minimum price on pollution starting at $20 per tonne in 2019, increasing $10 per tonne annually to $50 in 2022.

What is business climate action?

As you may have gathered from above, what the Government of Canada is able to do for climate action isn’t necessarily on par with what businesses can do. Still, the underlying principle is the same. Another way of looking at business climate action or climate leadership would be businesses developing and embracing technologies, products, and services that mitigate climate change. Below are examples of business strategies for climate action:

• As we mentioned earlier in our examination of Walmart and its energy efficiency measures, businesses can install more energy-efficient lights, air conditioning units and other electronics and appliances in their buildings. Hiring a certified professional to do an energy audit may be a good place to start in regard to this.
• Choosing suppliers that have also integrated climate action into their policies and production processes (e.g., suppliers that support reforestation or use renewable energy sources in their manufacturing processes.)
• Choosing renewable energy plans for powering business buildings.
• Signing a power purchase agreement (PPA) – in essence, a PPA is the purchase of power and associated RECs from a specific renewable energy generator (the seller) to a purchaser of renewable electricity (the buyer).
• Purchasing renewable energy certificates or carbon offsets to support renewable energy generation and absorption of carbon from the atmosphere.
• Engaging in carbon accounting (quantifying the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by your business) and using these figures to create a plan to reduce your business’s carbon footprint.

Why is climate action important? What are the consequences of no climate action?

Without climate action, there are several consequences that are of immediate or near immediate concern – we’ve outlined some of the most pressing ones below:

• Rising sea levels – If no climate action is taken and climate change is allowed to go unchecked, sea levels will rise from further melting of glaciers and ice sheets in addition to the volume of the ocean expanding due to water temperature warming. Consequences from this, as stated by National Geographic, include the increased intensity of storm surges, flooding, and damage to coastal areas. This is especially alarming for coastal large population centres as well as wildlife habitats.
• Increased heatwave intensity, frequency and duration – As noted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, heatwaves are a climate change indicator. In the United States, the frequency of heatwaves has increased steadily, from an average of two heat waves per year during the 1960s to six per year during the 2010s and 2020s. What makes this particularly alarming is that according to a Scientific American article, “in an average year in the U.S., heat kills more people than any other type of extreme weather.”
• Poor air quality – Air pollution goes hand in hand with climate change as it occurs as a result of burning fossil fuels which creates greenhouse gases which contribute heavily to climate change. According to the Government of Canada, globally, exposure to air pollution is a major cause of illness and even death. It’s estimated that as a result of exposure, 4.2 million premature deaths occur each year from outdoor air pollution. As such, the importance of monitoring carbon emissions is highlighted here.

What are the business benefits of climate action and reducing emissions?

As we touched on earlier, climate action can help you save money in the long term – again, installing energy-efficient electronics and appliances can help limit energy use and costs significantly.

Additionally, undertaking climate change is also an opportunity to gain investors for your business – according to Leaders for Climate Change, 92% of institutional investors want companies to identify and report environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors that materially affect their business performance. ESG factors help measure the sustainability and ethical impact of investing in a company.

What are the challenges related to corporate climate action?

In the long term, replacing inefficient appliances and electronics in your business settings does reduce your energy costs. However, the upfront cost of replacing these items and fixtures can be quite a lot. However, there are often local programs offering rebates or assistance for getting businesses up to speed in terms of energy efficiency. For example, take a look at the Corporate Climate Leaders program offered by the City of Edmonton.

Perhaps it’s not feasible for your business to sign a PPA on its own – as mentioned in our post about PPAs, it’s possible for small companies to sign together on PPAs via aggregators. Climate action is possible for all businesses, not just large corporations.

Additionally, acknowledging climate change is also a chance for businesses to re-brand and re-structure toward becoming more environmentally friendly. According to Business Wire, globally, 85% of consumers have shifted their purchasing behaviours towards being more sustainable within the past 5 years. As stated in a Forbes article, transparency surrounding a business’ sustainability efforts will help differentiate itself in the market from other similar companies.

How to start a climate action plan as a business?

In summary of our post above, here are a few key points for getting started on beginning a climate action plan for your business:

• Assess for any energy inefficiencies present in your business and replace them with energy-efficient products as applicable.
• Use your business to support suppliers that have also integrated environmental responsibility and green energy usage into their operations.
• Look into green energy plans for providing your business with power.
• Consider carbon offsets or renewable energy credits as ways of reducing/counterbalancing your business’ carbon footprint.
• Create accountability in regard to climate action by being transparent with consumers about how your business intends to enact climate action. Set reasonable but also meaningful goals.

If your business needs more support or guidance for getting started on a climate action plan, EnergyRates.ca’s sustainability experts are here to help. They can assist with integrating effective carbon emissions plans, including VPPAs, carbon accounting, RECs, carbon offsets, and more renewable energy solutions into your business’ climate leadership plans.