Pathways to Net-Zero: Opportunities for Canada in a Changing Energy Sector

Abstract

The climate is changing, and Canada is changing with it. Canada has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. Initiatives have been taken, but more work is needed. Private enterprise is key to the invention, improvement, and proliferation of sustainable energy sources. The extent to which the Canadian economy can be decarbonized hinges in part on how effectively regulatory schemes facilitate and incentivize commercial endeavours to exploit low-carbon energy sources. This article accordingly evaluates foreseeable regulatory frameworks for three new lower-carbon energy sources: hydrogen, geothermal energy, and biofuels. The thread running throughout this article is that, while there are many challenges ahead, there is also opportunity: regulatory schemes are evolving and adapting to support business ventures that monetize these three renewable energy sources.