OSPE - COVID-19 Economic Recovery Recommendations - Provincial Government - 7

2. Work towards a sustainable transition, by encouraging the use of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)
and emissions free technology.
Restoring our economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic should keep in mind our existing environmental and climate change concerns. DER technologies leverage economies of scale to produce economic, environmental and reliability benefits to the local economy.
They also offer consumers the potential for lower-cost, higher-service reliability, high-power quality, increased energy efficiency, energy
independence, and energy security to mitigate future effects of climate change.
Widespread use of local and regional district energy systems has been a fundamental and primary contributor to low-carbon c
ommunities in countries like Denmark and Finland. Toronto's TOCore Downtown Energy Strategy also concludes that district energy
systems are fundamental to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings at a lower cost compared to individual buildings.
The Ontario government should encourage the adoption of locally owned energy sources and storage systems that increase local jobs
and energy costs throughout the entire province. Although this will require investment in distribution system upgrades, the upgrades will
allow for a more optimal use of existing assets and, if designed correctly, can result in the elimination or deferral of other system costs.
Furthermore, upgrading Ontario's energy infrastructure represents an ideal opportunity to address the needs of current and future
generations, while creating employment opportunities for engineers and energy innovators.
The government should also support technological innovation that reduces energy use, through grants and incentive programs for
innovators. These incentives should reward technologies that are able to provide energy efficient solutions that will make Ontario's
infrastructure and energy sources more resilient to intensified weather patterns.

3. Accelerate the electrification of the transportation system, including EV adoption.
Ontario should work towards a safe, green, innovative, and integrated transportation system that is able to support a clean environment,
while boosting trade, economic growth, and public safety. Policies should seek to develop and foster a transportation system that works
for current and future generations.
Electric motors are about 3 times more energy efficient than the internal combustion engine under ideal operating conditions. Electric
vehicles also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and take advantage of the province's largely low carbon electricity grid. Transit use will
likely decline because of the pandemic, so adoption of EVs may limit the resulting increase in GHG emissions from the transportation sector.
Investing in EVs provides the opportunity of achieving short-term results, while allowing clean sectors to grow sustainably over time.
By increasing the uptake of EVs in Ontario and encouraging recharging during evenings, EVs will in effect store Ontario's surplus energy
supply, which will significantly reduce the amount of surplus energy that is sold for a loss to external jurisdictions and/or curtailed, which is
currently costing Ontario energy ratepayers approximately $1 billion per year.
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OSPE - COVID-19 Economic Recovery Recommendations - Provincial Government

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