The Town of Banff plans to develop a strategy for moving toward a goal of 100 per cent renewable energy community-wide by 2050.
At a meeting on Monday (Nov. 23), Banff town council stopped short of a making a commitment to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050, but is considering spending $40,000 as part of budget deliberations to develop a strategy to work towards this goal.
The issue came up at council the day after Alberta’s NDP government announced plans to tackle climate change, including a plan to speed up the phase out of coal-fired power and move to more renewable energy by 2030.
Chad Townsend, environmental coordinator for the Town of Banff, said Banff’s is an ambitious, but doable, goal.
“This couldn’t be any more well timed with the announcement of the province’s measures with respect to climate change and a transition from coal fired electricity grid to a renewable energy future,” he said.
“There’s a carbon tax coming in 2017 and a fund will be available for renewables, though the details are still coming, and we could be best placed to take advantage of some of these announcements.”
About 90 per cent of Alberta’s electricity is generated using non-renewable fossil fuels, primarily coal.
Energy consumption, including heat and transportation, is Banff’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.
A report prepared for the Town of Banff by Urban Systems provided a preliminary assessment of various renewable energy technologies.
The assessment included solar photovoltaic, wind power, hydropower, geothermal, geo-exchange, biomass heating and the use of waste for power.
Officials say that in practice, any move towards a renewable energy target would more than likely include a mix of renewable sources and projects, versus one specific project or technology.
“For Banff, it would be really about looking at the sources we are best placed to take advantage of,” said Townsend.
“It’s likely not wind, but geothermal heating has potential given this unique mountain location compared to others in Alberta, and, of course, solar which we are already starting.”
Mayor Karen Sorensen said she could support developing a strategy for meeting the goal, but stopped short of actually committing to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050.
“I can’t commit to that sitting here today because I don’t know what that means for our transportation partners, but as long as we’re talking strategy, I’m comfortable,” she said.
“I don’t necessarily think local transportation companies may or may not be moving off gasoline by 2050 and I think we also have to take into account the visitors.”
Frankfurt, Germany is a pioneer in both target setting and action. Earlier than many jurisdictions, between 1990 and 2012, the city reduced its emissions by 15 per cent while the economy grew by more than 50 per cent.
The City of Vancouver has recently adopted a 100 per cent renewable energy goal by 2050, and the mountain resort town of Aspen, Colorado has declared its goal reached this year, using mostly hydro, but also wind and solar.
“It’s important to recognize Aspen took this target and ran with it, but for the electricity sector only, whereas Vancouver is looking at it for heating and transportation too,” said Townsend.
Townsend said the definition of this goal is not straightforward in terms of all of the energy that is consumed in a community – for example, electricity, heating, and transportation – and sources considered renewable or green vary to some degree.
Townsend said the electricity sector might be a good starting point, noting the community’s consumption is fairly fixed and has been relatively flat over the years given growth restrictions in the national park townsite.
“It might be a good place to start and think about how we can come up with all the electricity, but it’s not the end of the goal there,” he said.
Councillor Stavros Karlos said he liked the idea of developing a strategy, but questioned early on whether hydro should even be considered as a renewable option given its effects on fish and the environment.
“I have a different perception now, whether rightly or wrongly, on how I feel about hydro,” he said, noting the successful tearing down of a dam on 40 Mile Creek in Banff National Park.
“I’m wanting to go blow up some dams right now after what happened and after I watched DamNation,” he added, referring to the award-winning film on the changing attitudes concerning large system of dams in the U.S and how they have altered rivers and landscapes.
Coun. Chip Olver voiced strong support for developing a renewable energy strategy for Banff.
She pointed to the Alberta NDP’s plans to tackle climate change and a mandate letter drawn up by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna, which spoke to renewable energy.
“We also have the COP21 meeting coming up in Paris Nov. 30, and I believe we will be seeing concrete action plans coming back to our country from that,” she said.
“I think we are in a fabulous spot to be stepping onto this pathway right now. I think this is also the right thing to do. I’m really excited about this. I don’t think we should be fearful.”
Banff has explored and installed a number of alternative energy opportunities, including solar photovoltaic system installations on Wolf Street Washroom, Town Hall and Banff Community High School.
The municipality also has an incentive program in place for residents and business to install solar panels.
