2030 Energy Strategy

4 INCREASE THE SHARE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY USED FOR COMMUNITY HEAT TO 40% BY 2030. Community space heating is a significant contributor to the cost of living and GHG emissions in the NWT. Community heating with fossil fuels produces about 190,000 tonnes of GHG per year, or approximately 13% of total NWT emissions. Space heating in the NWT is primarily fuelled by heating oil, propane and renewable biomass. We heard from the public that the GNWT should support the greater use of renewables for heating to make heating more affordable and sustainable. Wood pellets are considered to be a renewable resource when harvested sustainably. Currently, it is estimated that 20% of non-industrial heating needs in the NWT are met by biomass such as cord wood or pellets. There is some uncertainty in this estimate and the GNWT will work with its partners to better understand how much wood is used in the NWT, and the potential to expand the use of renewable energy for heat in the NWT. This strategy sets a target of increasing the share of heating met by renewable energy to 40% by 2030 over 2015 levels. This represents a reduction of 47,500 tonnes of GHG reduction over current emissions. A promising way to increase the use of renewable energy is to encourage greater uptake in the use of biomass for heating. In the short-term, the GNWT will continue to expand the wood-pellet supply chain including local production, support the early adoption of wood-pellet boilers in communities, and provide incentives to switch to wood fuel for heat. Currently in South Slave communities that receive electricity generated by the Taltson hydroelectric project, electric heat is available to consumers at a reduced rate that is less than the cost to heat with oil. The GNWT and its partners will promote this program and look for ways to improve it. The GNWT will lead by example and continue to install biomass and electric heating in new and existing government buildings. The GNWT and its partners will also support renewable heating options in Yellowknife schools and in larger commercial buildings. The GNWT will investigate and will consider supporting other technologies, such as heat recovery, combined heat and power, heat pumps, district heating and solar heating, and will continue Figure 7: Current Energy Type for Community Heating to assess advances in technology, products and methods that contribute to our long-term energy solution. Over the course of this Strategy-to meet its 40% target the GNWT will: Release and implement the Forest Industry Development Strategy. Create a community-based firewood harvesters support program. • Inventory large non-government commercial buildings for biomass heating potential and support biomass adoption. Review AEA programs and services to better support renewable heating. Continue to support and expand the biomass supply chain. Choose biomass and renewable-based electric heating over fossil fuel heating of GNWT buildings. Evaluate, and if viable, encourage expansion of solar heating, and assess its potential for wider deployment and GNWT support. • Support biomass and residual districting heating systems. BIOMASS GOVERNMENT FOSSIL FUELS GOVERNMENT BIOMASS CO FOSSIL FUELS 23

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