PL69: Energy efficiency must rank alongside energy production

In a letter sent to the press and published on March 3, Ecosystem, in collaboration with HEC Montréal’s Chair in Energy Management and over 30 other leaders in the energy sector, urged the MEIE to recognize importance of raising energy efficiency as much as energy production in PL69.

The purpose of this law is to modify the regulatory framework for the province’s energy transition, with the goal of increasing electricity production and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. It amends various legislative provisions related to Hydro Québec and the Régie de l’énergie to ensure responsible governance of energy resources.

Minister Christine Fréchette recently agreed to include amendments that will integrate the three components of the transition: energy sobriety, efficiency and conversion.   “No targets are specified, however. To ensure that these amendments are consistent and go beyond good intentions, we are proposing ways of guaranteeing structural change.

The cheapest energy is energy we save. Prioritizing energy efficiency is not only a cost-effective strategy, but it can also improve the productivity and competitiveness of businesses and the province. As mentioned in the letter, “Hydro-Québec estimates that the potential for energy savings amounts to approximately 25 TWh, or 12.5% of the province’s electricity production (…) The potential for energy savings and the valorization of thermal waste cannot therefore be ignored as a lever for economic growth within the framework of PL69.”