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National Observer
4 days ago
- Business
- National Observer
What kind of Canada do we want to build?
When the prime minister and premiers recently met in Saskatoon, it was Trump's attacks that brought them together. As wildfires forced tens of thousands to evacuate in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, the first ministers gathered to discuss the nation-building projects Canada needs. Driving into town through the smoke, they passed our billboards: a wildfire fighter facing a smoke-filled sky with the message 'Don't Let Canada Burn. Connect Canada's Clean Power. Build the East-West Electricity Grid. ' Crisis has a way of sharpening choices between falling back on what you know and evolving into what you can be. Canada must retool our economy to withstand US economic pressure and the escalating fossil-fuel-driven climate disasters. There are loud voices calling for us to react by building new pipelines, trampling Indigenous rights and deluding ourselves about climate pollution. Instead, we must build to last. We can strengthen our communities with clean, affordable energy. We can steward some of the world's vast remaining forests. We can cut pollution, grow good jobs that can't be offshored and build our economy on security, not volatility. The economic future will belong to countries that can supply affordable, clean power for their economies, writes Jamie Biggar In doing so, we'll position ourselves to be leaders in the clean electricity transition that's building momentum. Despite political backsliding in the US, demand for clean electricity technology is booming because it's cheaper, faster to deploy and safer for communities. In China, EV car sales grew 40 per cent in 2024 alone, and now 1 in 4 cars sold worldwide in 2025 will be electric. Global oil demand will peak this decade. According to the International Energy Association, annual global investment in clean energy and electricity infrastructure is now fully double the global investment in fossil fuels. In 2026, the $26T European Union market will introduce a carbon tariff, putting real costs on any carbon-intensive imports from countries that fall behind. The economic future will belong to countries that can supply affordable, clean power for their economies. We have a choice: invest in infrastructure that sets Canada up to thrive for the next fifty years, or double down on costly projects designed for a world that is slipping away. Clean, reliable electric power is the future because it cuts risks, costs and pollution alike. Since clean electricity is where the world is going, we are fortunate to have incredible resources and leaders across the country. Canada's largest operating battery storage facility opened in Ontario just before the first ministers' meeting — a project conceived by the Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corp, with a 70 per cent Indigenous workforce. One of the most powerful nation-building, Trump-proofing projects is an East-West electricity grid that moves clean power when it's needed. Since the 1960s, we have built our electricity grids North-South to export power to the US. We've neglected East-West connections that would unite our country and boost our economy. It's time to change that. Consider Alberta and BC. Alberta has world-class wind and solar potential. BC has massive hydroelectric capacity. Connecting their grids means clean Alberta power will flow to BC when the wind blows and the sun shines. When the wind dies down and day turns to night, then BC's power will flow back to Alberta. That's a system built to last. Nova Scotia is another case in point. The province has vast offshore wind potential — enough to send power across Eastern Canada, including the markets and manufacturing centres of Quebec. But without links between the provinces, that energy won't reach the places it's needed. This isn't just about megawatts. It's about the country we want to build. Do we want short-term projects that lock us into pollution and geopolitical risk, or long-term infrastructure that strengthens Canada's independence and economic staying power? It also means meaningful partnership with Indigenous communities whose lands and rights are too often trampled when governments rush major projects. True partnership, based on consent, is moral, constitutional and smart. It leads to better designed projects, fewer delays and shared prosperity. At its best, Canada is a country built on evolving agreements between nations — Indigenous and non-Indigenous. We can live up to that vision by ensuring Indigenous peoples are full partners in building a clean energy future — indeed, they have been leading in the field in Canada for years. Prime Minister Carney is right that we are making decisions in a 'hinge' moment for the country. We're deciding what kind of projects we will fund and fast-track. We can keep pouring public money into unneeded pipelines. Or, we can build the infrastructure to connect our clean power and secure our long-term prosperity. Don't let Canada burn. Canada needs energy that's built to last: clean, reliable and built in partnership with the communities that host it.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Spain's power outage sparks debate on nuclear energy phase-out amid renewable push
The massive power outage that hit the Iberian peninsula on April 28 has reignited a debate in Spain over the country's plan to phase out its nuclear reactors as it generates more power with renewable energy. As people wait for answers about what caused the historic power cut, which abruptly disrupted tens of millions of lives, some are questioning the wisdom of decommissioning nuclear reactors that provide a stable, if controversial, form of energy compared to renewables, whose output can be intermittent. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has rejected such criticism, asking for patience while the government investigates what caused the grid's disconnection. He said that his government would not 'deviate a single millimeter' from its energy transition plans. Here's what to know about the energy debate: What is nuclear power and why is it controversial? Nuclear power is a zero-carbon energy source formed from nuclear fission, when the nuclei of atoms are split into two or several parts, releasing energy. It accounts for about 10 per cent of electricity generation worldwide, according to the International Energy Association. Many countries consider nuclear power critical to reaching their net-zero goals. But while nuclear reactors do not emit planet-warming greenhouse gases like gas- or coal-fired power plants, they produce radioactive waste that even advanced economies have struggled to dispose. Why does Spain want to decommission its nuclear reactors? Spain generated nearly 57 per cent of its electricity in 2024 from renewable energy sources like wind, hydropower and solar, according to Red Electrica, the country's grid operator. About 20 per cent came from nuclear power plants. In 2019, Sanchez's government approved a plan to decommission the country's remaining nuclear reactors between 2027 and 2035 as it expands its share of renewable energy even further. The country aims to generate 81 per cent of its electricity by 2030 from renewable sources. Sanchez on Wednesday said that the four nuclear facilities that were online the day of the blackout did not help re-power the grid. Batteries and other methods help regulate changes in electricity supply from wind and solar. Why is Spain's renewables push being questioned now? While the cause of the sudden outage on April 28 is still unknown, the event has raised questions about the technical challenges facing electricity grids running on high levels of solar and wind. Solar and wind provided roughly 70 per cent of the electricity on the grid moments before Spain lost 15 gigawatts of electricity - about 60 per cent of its supply - in just five seconds. Electricity grids were designed for a different era, according to Gilles Thonet, deputy secretary general of the International Electrotechnical Commission, an industry group. 'Traditionally, power flowed in one direction: from large coal, gas or nuclear plants to homes and businesses,' Thonet said. 'These plants provided not only electricity, but also stability. Their spinning turbines acted like shock absorbers, smoothing out fluctuations in supply and demand.' In the days following the blackout, Google searches in Spain for 'nuclear' spiked, according to data from Google Trends. Spain's nuclear lobby group Foro Nuclear said this week that the government should rethink its plan to decommission its nuclear reactors after the outage. Ignacio Araluce, its president, said the nuclear plants online before the outage 'provide firmness and stability.' Would more nuclear power have prevented a blackout? Others say it is too soon to draw conclusions about what role nuclear energy should play. 'We do not know the cause of the oscillations,' said Pedro Fresco, director general of Avaesen, an association of renewable energy and clean technology firms in Valencia. 'Therefore, we do not know what would have allowed them to be controlled.' Spain's grid operator last week narrowed down the source of the outage to two separate incidents in which substations in southwestern Spain failed. Environment Minister Sara Aagesen said earlier this week that the grid had initially withstood another power generation outage in southern Spain 19 seconds before the blackout. Sanchez in his speech to Parliament said there was 'no empirical evidence' to show that more nuclear power on the grid could have prevented a blackout or allowed the country to get back online faster. In fact, the four nuclear facilities online on April 28 before the blackout were taken offline after the outage as part of emergency protocol to avoid overheating. He said that nuclear energy 'has not been shown to be an effective solution in situations like what we experienced on April 28,' and called the debate surrounding his government's nuclear phase-out plan 'a gigantic manipulation.' Gas and hydropower, as well as electricity transfers from Morocco and France, were used to get the country's grid back online.
National Observer
09-05-2025
- Politics
- National Observer
After Spain's blackout, questions about renewable energy return
The massive power outage that hit the Iberian peninsula on April 28 has reignited a debate in Spain over the country's plan to phase out its nuclear reactors as it generates more power with renewable energy. As people wait for answers about what caused the historic power cut, which abruptly disrupted tens of millions of lives, some are questioning the wisdom of decommissioning nuclear reactors that provide a stable, if controversial, form of energy compared to renewables, whose output can be intermittent. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has rejected such criticism, asking for patience while the government investigates what caused the grid's disconnection. He said that his government would not 'deviate a single millimeter' from its energy transition plans. Here's what to know about the energy debate: What is nuclear power and why is it controversial? Nuclear power is a zero-carbon energy source formed from nuclear fission, when the nuclei of atoms are split into two or several parts, releasing energy. It accounts for about 10% of electricity generation worldwide, according to the International Energy Association. Many countries consider nuclear power critical to reaching their net-zero goals. But while nuclear reactors do not emit planet-warming greenhouse gases like gas- or coal-fired power plants, they produce radioactive waste that even advanced economies have struggled to dispose. Why does Spain want to decommission its nuclear reactors? Spain generated nearly 57% of its electricity in 2024 from renewable energy sources like wind, hydropower and solar, according to Red Eléctrica, the country's grid operator. About 20% came from nuclear power plants. In 2019, Sánchez's government approved a plan to decommission the country's remaining nuclear reactors between 2027 and 2035 as it expands its share of renewable energy even further. The country aims to generate 81% of its electricity by 2030 from renewable sources. Sánchez on Wednesday said that the four nuclear facilities that were online the day of the blackout did not help re-power the grid. Batteries and other methods help regulate changes in electricity supply from wind and solar. Why is Spain's renewables push being questioned now? While the cause of the sudden outage on April 28 is still unknown, the event has raised questions about the technical challenges facing electricity grids running on high levels of solar and wind. Solar and wind provided roughly 70% of the electricity on the grid moments before Spain lost 15 gigawatts of electricity — about 60% of its supply — in just five seconds. Electricity grids were designed for a different era, according to Gilles Thonet, deputy secretary general of the International Electrotechnical Commission, an industry group. 'Traditionally, power flowed in one direction: from large coal, gas or nuclear plants to homes and businesses," Thonet said. 'These plants provided not only electricity, but also stability. Their spinning turbines acted like shock absorbers, smoothing out fluctuations in supply and demand.' In the days following the blackout, Google searches in Spain for 'nuclear' spiked, according to data from Google Trends. Spain's nuclear lobby group Foro Nuclear said this week that the government should rethink its plan to decommission its nuclear reactors after the outage. Ignacio Araluce, its president, said the nuclear plants online before the outage 'provide firmness and stability.' Would more nuclear power have prevented a blackout? Others say it is too soon to draw conclusions about what role nuclear energy should play. 'We do not know the cause of the oscillations,' said Pedro Fresco, director general of Avaesen, an association of renewable energy and clean technology firms in Valencia. 'Therefore, we do not know what would have allowed them to be controlled.' Spain's grid operator last week narrowed down the source of the outage to two separate incidents in which substations in southwestern Spain failed. Environment Minister Sara Aagesen said earlier this week that the grid had initially withstood another power generation outage in southern Spain 19 seconds before the blackout. Sánchez in his speech to Parliament said there was "no empirical evidence' to show that more nuclear power on the grid could have prevented a blackout or allowed the country to get back online faster. In fact, the four nuclear facilities online on April 28 before the blackout were taken offline after the outage as part of emergency protocol to avoid overheating. He said that nuclear energy "has not been shown to be an effective solution in situations like what we experienced on April 28," and called the debate surrounding his government's nuclear phase-out plan 'a gigantic manipulation.'
09-05-2025
- Business
After Spain's blackout, questions about renewable energy are back
MADRID -- The massive power outage that hit the Iberian peninsula on April 28 has reignited a debate in Spain over the country's plan to phase out its nuclear reactors as it generates more power with renewable energy. As people wait for answers about what caused the historic power cut, which abruptly disrupted tens of millions of lives, some are questioning the wisdom of decommissioning nuclear reactors that provide a stable, if controversial, form of energy compared to renewables, whose output can be intermittent. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has rejected such criticism, asking for patience while the government investigates what caused the grid's disconnection. He said that his government would not 'deviate a single millimeter' from its energy transition plans. Here's what to know about the energy debate: Nuclear power is a zero-carbon energy source formed from nuclear fission, when the nuclei of atoms are split into two or several parts, releasing energy. It accounts for about 10% of electricity generation worldwide, according to the International Energy Association. Many countries consider nuclear power critical to reaching their net-zero goals. But while nuclear reactors do not emit planet-warming greenhouse gases like gas- or coal-fired power plants, they produce radioactive waste that even advanced economies have struggled to dispose. Spain generated nearly 57% of its electricity in 2024 from renewable energy sources like wind, hydropower and solar, according to Red Eléctrica, the country's grid operator. About 20% came from nuclear power plants. In 2019, Sánchez's government approved a plan to decommission the country's remaining nuclear reactors between 2027 and 2035 as it expands its share of renewable energy even further. The country aims to generate 81% of its electricity by 2030 from renewable sources. Sánchez on Wednesday said that the four nuclear facilities that were online the day of the blackout did not help re-power the grid. Batteries and other methods help regulate changes in electricity supply from wind and solar. While the cause of the sudden outage on April 28 is still unknown, the event has raised questions about the technical challenges facing electricity grids running on high levels of solar and wind. Solar and wind provided roughly 70% of the electricity on the grid moments before Spain lost 15 gigawatts of electricity — about 60% of its supply — in just five seconds. Electricity grids were designed for a different era, according to Gilles Thonet, deputy secretary general of the International Electrotechnical Commission, an industry group. 'Traditionally, power flowed in one direction: from large coal, gas or nuclear plants to homes and businesses," Thonet said. 'These plants provided not only electricity, but also stability. Their spinning turbines acted like shock absorbers, smoothing out fluctuations in supply and demand.' In the days following the blackout, Google searches in Spain for 'nuclear' spiked, according to data from Google Trends. Spain's nuclear lobby group Foro Nuclear said this week that the government should rethink its plan to decommission its nuclear reactors after the outage. Ignacio Araluce, its president, said the nuclear plants online before the outage 'provide firmness and stability.' Others say it is too soon to draw conclusions about what role nuclear energy should play. 'We do not know the cause of the oscillations,' said Pedro Fresco, director general of Avaesen, an association of renewable energy and clean technology firms in Valencia. 'Therefore, we do not know what would have allowed them to be controlled.' Spain's grid operator last week narrowed down the source of the outage to two separate incidents in which substations in southwestern Spain failed. Environment Minister Sara Aagesen said earlier this week that the grid had initially withstood another power generation outage in southern Spain 19 seconds before the blackout. Sánchez in his speech to Parliament said there was "no empirical evidence' to show that more nuclear power on the grid could have prevented a blackout or allowed the country to get back online faster. In fact, the four nuclear facilities online on April 28 before the blackout were taken offline after the outage as part of emergency protocol to avoid overheating. He said that nuclear energy "has not been shown to be an effective solution in situations like what we experienced on April 28," and called the debate surrounding his government's nuclear phase-out plan 'a gigantic manipulation.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
After Spain's blackout, questions about renewable energy are back
MADRID (AP) — FOR FRIDAY 0500GMT The massive power outage that hit the Iberian peninsula on April 28 has reignited a debate in Spain over the country's plan to phase out its nuclear reactors as it generates more power with renewable energy. As people wait for answers about what caused the historic power cut, which abruptly disrupted tens of millions of lives, some are questioning the wisdom of decommissioning nuclear reactors that provide a stable, if controversial, form of energy compared to renewables, whose output can be intermittent. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has rejected such criticism, asking for patience while the government investigates what caused the grid's disconnection. He said that his government would not 'deviate a single millimeter' from its energy transition plans. Here's what to know about the energy debate: What is nuclear power and why is it controversial? Nuclear power is a zero-carbon energy source formed from nuclear fission, when the nuclei of atoms are split into two or several parts, releasing energy. It accounts for about 10% of electricity generation worldwide, according to the International Energy Association. Many countries consider nuclear power critical to reaching their net-zero goals. But while nuclear reactors do not emit planet-warming greenhouse gases like gas- or coal-fired power plants, they produce radioactive waste that even advanced economies have struggled to dispose. Why does Spain want to decommission its nuclear reactors? Spain generated nearly 57% of its electricity in 2024 from renewable energy sources like wind, hydropower and solar, according to Red Eléctrica, the country's grid operator. About 20% came from nuclear power plants. In 2019, Sánchez's government approved a plan to decommission the country's remaining nuclear reactors between 2027 and 2035 as it expands its share of renewable energy even further. The country aims to generate 81% of its electricity by 2030 from renewable sources. Sánchez on Wednesday said that the four nuclear facilities that were online the day of the blackout did not help re-power the grid. Batteries and other methods help regulate changes in electricity supply from wind and solar. Why is Spain's renewables push being questioned now? While the cause of the sudden outage on April 28 is still unknown, the event has raised questions about the technical challenges facing electricity grids running on high levels of solar and wind. Solar and wind provided roughly 70% of the electricity on the grid moments before Spain lost 15 gigawatts of electricity — about 60% of its supply — in just five seconds. Electricity grids were designed for a different era, according to Gilles Thonet, deputy secretary general of the International Electrotechnical Commission, an industry group. 'Traditionally, power flowed in one direction: from large coal, gas or nuclear plants to homes and businesses," Thonet said. 'These plants provided not only electricity, but also stability. Their spinning turbines acted like shock absorbers, smoothing out fluctuations in supply and demand.' In the days following the blackout, Google searches in Spain for 'nuclear' spiked, according to data from Google Trends. Spain's nuclear lobby group Foro Nuclear said this week that the government should rethink its plan to decommission its nuclear reactors after the outage. Ignacio Araluce, its president, said the nuclear plants online before the outage 'provide firmness and stability.' Would more nuclear power have prevented a blackout? Others say it is too soon to draw conclusions about what role nuclear energy should play. 'We do not know the cause of the oscillations,' said Pedro Fresco, director general of Avaesen, an association of renewable energy and clean technology firms in Valencia. 'Therefore, we do not know what would have allowed them to be controlled.' Spain's grid operator last week narrowed down the source of the outage to two separate incidents in which substations in southwestern Spain failed. Environment Minister Sara Aagesen said earlier this week that the grid had initially withstood another power generation outage in southern Spain 19 seconds before the blackout. Sánchez in his speech to Parliament said there was "no empirical evidence' to show that more nuclear power on the grid could have prevented a blackout or allowed the country to get back online faster. In fact, the four nuclear facilities online on April 28 before the blackout were taken offline after the outage as part of emergency protocol to avoid overheating. He said that nuclear energy "has not been shown to be an effective solution in situations like what we experienced on April 28," and called the debate surrounding his government's nuclear phase-out plan 'a gigantic manipulation.' Gas and hydropower, as well as electricity transfers from Morocco and France, were used to get the country's grid back online.
