What could be done to make Quebec richer? Use our energy better and stop wasting it.
Among developed states, Canada and Quebec have the lowest energy productivity: it is here that the least economic wealth is created per gigajoule of energy consumed. “We suffer from an energy productivity deficit,” summarizes Professor Pierre-Olivier Pineau, holder of the Chair of Energy Sector Management at HEC Montréal.
For example, Germany generates 2.5 times more economic wealth than Canada per unit of energy consumed. Okay, our economy is very linked to natural resources, a more energy-intensive sector. But other countries with a similar profile such as Norway (oil) and Australia (mining) create much more wealth per energy consumed. Furthermore, among the five comparable countries studied by the Chair, Canada (+74%) is the one that has improved its energy productivity the least over the past 50 years.
One of our big problems: we waste a lot of energy. In Quebec, as prices are low, there are few incentives for consumers and industries to save money and invest to reduce consumption. “It is not true that consuming less energy makes us poorer,” says Mr. Pineau. Rather than heating poorly insulated basements, we could sell this electricity to support industries that would create wealth. It would enrich us without costing us anything. »
Write U.S ! Let us know your point of view