“Last in class”, Quebecers will have to “consume less” electricity and “at the right times” to succeed in the energy transition and cope with the explosion in demand generated by industrial projects. We will have to be “bold” to better use the available energy, argue the government and Hydro-Québec.
While he will table his bill on the energy future this spring, Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon is categorical: Quebecers are “truly the bottom of the class” when it comes to responsible energy consumption.
In other words, Quebecers are wasteful, he said. “We consume poorly at all levels. Commercial, residential and industrial,” he said in an interview with our Parliamentary Office.
“Figures show that transport and heating account for around 45% of the increase in energy consumption [au Québec] compared to other countries [comme la Suède et l’Allemagne].”
Photo Agence QMI, René Baillargeon
The problem is that Quebec wants to accelerate its energy transition by 2035 and stimulate the economy by offering thousands of megawatts of power to numerous industrial projects.
Hydro-Québec wants to double its capacity to nearly 200 terawatt hours and plans to invest nearly $185 billion by 2035.
“What is good for Quebec, as much for decarbonization as for the creation of collective wealth, it can lead people to say “Okay, are we ready to consume better to let these projects take place? materialize?” pleaded the minister who often gave the example of the dishwasher starting during the night.
“We need to save electricity to be able to decarbonize,” he agreed.
Sobriety
Faced with this strong demand for clean energy, one concept stands out: “energy sobriety”. Long compared to decline and a loss of comfort, the method is gaining popularity.
“We must adopt energy efficiency and sobriety measures to reduce our consumption,” argues Minister Fitzgibbon.
Still taboo and criticized in Europe a few months ago, energy sobriety has even become essential due to the war in Ukraine, mainly in France, where radical measures were introduced a year ago to deal with a crisis. Energy. The temperature of buildings has been lowered, in particular. Our Parliamentary Office went to the site to take stock of the operation (to read on Saturday).
While he will table his bill on the energy future this spring, Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon is categorical: Quebecers are “truly the bottom of the class” when it comes to responsible energy consumption.
Consume less
Moreover, Hydro-Québec has set itself “an ambitious target” in this area which could allow it to save 21 terawatt hours of energy, which is equivalent to the consumption of 1.2 million households each year.
The vice‐president for energy planning at Hydro, Dave Rhéaume, affirms that he will need the mobilization of everyone, including the government of Quebec, in order to meet supply demand.
“We will have to be bold and innovative to better use our clean energy, by consuming less and at the right time”
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Photo Joël Lemay, QMI agency
However, before imposing measures as in France, the state company pleads for gentler actions, focused on the energy efficiency of buildings.
“We are coming out of 15 years of surplus,” he recalled, claiming to understand the hesitation of the population to reduce their consumption.
Like everywhere in the world, Quebecers will be called upon to change their consumption habits in order to save energy and successfully transition to carbon neutrality.
The Journal went to France to take stock of the energy sobriety plan and met citizens who have adapted their daily lives. Quebecers are also at the forefront. Read tomorrow on our websites and in the paper edition of the Journal de Québec and the Journal de Montréal