Determining the long-term potential for energy conservation and renewable energy in Canada

This paper summarizes the results of a 28-month study, funded by the Canadian government, which developed new methods for analysing the technical and economic potential for conservation and renewable energy alternatives in Canada to the year 2025. The results of the study show that under conditions of strong economic growth and moderate population growth, it would be technically feasible and cost-effective to operate the Canadian economy in 2025 with 12–34% less energy than it requires today and, over the same 47-year period, to shift from 16% reliance on renewable sources to over 77% (mostly biomass and hydro). Over the study period, energy use per capita falls to between one-half and two-fifths of its level in 1978, and energy use per dollar of GDP to just over one-quarter of its 1978 level.