How can Canada meet net-zero goals? Focus on the grid

Jerome Leroy, vice president of Nexans Canada, breaks down how, although Canada’s climate goals seem achievable from a generation perspective, a major overhaul of their transmission and distribution network is still very much needed.

Electrification is the cornerstone of any country’s climate strategy. Whether switching from gas powered cars to EVs or from oil heating to electric, Canada has the chance to lead the transition to a cleaner and greener world.

The biggest question that comes to mind is how to make this transition happen in accordance with the timeline that the Canadian government has set in 2050.

From a generation perspective, this seems doable with solar and wind farms popping up everywhere and consumers being receptive of making the switch to electric vehicles. While generation and usage of electricity are important, there still seems to be a gap that is the elephant in the room no one is discussing.

That elephant is transmission and distribution.

Canada’s goals are achievable, but not without a major overhaul of the transmission and distribution network. The physical infrastructure that makes up the electrical grid in Canada is over 50 years old and growing older by the day.

That transmission network was originally built to handle less than half the load that it is currently handling, let alone when we increase the load by double yet again. The average electric vehicle takes up the same amount as the average house per day to drive just 100 miles. On top of that, add in the switch to electric heating, stoves, and other appliances, and we have even higher demand.

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Another potential roadblock is the structure in infrastructure. The grid is designed to take electricity from places with the highest capacity factors and deliver it to the places with the highest demand. The major difference is that many times the best renewable sources are in different locations than the best fossil fuel sources.

This means not just upgrading the existing infrastructure but building a whole new network with renewables at the center instead of natural gas and coal. Now it is definitely possible to utilize many of these locations for dual purposes so as not to re-invent the wheel. The market is finding new and exciting ways to put solar basically anywhere, and wind turbines are becoming more and more efficient.

Copper is major underlying factor as well. Not only do cables require copper for transmission and distribution, but electric vehicles require two times the copper of traditional gas-powered vehicles. The current global supply for copper is 23 million metric tonnes while the demand is roughly equivalent.

By 2030, that demand is expected to skyrocket to 28 million metric tonnes, while extraction capacity stays stagnant. Everything from phones to cars to cables will require copper at the same time, which will lead to a massive shortage of copper.

This could mean price squeezes and delays, and the results down the supply chain could lead to blackouts. This not only means no air conditioning in the summer months or lighting, but if EVs are introduced at the proposed rate, this could restrict travel, or even more dangerous, home heating in the winter.

The solution is clear. If we are to achieve the ambitious goals that we have set, we must find innovative ways to solve these problems.

First, we need to solve the regulatory roadblock. Regulators have a difficult job of both balancing safety, environmental concerns, market conditions, and expediency. In order to keep up with demand, something must be done to streamline this process.

It takes years to permit and build new transmission lines. It also takes a new copper mine, at minimum, 4 years to be permitted and built which must be reduced if we are to keep up with the demand.

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Couple both of these regulatory issues and there is the perfect storm leading to massive delays which would have ramifications for not just clean energy, but for other sectors as well.

Copper recycling is another clear solution and must be implemented in tandem with new copper mine construction. All of the copper that is currently in the old transmission infrastructure can be given a new life in the next generation infrastructure.

For example, we have a recycling facility in Montreal which has been able to produce 230,000 tonnes of copper rod each year with 10% being composed of recycled copper. Companies that prepare for the coming copper shortage by implementing recycling will keep costs low for customers in the long run and maintain quality throughout.

While there has been progress – Ontario is currently installing new high-voltage landlines that will be complete in 2028 – there is still a long way to go to meet the electricity demands of tomorrow. Electrification is a massive part in Canada’s net-zero transition, but it needs to be implemented at the right time, and that starts with the grid.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Having been with Nexans since 2008, Jerome Leroy is crrently vice president of Nexans Canada, a wire and cables company.