North America to get 50 per cent of its electricity from zero carbon sources

• 7 years ago (2016-06-28)
• David Flin

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The leaders of the USA, Canada, and Mexico will pledge on 29 June that by 2025, half of their overall electricity generation will come from clean power sources. The commitment, which will be a joint one, rather than an individual one by each nation, is an aggressive target given the reliance of the USA and Mexico on fossil fuels for much of their electricity supply. Roughly 59 per cent of Canada’s electricity comes from hydropower, and 16 per cent from nuclear power, so it has already surpassed the targeted benchmark.

The new commitment includes renewables, nuclear, carbon capture and storage, and energy efficiency. Under the definitions being used, 37 per cent of North America’s electricity in 2015 came from clean energy sources.

Brian Deese, a senior advisor at the White House, described is as “an aggressive goal”, but one that “is achievable continent-wide”. He added that the agreement between Canada, Mexico, and the USA on climate and energy policy “is stronger than it has been in decades. In all three countries, there is a significant move toward a clean energy economy.”

Mexico has also said that it will cut its emissions of methane by 40-45 per cent by 2025. The USA and Canada have already set that goal for their own methane output.

Deese said that the USA achieving the target of generating half of its own electricity with clean power by 2025 is difficult, “but one we think is achievable in the USA itself.” In this agreement, the USA would not have to meet that threshold in order to honour its part of the new North American electricity generation target.

Gwynne Taraska, Associate Director of Energy Policy at the Center for American Progress, said one of the key elements for averting dangerous global warming is that countries must meet current climate goals while also setting more ambitious targets for the future. By teaming up, she said, nations can help each other meet those targets. Taraska said: “When countries work together, you improve the odds of success.”