Power play: a nuclear energy provider’s roadmap to Net-Zero
At a glance
The world’s population is at a tipping point with greenhouse gas emissions and increased climate-related risks and impacts. As a result, businesses and governments are taking action to meet global energy needs with an urgent focus on efficient, low-carbon solutions.
The challenge
A report completed by GHD titled The Energy Sector’s Role in Net-Zero found that despite the successful track record Bruce Power and the nuclear industry have played by phasing out coal in Ontario, a range of solutions are required to advance Ontario and Canada’s climate goals to avoid a projected increase in emissions from electricity production over the next decade.
To support Canada’s national target to achieve net-zero by 2050, Bruce Power, a major nuclear power provider in Ontario, Canada, committed to achieving Net-Zero GHG emissions from site operations by 2027 and providing clean energy in Ontario for decades to come.
Our response
Bruce Power retained our advisory services to develop their 2027 Net-Zero Strategy, which includes a multi-faceted action plan to support the operationalization of the net-zero commitment.
We collaborated with Bruce Power to establish the path to Net-Zero by identifying sources of emissions, quantifying those emissions, determining the appropriate reduction measures and providing guidance for offsetting the remaining emissions.
The roadmap incorporates critical short, medium, and long-term emissions reduction, substitution, and offsetting actions and is structured around five focus areas, which collectively prioritize reduction measures and opportunities to substitute lower carbon-intensive energy sources over offsets. These five focuses include:
- Avoiding and reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions
- Substituting energy consumption for low-carbon alternatives
- Purchasing local carbon offsets
- Reducing emissions across the value chain
- Mitigating emissions beyond the value chain.
The impact
Bruce Power’s 2027 net-zero strategy will have measurable positive environmental impacts and is a key pillar to advancing climate change goals for Ontario and Canada. Their commitment to providing clean, reliable energy, minimizing their environmental footprint and supporting environmental protection is amplified in their Net-Zero 2027 strategy document. With this plan, Bruce Power will continue to deliver electricity needs to the highest environmental, social and governance standards.