Promoting Renewable Energy Development and Deployment through International Cooperation: Canada's Role in the 21st Century

The development and deployment of renewable energy technologies is increasingly recognized as a necessary action to tackle climate change, advance energy security, and to achieve a transition towards a low-carbon, sustainable economy and society. Despite that, the penetration and commercialization of renewable energy solutions has been hindered, particularly in developed countries, by the existence of market-related, economic, financial, institutional, regulatory, technical, social, cultural, behavioural, and other barriers. Dismantling those barriers will require an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced and the implementation of a variety of tools and mechanisms that are increasingly recognized by energy experts as effective in the facilitation of renewable energy deployment. \n \nIn the last decades, international cooperation has played an important role in helping low-income countries increase the penetration of renewable energy sources. Collaboration is key considering that it creates opportunities for transferring knowledge and environmentally sound technologies, for fostering local capacity, for accessing finance and funding to develop new projects, for ensuring that new technical and policy initiatives are informed by know-how accumulated in leading countries, and for guaranteeing that new renewable energy projects are of the highest quality. That said, the purpose of this report is to identify, based on an extensive literature review and interviews, cooperation mechanisms through which Ottawa can help promote the deployment of renewable energy solutions in developing countries where the penetration of these technologies in the electricity mix is low or non-existent. The research question are: 1) Why should Canada collaborate with developing countries to advance renewable energy as a climate change mitigation strategy?; 2)How can Canada help promote the widespread deployment and commercialization of renewable energy technologies in low-income countries that rely on conventional energy sources; and 3)What must be the focus or targets, financing sources, and mechanisms to foster collaboration? \n \nThe report concludes that the Canadian government has an obligation to collaborate with developing countries in the implementation of climate mitigation and adaptation strategies mainly on the grounds that Canada is and has been one the top emitters of greenhouse gases (GHG). Secondly, it suggests that Canada could make a meaningful contribution by focusing its efforts and resources on helping beneficiary countries, through bilateral agreements, enhance local capacity building and improve their policy framework for renewable energy development. Lastly, it recommends that said assistance should be provided by offering training and certification at no cost either on RETScreen or on renewable energy system installation and maintenance for individuals who meet a number or conditions and, furthermore, by connecting local politicians and regulators with a select group of leading renewable energy policy experts from Canada. These and other initiatives could be funded with public money provided that fossil fuel subsidies are reduced or eliminated. \n \nSubsequently, the report demonstrates that Canada's collaboration could help Latin American countries, such as Colombia, diversify their electricity portfolio, reduce GHG emissions, advance long-term energy security and sustainability, and provide economic opportunities for the country's most marginalized and vulnerable populations. Finally, it indicates that additional research is needed to identify countries that would be interested and that could benefit from entering into a long-term collaborative relationship with the Canadian government and, furthermore, to analyse alternative collaboration models and pathways.

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