After crown and private utilities, Indigenous communities and enterprises are collectively the third-largest owner of clean energy assets in Canada. That’s the lead finding of a new report by the non-profit organization Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE).
In particular, the report, Accelerating Transition, finds:
• A total of 197 medium-to-large renewable energy generating projects with Indigenous involvement are now in operation (171 projects) or in the final stages of planning or construction (26 projects). Most of these projects involve partnerships between Indigenous communities and energy sector companies, utilities, or developers.
• Medium-to-large Indigenous renewable energy projects have experienced a 29.6% growth rate across Canada since 2017.
• The energy sources for medium-to-large scale projects include: Hydro (56.5%), Wind (22.9%), Solar (11.8%), Bioenergy (7.1%), and Hybrid Sources (1.7%).
• Smaller Indigenous clean energy projects are proliferating with many Indigenous communities installing community-scale or small-generation solar systems supplying provincial/territorial grids. It is estimated that 1,700 – 2,100 micro or small renewable energy systems are now in place with Indigenous leadership/partnerships. A high proportion (just under 50%) of these installations are in Ontario.
• Bioenergy projects have boomed. Some 72 power and/or heat generating systems are now functioning, or about to be switched on. Most of these projects are of modest scale, though four (4) are included in the set of medium-to-large renewable energy projects. Some of these projects (5 in total) employ Geothermal or Earth Energy technologies.
• Nineteen electricity transmission projects are completed or in construction. These projects involve grid access for major projects (e.g., La Romaine Hydro, Quebec), off-grid community interconnection (e.g., Wataynikaneyap Power, Ontario) or grid strengthening (e.g., Bipole III, Manitoba).
Indigenous participation in these projects may include: Indigenous ownership/co-ownership; stipulated economic benefits; royalty agreements; Indigenous financing; revenue sharing agreements; lease agreements; Impact Benefit Agreements (IBA’s); and/or partnership agreements. The level of Indigenous ownership of clean energy projects appears to break down into one of three models: 1) Minor project participation reflective of single digit ownership percentages, or equivalent financial benefit; 2) Significant minority ownership – which is trending towards 25-50% project participation; and 3) 100% Indigenous community ownership, which is becoming more common in comparison to three years ago.
Accelerating Transition is available at indigenouscleanenergy.com/
A map recently released by ICE lists over 152 clean energy projects over 1 MW. Their involvement ranges from Impact Benefit Agreements to direct ownership of projects.
Examples in Ontario:
• In solar: Grand Renewable Energy Park, near the eastern end of Lake Erie, 100 MW, operational since 2015. Owners: Samsung C&T, Conner Clark & Lunn Infrastructure, Six Nations of Grand River.
• In hydropower: Gitchi Animki Hydroelectric Project (Gitchi Animki Bezhig & Gitchi Animki Niizh), Upper and Lower White River, 18.9 MW, operational since 2015. Owner: Pic Mobert First Nation.
• In wind: Bow Lake Wind Facility near Thunder Bay, 58.3 MW, operational since 2015, owned by the Nodin Kitagan Limited Partnerships, a partnership between the Batchewana First Nation of Ojibways and BluEarth Renewables.
• In biomass: White River Forest Products LP, north of Lake Superior, 7.5 MW, operational since 2013. A “community-based venture” between the Netamisakomik Anishinabek (Pic Mobert First Nation), the White River EDC, and private investors.
Visit indigenouscleanenergy.com/.
See also “App provides central info source on Aboriginal treaties,” elsewhere this issue in National News.
The Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE) Social Enterprise is a pan-Canadian not-for-profit platform that advances Indigenous inclusion in Canada’s energy futures economy through Indigenous leadership, and broad-based collaboration with energy companies, utilities, governments, development firms, cleantech innovators, academic sector, and capital markets.
The ICE Social Enterprise achieves impact through its three programs:
• 20/20 Catalysts Program – the national clean energy capacity building program for Indigenous individuals from communities and organizations across Canada.
• The ICE Network – a collaborative space for people working to advance Indigenous clean energy projects and Indigenous participation in the clean energy sector.
• The Global Hub – an international initiative to build connections, share learnings, and promote cooperation among Indigenous groups globally.