Canada NEEDS a Hydro-Electric National Grid
We need all patriotic Canadians to demand a National Hydro-Electric Power Grid
Canada is perfectly positioned to supply what I like to call “the ingredients” of electric vehicle batteries. With the impending tsunami of global EV demand working its way towards North America - now is the time to start planning the changes to our energy grid.
We know Alberta & Saskatchewan have large world class lithium supplies at almost all oil sands operations. Manitoba, Newfoundland, Ontario, and Quebec have tremendous nickel deposits. The Northern Territories have significant copper, gold, and platinum reserves. These natural resources provide us with an opportunity for more good paying jobs and increased exports. Potentially Canada could also refine these precious metals for electric vehicle transportation all over the planet.
Halifax, Nova Scotia has the Dalhousie University Tesla Battery Lab - a partnership which developed the game changing 4680 Tesla Dry-Cell. The 4680 Dry-Cell offers charge times of 15 minutes, long battery life of 3.2 million km, and high driving range per charge of 837 km or 520 miles. We also know that a $19,000 to $25,000 electric vehicle is going to be released by Tesla in 2022 from various internal Tesla sources. This means the disruption & innovation of electric cars is going to dramatically accelerate. As we see the 4680 Dry-Cell work its way throughout the automotive industry in 2021 and 2022 Canada needs to be ready for the demand of increased electricity and the challenges this may place on our electrical grid.
The President of the United States Joe Biden, and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in February 2021 a North American mining & battery development strategy. The purpose of the strategy is to ensure North America continues to lead in innovation & disruption when it comes to electric vehicle road transportation & battery development.
Canada’s 1st generation built our National Railroad. It connected East and West, allowing Canada to succeed politically and prosper economically. Our World War 2 Generation built the Trans-Canada Highway. Like the railroad for the previous generation, the Trans- Canada Highway allowed Canada continued growth and innovation as Canada approached its Centennial birthday.
So what should Canada do next in the year 2021?
Canadians must now build a Hydro-Electric National Grid because we know we are going to transition to EVs and move into a lower carbon future.
British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Newfoundland have big quantities of renewable hydro-electric power generation. The power is currently being used in each respective province for their own needs; with some being exported to the United States. Yet a surplus of hydro-electric power remains if only it had a place to go…
Anyone who doubts this idea of national hydro-electric power grid is clearly not paying attention to the global disruption happening right now. If we look at Norway as just one example, in the month of December 2020, 87% all new vehicle sales registrations were electric vehicles. Sweden was 50%, Netherlands 69% and so on. See chart for reference.
So how do we get to where we know we want to be? We need to build an energy system that shares our hydro-electric power in British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Newfoundland with the rest of Canada. We need to create long-term power agreements of 25 years. This would give Canadians clean, renewable hydro-electric power at stable prices. It’s good economic policy for Canadians, and good environmental policy. Doing all of this would allow Canada to fully benefit from the “ingredients” of electric vehicle batteries here at home for our transportation needs. This idea would reduce our carbon footprint and do so in a sustainable manner which would not be harmful to our individual pocketbooks.
The Canadian government would have to use its constitutional authority to make infrastructure investments that would connect & update the provincial power grids where required. We need all patriotic Canadians to demand a National Hydro-Electric Power Plan so we can leave a cleaner and more prosperous nation to the next generation of Canadians.
Clinton P. Desveaux is former advisor to various Conservative, Liberal, and New Democrat politicians in Canada and an accredited writer for Troy Media He can be reached: ClintonDesveaux@gmail.com