Senior Deputy to the Leader David Chernushenko gave a speech at the Canadian Solar Industries Association on November 2nd, 2006. The speech was titled The Federal Government Role in Promoting a Viable Domestic Solar Industry – Bringing the Jobs Home. Click below for a full version.

Thank you for inviting me to speak at what is now my third CANSIA Solar Conference. For those who do not know me, allow me first to establish my “street cred� or should I say my “roof cred�. My solar credentials include:

• I’m a solar user since 1991 when I installed a very small system at my cabin. It is still working exactly as advertised.

• In 1999 I installed a four-panel 200Watt system to run my home office in the city.

• I’m also a solar victim – When I installed the home system it was with the plan of connecting to the grid and being “net meteredâ€?. Alas, the hurdles (rules, costs and poor payback) have prevented me from doing this yet. I also wanted to install a solar thermal system, but the City of Ottawa’s approach to this left me wondering if being a solar leader was worth serving jailtime for.

• Last month, for the first time ever, I let my batteries run dry. A result of focusing too much on my Green Party leadership bid, and not enough on domestic tasks. I am thinking today that this is the perfect metaphor for how you must all be feeling about the level of government support for the industry – they are doing very little to top up your batteries and charge up your industry.

I spoke to this conference in 2003 and 2004, and I am back for more. In preparing, I wondered: has anything changed since 2003?

Not much. Not enough. I hear the same complaints from players in the industry. I read the same calls for action in the form of a serious Canadian Solar strategy. I hear the same promises from various governments (including the Minister today), followed by the same inaction. In the face of this dismal anaysis, what astounds me is that I see the same level of commitment and the same passion and optimism at this event year after year. Which leads me to one obvious question. Are you nuts? Or perhaps, what kind of anti-depressants are you people using?

Now you might ask me, as a three time candidate for the Green Party, exactly the same question. I suppose we all suffer from the same affliction. An unshakeable belief that if what you are saying and doing is right, that it makes economic, environmental and social sense, then some day you are going to be a winner. What we also have in common is the belief that our governments, at all levels, are passing by a tremendous opportunity, and we are all losers – for now at least.

But we want to change that. And that I guess is why we are here. Designers, installers, retailers, opposition parties and even, I hope, the government.

What is the general approach of the Green Party of Canada to energy and environmental security?

We intend to define and implement a comprehensive and integrated energy strategy. Renewable energy would be one of the key components of that strategy, and solar has a prominent place. Solar has a significant role to play, as part of a broad and comprehensive energy strategy that includes aggressive conservation (which nobody has tried so far), the clean and efficient extraction and use of fossil fuels (we’re still waiting) and the use of a wise mix of regulatory and market instruments to encourage all of the above.

The Green Party has a role to play in making this happen, at both the federal and provincial level – I will focus on the federal role today.

Permit me to revisit my recommendations from my 2004 speech, which are indicative of the approaches advocated by the Green Party of Canada.

My Proposals were:

1. Make a significant investment of public funds in promoting renewable energy.

• The emphasis must be placed on demonstration and commercialization of solar, especially existing, proven technology and systems. R&D must not be the main focus.

2. Implement a Green Economics Initiative, including a Green Tax Shift that favours clean and efficient products over wasteful and polluting ones. This would include establishing a rating system for energy sources and products, with policy and tax preference given to those which score highest in tackling greenhouse gas emissions, improving efficiency, etc. Call it “informed consumption/conservation�.

3. Establish national building codes that mandate solar access for active solar systems and passive solar design standards (summer passive cooling, winter solar gains).

4. Lead by example through a renewable energy “green procurement� program:

   1. high profile demonstration projects as well as

   2. wide, small-scale deployment (parks, remote sites)

Now I would like to do something unusual for a speaker. I would like to quote back to you the recommendations that your association CANSIA made to a Parliamentary Committee this June. Why? Not just because I am lazy. Not just because I want to show you that somebody, somewhere was listening. But because I want to use this opportunity to repeat these recommendations in front of all the parties and public servants present here, and I want to be able to publish these recommendations on our website to attract more attention to them.

You stated: “What can the government of Canada do to insure that solar energy plays a role in the future energy supply of Canadians? Renewable energy sources like solar are not just about cleaner air and climate change. Yes solar has major benefits for our environment. But it is also about energy security, providing a cheap source of energy in the future and about providing jobs and wealth for Canadians.� I can’t argue with that.

Then you made Four key recommendations:

1. A National Energy Framework

Solar is not just a clean air issue – it must be included in energy policy discussions. All solar technologies, passive, PV and solar thermal, must have major roles in the development of a National Energy Framework. We should be planning for 20-30 years into the future for Canada’s energy – not just for the day after tomorrow.

2. A Solar Strategy for Canada

We need a firm commitment from government and consistent policies. The government needs to live up to the fine words and often-stated aspirations that it expresses for renewable energies…. We have two decades to catch up on – we now need real, not token, action. We need a solar strategy for Canada.

3. Increase the Federal Budget for Solar to $75 Million

Canada needs to build solar capacity today so that we’ll be ready tomorrow when Canada will need new energy options. As a start the budget for solar needs to be increased so it is comparable to our trading partners. While the actually federal budget for support of solar is unknown – we estimate that it is less than 12 million dollars annually. To put us in the middle of the pack of other nations the budget for solar energy needs to be increased to 75 million dollars.

4. Support for Deployment – Not More R&D

The government’s support needs to go into getting solar into the hands of Canadians. We do not need more study, more R&D – more technology development. I cannot stress this enough. We need to follow the footsteps of other nations who are 20 years ahead of us in their use of solar energy. We need help in developing the market for solar products – we need help in building industry capacity, we need help in getting Canadians to understand the advantages of our products.�

Conclusion

I could not agree more with the sentiments and the prescription. On behalf of the Green Party of Canada I would like to state our unqualified support for these four recommendations. I would also like to commit to an ongoing dialogue with CANSIA and its members.

Next year you will no doubt have another federal political panel at your conference. Next year I may even be back to address you again. But next year I hope to be able to do better than to recycle our commitment and to repeat your own recommendations. Next year I hope that we can all celebrate real action in support of a strong Canadian solar industry.

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* David Chernushenko is Senior Deputy to the Leader of the Green Party of Canada. He is president of Green & Gold Inc., an associate of Arborus Consulting and a LEED Accredited Professional. He is the author of three books on sustainable management practices. David is the founder of Clean Air Champions, a non-profit group that involves respected athletes in raising public awareness about air pollution and climate change.