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The Ontario Green Energy Act became law only this May, and municipal governments across the province are still in the process of figuring out what exactly this groundbreaking legislation will mean for them. Last week, the Environmental Advisory Committee, a group of citizens with a formal role in helping to form city policy, met to consider the implications of the new law for Ottawa. I sat in on the meeting to see what three speakers -  Yasir Naqvi, MPP for Ottawa Center; Graham Saul, one of the founders of Ecology Ottawa and David Miller, the City’s Program Manager for Environmental Sustainability - had to say about how this important piece of legislation would affect municipalities. What follows are three important ways this new law might actually impact your life.

1. Add some green to your energy… and your wallet! Renewable Power Feed-in Tariffs could create backyard power barons

Background - Perhaps the most widely touted aspect of the new bill is the feed-in tariff. Basically, this part of the law obligates (within certain limitations) the Ontario Power Authority - the body responsible for managing overall electric supply in Ontario - to enter into long-term contacts to buy power from producers of renewable energy at set prices. Although this policy has been very successful at encouraging the development of wind and solar power in Germany and other European countries, Ontario is the first jurisdiction in North America to give it a go. Some of the prices associated with this program seem quite generous: while the OPA currently pays 5.6 to 6.2 cents for kilowatt hour (kWh) for hydro electric power and 8.5 to 14 cents per Kwh for natural gas, under the feed-in tariff energy producers could make up to 80.2 cents per kWh from a solar-mounted rooftop panel and 13.5 cents per kWh for a wind turbine.

What it could mean for you - This act will allow anyone who produces green energy to benefit from both long term contracts and competitive prices. Theoretically, this means that if you have a house and decided to put up some solar panels, you could sell any excess electricity to the OPA for some extra cash. However, although the feed-in tariff creates an incentive for people to invest in green energy and other eases the process of gaining access to the electrical grid, there may still be some bureaucratic obstacles to maneuver before you can become a backyard energy baron.

2. Not in my Backyard… or maybe? Renewable Energy Projects are no longer under municipal control

Background - The Green Energy Act made changed the way in which renewable energy projects had to get government approval for their projects. Before May, the placement of wind turbines and solar panels were determined by municipal zoning regulations. Now, municipalities no longer have the power to direct the placement of renewable energy installations through their official plans, zoning and planning by-laws.  The province will establish provincial wide regulations to determine how far renewable energy installations can be from buildings amongst other things.

What it could mean for you - The rational behind these changes was to prevent NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard) in municipal councils from preventing viable renewable energy projects from going through. Because electricity planning happens on a provincial and not a municipal level, it makes a certain amount of sense to regulate these projects on the provincial level. However, it means that Jo Ottawa will ultimately have less of a say about where new renewable projects will be located, and less power to stop installations which he feels are not to the benefit of the community.

3. Power to the People! Support for community power projects

Background - The Act also encourages community groups, First Nations communities and farmers to get into the energy market. These groups may embark on renewable energy project of 10MW (about the energy needed to power 2500 homes) or less without having to go through all the difficulty of becoming a utility like Ottawa Hydro. Further more, such groups will have access to a Green Energy Debt Finance Program and a Community Power Corporation to help provide financing for such projects.

What it could mean for you - Maybe your softball team could build a wind farm together… Ok, the definition of community groups is a more stringent than that, but groups within your community now have the option of providing their own power instead of buying it off the grid. For some organizations, this could be a new way to develop a revenue stream, provided that the initial capital can be raised.

To conclude, the Green Energy Act could have a profound impact on how Ottawans will fulfill their energy needs as well as the health of the city and province’s environment.