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GUEST COLUMN — In July 2006, the provincial government filed the Electricity from Renewable Resources Regulation under the Electricity Act.

This new regulation, more commonly known as the province's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), required that NB Power gradually increase the percentage of electricity delivered to New Brunswick customers from renewable sources by 10 per cent by 2016. The target has since been updated to 10 per cent by 2010. This target can help mitigate the impacts of non-renewable energy production such as air/water/soil pollution, climate change, energy insecurity, international conflicts, and hazardous waste.

According to the RPS policy, allowable renewable energy sources include biogas, biomass, solar, hydro, wave, tidal and wind which meet the Environmental Choice Program Certification Criteria for low-impact renewable electricity generation.

These criteria ensure that electricity generation:

• be in such a manner that all steps of the generation process meet the requirements established by applicable laws and regulations;

• be accompanied by evidence that appropriate consultation with communities and stakeholders has occurred, and when applicable reasonable mitigation of negative impacts has been addressed;

• be accompanied by evidence that the project will not result in land conflict, biodiversity loss, or degradation of the heritage, cultural, recreational or touristic values; and

• be generated in a manner that does not adversely impact species designated as endangered or threatened.

There are also further requirements specific to each renewable energy source.

The province is currently performing some very interesting public consultations regarding renewable energy. One is regarding community wind energy: identifying the barriers and benefits to increased participation, ownership and control of wind power projects by New Brunswick communities. Another is the beginning of a strategic environmental assessment on possible tidal power development in the Bay of Fundy. Both of these initiatives are important opportunities for the public to learn about renewable energy and share their desires and concerns.

An interesting detail of the RPS regulation was brought up at the St. George tidal power meeting I attended. It seems the RPS targets apply to electricity sold in New Brunswick, not electricity generated in New Brunswick. What this means is that although this policy requires an increase in renewable energy generation in the province, it does not require a corresponding decrease in non-renewable energy generation. The extra non-renewable energy generation capacity can then be used for export.

This is not the common understanding of the policy in the general public. In fact a representative of the department of energy responding to questions at the meeting was not certain if the RPS applied to electricity generated or electricity sold. The RPS policy (available at www.gnb.ca/0062/PDF-regs/2006-58.pdf) definitely sets targets for the "Minimum quantity of electricity sold by the standard service supplier in the Province."

It seems to me that if our top priority is human health and a sustainable environment, we should also have policy which aims to phase out non-renewable energy generation in the province. How is it that the new vision of New Brunswick becoming an energy hub that we hear so much about these days is allowed to take priority over our health and our environment?

Brent Crowhurst is with the Falls Brook Centre, a non-profit environmentally focused community development demonstration centre in New Brunswick.