Strategic assessment for energy transitions: A case study of renewable energy development in Saskatchewan, Canada

Abstract

With attention on the renewable energy sector to meet low-carbon transition goals, the need for more coordinated approaches to planning, carefully thought-out decision processes, and long-term policy designs to guide transitions is of increased importance. Despite repeated calls to advance more strategic forms of impact assessment in energy planning, decisions about renewable energy development are still predominantly approached on a project-by-project basis. Using renewable energy transitions in Saskatchewan, Canada, as a case study, this paper demonstrates how a transitions-based strategic environmental assessment (SEA) framework can be applied to explore the capacity needs, opportunities, risks, and obstacles in existing institutions and governance arrangements for low-carbon transitions. Results show significant benefits, opportunities, and risks in renewable energy transitions. Opportunities exist to address energy security concerns and promote distributed generation, but perceived risks include the immediate economic impacts of transitioning away from a fossil-based economy, reliability risks owing to the intermittent nature of renewables, and political uncertainty about the future electricity landscape. Results show the need for clear transition goals and implementation strategies, including full commitment to the transition agenda. For transitions-based SEA, results highlight the need for transparency and accountability to ensure effective implementation and the difficulty in establishing new assessment regimes. Lessons highlighted from the Saskatchewan case are broadly relevant for addressing low-carbon transition challenges and opportunities in other jurisdictions.