Abstract
In community energy planning, a persistent disconnect has been observed between the targets and plans announced by local governments and the application of effective policy to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We use two methods to explore this implementation gap. First, we apply energy-economy modelling tools at the urban level to evaluate the effectiveness of various policy options available to local governments. Our case study for these exercises is the leading jurisdiction of Vancouver, British Columbia. Second, we report and analyze the results of a survey we administered to community energy practitioners in Canada. The modelling results point to jurisdictional reach as an important contributor to the implementation gap. We find that, while Vancouver can make significant progress by implementing policies that are clearly within its jurisdiction, the city is unlikely to meet its ambitious renewable energy and GHG emissions targets without the support of higher levels of government. The survey responses suggest that capacity limitations of local government also have a role in perpetuating the implementation gap.
Highlights
Community energy planning (CEP), or management, is a way of focusing energy-based policy at the local level by integrating it with typical municipal policies and planning practices (Jaccard et al, 1997)
While the 100RE scenario results demonstrate that Vancouver can theoretically achieve its ambitious renewable energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) targets acting alone, this is based on the presumption that the city can enact aggressive, all-encompassing policies that effectively ban the use of natural gas in buildings and gasoline and diesel in vehicles
Practitioners expressed that the results of using a tool to evaluate policies are often not enough, on their own, to drive the required changes. This challenge relates to the implementation gap and suggests that, while policy evaluation exercises such as the ones we reported on in previous sections are necessary, they are insufficient for the successful execution of community energy policy
Summary
Community energy planning (CEP), or management, is a way of focusing energy-based policy at the local level by integrating it with typical municipal policies and planning practices (Jaccard et al, 1997). The CEP policy and planning tools available to municipalities include land-use planning and zoning, building and development permitting, parking access and pricing, local road management, electric vehicle charger deployment, district energy system and community electric utility company development and management, and public transit and active transportation network design. These powers are exercised by cities in their typical planning and development processes.
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