Runa Das - Canada’s households and the zero carbon transition

Canada’s energy transition is part of the global energy transition currently underway. Canada’s energy system has been evolving, similar to that of other countries, but this time change is urgent to limit warming. In addition to addressing the climate crisis and promoting greater energy security, energy transitions and shifting to renewable energy systems have the potential to address interrelated challenges connected to fossil fuels. But even low carbon transitions can distribute the costs and benefits of transition unequally and calls are being made for the energy transition to be equitable so that it benefits everyone.

To date much of the focus in energy transition and in energy systems transformation has been on the supply side. There is less emphasis on end-users, the general public, and everyday households. However, Canada’s residential sector plays an important role in the energy transition by way of their energy consumption and demand for energy. Canada’s households are also important because climate change will impact their everyday lives.
 
There are many challenges facing the Canadian residential sector having to do with affordability, energy poverty, energy efficiency, and the adoption of technology, which are all critical to address. For example, in the current energy system, households are struggling with getting sufficient levels of energy services to meet their needs and maintain healthy indoor temperatures. The energy transition will increase the demand for electricity, as well as present potential upfront costs, which will be challenging for households that are already struggling to afford their energy needs. In this talk I ask: How can Canada’s households energy transition equitably and sustainably? I will discuss some of the current challenges and solutions for advancing residential energy transition.

Speaker Bio: Runa Das is an Associate Professor in the College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Royal Roads University. She holds a PhD in Environmental Applied Science and Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, Master’s and honors undergraduate degrees in Psychology from York University and Carleton University, and a Bachelor of Science from Mount Allison University. Dr. Das is an interdisciplinary energy researcher. She is currently focusing on the study of household energy transition for net-zero in Canada, which includes study of energy poverty, affordability, energy efficiency, and the adoption of technology. She is a founding member and the current Steering Committee Chair of Women and Inclusivity in Sustainable Energy Research (WISER): a global network of women and non-binary academics in the field of clean, low-carbon, or sustainable energy research. Das has provided consultation to government, environmental organizations, not-for-profits, and was recently commissioned to write a report on energy poverty for the David Suzuki Foundation. She receives funding primarily from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for her research.