Industry Insight
Is There a Future in Renewable Energy in Canada? Why Is It Important?
Why renewable energy matters for Canada, what research says about solar and wind, and how Ontario homeowners can be part of the shift with rooftop solar.
Why renewable energy matters for Canada, what research says about solar and wind, and how Ontario homeowners can be part of the shift with rooftop solar.
Will renewable energy have a real future in Canada, and why does it matter? Researchers, utilities and governments increasingly say yes. This article summarizes what the research suggests, what the challenges are, and how Ontario homeowners can take part in the shift today.
In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a special report on the impacts of warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius. It stressed that impacts increase sharply beyond that level and that vulnerable communities are affected most. The report ties climate action to poverty reduction and sustainable development, themes also reflected in the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Energy researchers have studied this question using decades of weather data from many countries. One often-cited line of research, by a team including University of California Earth system science professor Steven Davis, notes that in a zero-carbon future there will be multi-day periods when demand has to be met by energy storage or other non-fossil sources. In other words, solar and wind are powerful, but they work best alongside storage, hydro and a flexible grid.
The same body of work suggests that countries with large land areas, such as Canada, tend to have more reliable combined solar and wind systems, because weather differs across a large territory and a well-connected grid can balance it out. Countries closer to the equator receive more consistent sunshine, but size and geographic variety are real advantages. Canada also has substantial hydro, which complements solar and wind well.
Cleaner energy has benefits beyond climate. The World Health Organization reports that the great majority of people worldwide breathe air that exceeds its guideline limits, and that air pollution is linked to millions of premature deaths each year. Much of that comes from burning fossil fuels and solid fuels for cooking and heating. Moving to renewable power reduces those pollutants. See the World Health Organization's air pollution overview for details.
Many recent studies conclude that the technology exists to move toward a largely renewable energy system by mid-century, in line with the Paris targets. The challenges are real, because the targets are ambitious and the build-out takes planning, but costs for solar and wind have dropped substantially over the past decade. Over time that trend makes renewable generation increasingly competitive with fossil fuels on price alone.
A renewable transition can also support local economic development. Installing solar creates skilled jobs in design, electrical work, roofing and project management in communities across Ontario.
Meeting climate goals will take action from researchers, policy makers, businesses and households. That includes how we build, how we travel and how we power our homes. Homeowners cannot change national policy on their own, but they can choose how their own roof is used.
Rooftop solar lets you produce clean electricity on site. A well-designed system reduces the power you buy from the grid, and a battery lets you store it for the evening or for outages. Businesses can look at commercial solar, and families can start with a residential solar assessment.
Update (2026): incentives and policies change, so check our current incentives page rather than relying on older articles. For official information on Ontario's electricity system, visit the Independent Electricity System Operator.
Terawatt Solar is ready to help you take the first step. Book a free site assessment or use the solar calculator for a quick estimate.
Research suggests large countries with varied geography can build reliable systems from solar, wind and hydro when they are paired with storage and a well-planned grid. Real-world results depend on investment and planning.
Install rooftop solar, add a battery for backup, improve efficiency and consider an electric vehicle. A free site assessment is the first step to know what your home can support.
