Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online
La Belle Province plans on building lots of wind, and getting rid of natural gas as much as possible
Bekevar Wind Energy Facility, Kipling, Saskatchewan, on, Nov. 15, 2024. No wind meant not one turbine was turning. But Quebec intends on building massive wind farms dwarfing this one, and getting rid of as much natural gas usage as possible. Photo by Brian Zinchuk
It turns out the Quebec government’s disdain for pipelines extends to those supplying new buildings with natural gas, as well.
The Canadian Press reported on Nov. 18:
The Government of Quebec is aiming to remove fossil fuels from all buildings, except those in the industrial sector, by 2040.
On Monday morning, Environment Minister Benoit Charette and Energy Minister Christine Fréchette announced “a plan to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy by 2040.”
The goal is to phase out fossil fuels for heating buildings and ensure a transition to renewable energy, “while considering Quebec’s energy supply capacity.”
In recent months, several municipalities, with Prévost in the Laurentians being the first, have banned the installation of gas systems in new residences.
The key point is Quebec’s push to electrify everything, from heating to vehicular transportation. To provide for that power, in November, 2023, Hydro Quebec announced its intentions to invest up to $185 billion over the next 12 years to increase capacity and reliability. This past July it announced a $9 billion, 3,000 megawatt wind project. Although, as was evidenced on Friday, Nov. 14, even when you have 5,340 megawatts of installed wind capacity, as Alberta does, it collectively at times will produce zero power, as occurred Friday night.
There’s one person who’s had a lot of skin in this game – Michael Binnion – whose company Questerre Energy had at one point leased in excess of a million acres for natural gas development in the St. Lawrence Valley, only to have the Quebec government place a de facto ban on fracking in 2010. That ban was formalized in 2018.
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So while Quebec’s Appalachia neighbours to the south, like Pennsylvania, cashed in on the shale revolution, that province produces zero natural gas. Questerre president Binnion said in December, 2017, that his company could have supplied a substantial amount of Quebec’s natural gas needs, if only they were allowed to develop that land. According to the Canadian Energy Regulator website on Nov. 18, “There is no natural gas production or field production of NGLs in Quebec.
Questerre is an active oil producer in southeast Saskatchewan, with its core area near Antler, between Redvers and the Manitoba border.
Michael Binnion
Binnion posted on LinkedIn on Nov. 18 the following:
This morning, the Quebec government announced a ban on the use of conventional natural gas in residential, commercial, and institutional buildings by 2040.
Quebec is at a crossroads, and it’s time to talk sense about natural gas. Natural gas isn’t just important—it’s ESSENTIAL. Without it, Quebec’s energy future is on shaky ground.
1. Natural Gas is the Backbone in an Energy Crunch:
When energy demand peaks, and it will, natural gas is the only thing that can step up immediately. Look at Bécancour—550 megawatts ready to go when Quebec needs it most. That’s what we call dependable energy. No waiting, no excuses. You can’t turn on a wind turbine or build a dam overnight.
2. Alternative Plans are slow to deliver:
Let’s be honest: the government’s ideas sound great in speeches—hydro, wind, energy efficiency—but they’re not happening fast enough. The clock is ticking, and Quebec doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for long timelines and over-promised projects. Natural gas is the bridge to a stable energy future, plain and simple.
3. Heating Homes and Powering Industry—It’s All on the Line:
Natural gas isn’t just about keeping the lights on; it’s about keeping people warm and businesses thriving. Industrial operations and residential heating can’t just “go electric” tomorrow. If Quebec cuts off natural gas without a plan, it’s inviting blackouts, job losses, and a whole lot of regret.
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Binnion included a link to a statement by Montreal thinktank MEI. It stated:
REACTION: Quebec depriving itself of natural gas when it’s facing an electricity shortage would be a mistake
Montreal, November 18, 2024 – It would be a mistake for the Quebec government to ban natural gas from conventional sources, according to an MEI researcher.
“In case the government has forgotten, Quebec is still facing a lack of electricity, with all the negative effects this has on development,” says Gabriel Giguère, senior policy analyst at the MEI. “In this context, banning a reliable source of energy from new buildings amounts to shooting oneself in the foot.”
This morning, the Quebec government announced a ban on the use of conventional natural gas in residential, commercial, and institutional buildings by 2040, confirming information obtained by La Presse this morning.
The plan is among other things to prohibit the installation of gas heaters in new residential constructions as of 2026.
The MEI points out that as recently as last year, Hydro-Québec was saying that it would have difficulty meeting demand if new buildings could not use natural gas, in particular for heating purposes.
Last week, Hydro-Québec revised its projections upward for electricity demand in 2035, notably asking Quebecers to lower their thermostats during peak winter periods—often severe cold snaps—and to spend money to better insulate their homes.
“Just last week, Hydro-Québec asked Quebecers to heat a little bit less in the winter to avoid power shortages,” adds Mr. Giguère. “This should have sent a clear message to the government regarding Quebec’s continued need for gas heating.”
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