Think outside the box

An accelerated transition to a renewable energy future energy sources requires a holistic, system-wide approach, including energy efficiency measures to reduce overall energy demand. It’s not enough simply building more wind farms or putting solar panels on every roof. Nor is it enough to replace electricity with natural gas used for heating if the source of electricity is not renewable.

Simply put, renewable energy must be used to meet the energy needs of all sectors. This means that renewable energy providers must better understand the thinking, challenges and opportunities in each end-use sector. Local involvement of all stakeholders and local ownership (e.g., active consumers, municipal energy) is also important. Renewable energy development has broader implications than for the energy sector, and policies must be integrated into an overall framework that integrates economic policy, industry, jobs and trade, facilitated by education and the development of competencies.

Finally, policy coherence is key to support the sustainable deployment of renewable energy at the national, regional and local