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8 SUMMER 2024 MANITOBA'S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE M ore than 95 per cent of the electricity generated in Manitoba comes from a renewable source: hydro, making the province a leader in clean energy development. However, Manitoba still imports 70 per cent of its energy for transportation and heating in the form of fossil fuels. In accordance with national green- house gas emissions reduction targets, Manitoba is moving towards a cleaner energy future with ambitious goals of having a net-zero power grid by 2035 and being carbon neutral by 2050. Manitoba has unique advantages for harnessing green energy, includ- ing freshwater resources that support hydro and hydrogen production, along with conditions that support the in- corporation of wind turbines and solar panels. In addition, the province has biomass feedstocks (crops that can be used as fuel or converted into other forms of energy) and critical minerals essential for developing clean tech- nologies, energy storage systems and electric vehicles. Efficiency Manitoba, a Crown corporation mandated to sup- port the clean energy transition, is also a benefit. Regulatory factors driving the push to a low-carbon future include the province's commitment to meet na- tional emissions reduction targets and new national building codes. Trending technologies in the clean energy space include ground and air source heat pumps, geothermal heating, the use of hydrogen in transportation, and carbon capture and storage. As more businesses and people make choices and changes to become more efficient and less reliant on fossil fuels, there will be anticipated cost sav- ings, job creation and other economic advantages. Through collaboration and consultation with governments, NGOs, businesses and Indigenous groups, the clean energy transition in Manitoba is set to position the province as a pros- perous leader driving change. In the following pages, key stakehold- ers — including Minister of Environment and Climate Change Tracy Schmidt, Manitoba Hydro-Electric board chair Ben Graham, Efficiency Manitoba CEO Colleen Kuruluk and Business Council of Manitoba's president and CEO Bram Strain — share their insights on Manitoba's clean energy future and the tangible benefits it will bring. GOING GREEN: MANITOBA'S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE BY KRISTIN MARAND Manitoba has unique advantages for harnessing green energy, including freshwater resources that support hydro and hydrogen production, along with conditions that support the incorporation of wind turbines and solar panels.

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