Low Carbon Pathway
The Durham Community Energy Plan is Durham Region’s ambitious strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and seize economic opportunities related to the clean energy transition. It presents low carbon pathway up to 2050 that lays out a set of long-term strategies to reduce GHG emissions while growing our economy.
| Durham Community Energy Plan |
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The Durham Community Energy Plan will accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy in Durham while simultaneously achieving multiple economic, environmental and social benefits. Durham Region’s community GHG emissions reduction target is 80% below 2007 levels by 2050. The Region is currently working to establish a new set of corporate GHG emissions reduction targets for 2025 and 2030. Achieving these targets will require transformational changes in how we live, work, build and commute.
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| Durham’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions |
| Durham Region’s community GHG inventory shows that most GHG emissions come from buildings and transportation. |
| Durham Home Energy Savings Program (Retrofit Program) |
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Durham Region is developing a home energy retrofit program to assist homeowners in conducting deep energy retrofits on their homes. The Durham Home Energy Savings Program, otherwise known as D-HESP, features a “one-stop-shop” home energy concierge or coach service to reduce project complexity from the homeowner’s perspective. The home energy coach is an independent, trusted advisor that provides the homeowner with assistance throughout their retrofit journey. Services include providing expert advice on different topics, from understanding home energy efficiency needs/priorities to sourcing contractors, accessing rebates, and undertaking the home retrofit project. Pre-and-post energy audits will enhance certainty in savings. The program has been designed to integrate with existing offerings, namely Enbridge Gas’s Home Energy Conservation Program and Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO’s) Affordability Fund and Home Assistance Program. Recognizing that access to capital may be a barrier for some homeowners, we have developed partnerships with local utilities who are willing to offer “on-bill financing” as well as local credit unions who are willing to provide preferential loan terms for energy retrofit projects. The Region is planning to offer a loan guarantee to our finance partners to reduce their risk. A program jointly implemented between municipalities, utilities, local financial institutions, post-secondary institutions, and skilled trades, will help initiate market transformation. This will help drive the increase in residential sector retrofit uptake rates required to meet Durham’s long-term GHG reduction targets.
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| Electric Vehicles |
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Vehicles are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in Durham Region, representing more than 40 percent of total emissions in 2017. Durham’s Community Energy Plan highlights the critical importance of electric vehicles in meeting the Region’s GHG emissions reduction targets. Electrification of personal, municipal and commercial vehicle fleets is estimated to represent close to 20 percent of the total GHG emissions reductions needed to align with Durham’s “Low Carbon Pathway”. By 2030 all new vehicles purchased in the Region are expected to be zero emissions. The Region is acting on its own vehicle fleets. In November 2019, Durham Region Council committed $10 million in funding towards Durham Region Transit’s first eight battery electric buses and charging infrastructure as a pilot project to inform the transition of the region’s transit fleet to zero-emission buses over the next 10 years. In addition to our own Fleet, Durham Region is working with local municipalities and partners to expand the availability of public EV charging stations. In 2021, the Region, together with Ajax, Clarington, Oshawa (in collaboration with Oshawa Power and Utilities Corporation) and Whitby will be installing 60 new EV charging stations across 21 municipally-owned and publicly-accessible sites. This initiative is made possible through a $296,000 grant from the Government of Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. The investment will help to encourage more people to use EVs and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Transitioning to EVs is a key action needed to meet Durham Region’s climate change commitments. EV Chargers in the Region of Durham
Where to find an EV charging station? Find an EV charging station near you or your destination with online maps and mobile apps such as Plugshare or Chargehub. |
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