WWF-Canada and U of S to host renewable energy discussion

Scientists and experts to discuss opportunities and considerations for communities and wildlife


SASKATOON –World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada) and the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) invite media and the public to attend a panel discussion on May 28 at the U of S, where experts will discuss how and where new renewable energy projects should be deployed in the province.

In 2015, provincially operated SaskPower set the ambitious target of doubling the percentage of renewable energy by 2030, which would include at minimum 60 MW of solar power and 800 MW of new wind generation. WWF-Canada and U of Sare hosting this panel to discuss how projects can be sited to best benefit biological and community values, and then move toward development co-operatively to make this urgently needed transition to renewable energy.  

 

Monday May 28
8:30 am – noon
Room 46, Edwards School of Business
25 Campus Drive
University of Saskatchewan

Event Speakers:

Tony Chung, NSERC/SaskPower senior industrial research chair in Smart Grid Technologies, professor, and SaskPower Chair in Power Systems Engineering at the 
U of S.

Guy Lonechild, CEO First Nations Power Authority 

Douglas Opseth, director of Generation Asset Management and Resource Planning at SaskPower 

James Snider, vice-president of science, research and innovation at WWF-Canada, leading the development of Canada’s Living Planet Index (measuring the state of biological diversity) in WWF-Canada’s    2017 Planet Report Canada

Farid Sharifi, lead specialist, renewable energy at WWF-Canada, leading initiatives to support the development of habitat-friendly renewable energy in Canada

About habitat-friendly renewable energy
Habitat-friendly renewable energy is essential to reducing the major landscape and climate impacts of fossil fuel production, transportation and use in Canada. WWF-Canada is developing tools to help developers and communities build renewable energy projects that consider nature at the outset, to maximize energy production while minimizing conflicts with wildlife and subsequent costly delays.
 
About the Renewable Energy in Remote and Indigenous Communities Flagship Program
The University of Saskatchewan has established the world's first multi-sectoral partnership of utility and industry, Indigenous communities and academic institutions to tackle the policy challenges and barriers to renewable energy deployment in remote and Indigenous communities.

About World Wildlife Fund Canada
WWF-Canada creates solutions to the environmental challenges that matter most for Canadians. We work in places that are unique and ecologically important, so that nature, wildlife and people thrive together. Because we are all wildlife. For more information, visit wwf.ca.
 
This event is being hosted by University of Saskatchewan professors Greg Poelzer, School of Environment and Sustainability, Fulbright Scholar and Bram Noble, department of Geography and Planning.
 

To request an interview, contact:

 
Rebecca Spring
senior communications specialist
WWF-Canada
rspring@wwfcanada.org
1 647-338-6274
 
Jennifer Thoma
University of Saskatchewan
Media Relations Specialist
306-966-1851
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