The global economic crisis has the world community working to improve their economies and as they do so they must keep an eye to the global economy if they wish their economy to truly thrive after recovery. In tandem with the economic crash another crisis looms – that of dwindling fossil energy sources and climate change. Many nations and groups see renewable – “green” – energy and the industries built around it as a solution to economic depression; in other words, green energy and economy. Canada, in particular, is one of these nations.

The combined world investment in natural gas, nuclear and coal powered electricity in 2008 was still smaller than the total investment the world’s nations and multinational corporations and organizations made in renewable energy. In fact, initiatives in green energy solutions attract nearly 148 billion US dollars per year. The largest shares of this money will end up with those nations who invest in and create renewable energy technology and thus nations that commit to green energy will have the advantage in the world economy. Canada is adjacent to one of the world’s economic powerhouses, the United States, and if it decides not to bring in investments in renewable energy, the US will.

For instance, the US has just invested almost 14 times as much money in green energy than Canada did in last year’s Federal budget.

Seen from another view, it is largely agreed that the global climate is in danger primarily as a result of carbon emissions. In order to combat global warming emissions will need to be reduced, and to remain competitive industry will have to find green energy solutions. The countries constituting the Major Economies Forum set a goal to reduce carbon emissions to fifty percent of their 2005 levels in forty years. The International Energy Agency estimates that they will have to spend three to six times more yearly than they are now if they want to achieve those numbers.

A notable initiative toward that end is the development of procedures and technologies for carbon capture and storage. Canada has put itself forward as an innovator in this area of research and development and has committed some considerable amounts of money toward this end. But nations who are not yet fully sold on the necessity of curbing carbon emissions such as Australia and the USA still spend hundreds of millions more than the nineteen million spent by Canada.

Canada is already ahead of most nations in at least one area of renewable energy – hydroelectricity. The provinces of Labrador, Yukon, Manitoba and Quebec already get more than ninety percent of their power from hydroelectric dams. Nationwide, most of Canada’s electricity comes from these dams.

It is noted that Ontario, Quebec and the Prairies region of Canada are regions with strong potential for solar power. Canada does not yet use much solar energy to produce electricity, though its government has produced studies showing this could change by 2025, with solar power providing 5 percent of electricity by then. Canada does use solar power more regularly for heating buildings and water as well as drying lumber and crops.

Canada has stretches of territory that are sparsely populated. Many others are difficult to access and so are off the country’s main energy grid. Photovoltaic cells are used as standalone units to insure that remote communities still have power. PV cells are batteries whose semiconductors directly generate electrical power when exposed to light. The only other option is to use costly standalone diesel fuel systems to power crucial sources such as remote homes, telecommunications equipment and navigational devices.

Canada is beginning to increase its reliance on wind power. There are already ninety-nine wind farms generating a little over one percent of Canadian electricity. According to the Canadian Wind Energy Association, the building of new wind farms could allow the country to reach 55,000 MW by 2025. That is twenty percent of Canada’s energy requirements.

At the provincial level, some parts of Canada are already demonstrating the economy of renewable resources. Ontario recently passed the Green Energy and Green Economy Act of 2009. To give just one example of what the bill provides for, it will offer low- or no-interest loans to homeowners to purchase and install solar panels or other generators of renewable energy.

Further west, in British Columbia, the push to change to a green economy has produced 117,000 full time jobs and contributed fifteen billion dollars to the province’s GDP. Per the GLOBE Foundation of Canada, this initiative may be worth over twenty-seven billion dollars by 2020.

However the debate in government and amongst citizens goes, it is clear that Canada has plenty natural energy, has proven skilled at creating energy systems that harvest it and in some provinces has already shown economic growth as a result of developments in green alternative energy and economy.

Solar Power devices, green energy sources like the field of science is around every day. The children learn with fun optical equipment, telescopes and science lab equipment.

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