Putting her energy in renewable energy

Judith Lipp (Nick Pearce Photo)

Global warming and climate change are top of mind for many but for Judith Lipp they are her life’s work. When she’s not examining how to transform the renewable energy market in Canada, she’s been building an off-grid, strawbale cottage near her hometown of Grafton, N.S.

Ms. Lipp is completing an interdisciplinary doctoral degree in Environmental Science and Public Administration. Her research examines the policy needs for greater penetration of renewable electricity in Canada. She contrasts Canada’s developments with approaches used in other countries including Germany, Denmark and the U.K.

“Canada uses three times as much energy as European countries. If we are going to make an impact we need to change how we each use energy and we need to do it fast.”

Ms. Lipp has investigated the role governments need to play in legislating green policies, such as the ones employed in Europe, by identifying the barriers to renewable energy development in Canada today. She says we all have a role to play.

“Walk more, put on a sweater instead of turning up the heat, carpool, caulk around windows and doors, do an energy audit – these are small things that we all can do to reduce our energy footprint. When you’ve made the small but important changes, then look to the bigger solutions—solar energy, hot water heating systems or powering your home using wind turbines.”

She has done research for the Nova Scotia Department of Energy assessing policy needs to encourage community-based renewable energy projects, prepared a Green Power Vision and Strategy for Atlantic Canada on behalf of Pollution Probe, and co-authored a green electricity code of practice for Oxford University. As the lead researcher and project manager on a study of energy sustainability for Nova Scotia, she assessed the full cost of the province’s current energy mix, including environmental and social factors.

Ms. Lipp’s next role will be as executive director with the Toronto Renewable Energy Cooperative.