Podcast: Colleen d’Entremont On Himalayan Hikes And People Power In Atlantic Canada’s Evolving Energy Sector
Colleen d’Entremont, the president of the Atlantica Centre for Energy, says the energy sector is complex, a “bowl of spaghetti” that includes interconnected power grids and energy sources across the Atlantic region.
But one thing is clear, she says, consumer demands are changing the landscape, forcing the region to look at low-carbon alternatives like wind farms and small modular reactors that aren’t “your dad’s Buick,” old-style nuclear reactors.
“All of the changes in the energy sector now, and this is a time of great change, are being driven by cultural and consumer and societal changes,” she says. “There have been huge cultural changes in North America [that have led to pressure] to reduce carbon emissions involved in the energy sector, driven by the consumer. They’re generating demand for low-emitting or non-emitting sources of energy production.”
On this week’s Huddle “Home Office” podcast, Colleen joins host Mark Leger to talk about how that shift in consumer behaviour is reshaping the energy landscape here and creating economic opportunities in this post-Energy East environment.
Colleen and Mark also chat about their shared love of hiking and travelling. Colleen has gone on hiking trips around the world, including the Himalayan mountain range in Asia, but she still says the hiking is first-rate here at home.
“I’ve hiked up to Mount Everest Base Camp…I’ve hiked in South America, parts of Europe, the Dolomites in Italy, and certainly the natural environment in New Brunswick does not play second fiddle to the rest of the world,” says Colleen.
“When you see these tourism brochures saying that it’s world-class, it is true. I can attest to that. We have the Fundy Trail Parkway, as well as Mt. Carleton, for example. Just lovely trail systems.”
Listen to the interview with Colleen in the player above or listen on one of many podcast platforms.
The Huddle “Home Office” podcast – available on Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher and Apple podcast platforms – features conversations with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia community leaders, entrepreneurs, analysts and Huddle reporters about the issues and events that accelerate and enrich the growth of the region’s economy and culture.
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