New map tracks NWT’s attempts to save energy

The Arctic Energy Alliance has launched a map that tracks the impact of energy-saving projects on communities across the Northwest Territories.

The map shows the extent to which projects have reduced energy use and emissions in recent years, community by community.

The energy-related savings shown are those tied to programs run by the Arctic Energy Alliance, a not-for-profit that connects residents and businesses with government funding for energy efficiency projects like wood stoves or home retrofits.

“The tool also covers remote locations, like cabins and camps, and the totals for the entire NWT,” the Arctic Energy Alliance stated in a news release.

The map does not show the current broader energy picture for each community, such as overall emissions and which energy sources are used. For example, the impact of the switch from hydro to diesel in Hay River and Fort Smith over the past couple of years isn’t shown.

However, the map does link to energy profiles from 2018 that provide a sense of how communities derived their power at the time.

The Arctic Energy Alliance said it hoped organizations and community governments could use the map to make decisions about energy planning, while researchers can use it to gather preliminary information.

“Although the AEA provided funding for the projects that this tool tracks, it’s the people and organizations in the communities who are doing the actual work, and we think it’s important for them to see the fruits of their labour beyond their own energy bills,” said Arctic Energy Alliance executive director Mark Heyck in a press release.

According to the map and its accompanying charts, AEA-funded projects are responsible for cost savings of more than $15 million annually in the NWT, or just over 20,000 tonnes of emissions. In total, the territory emits about 1.2 million tonnes a year.

“The tool also shows the impact we can make when we invest in fighting climate change,” Heyck continued.

“We see the current version of this tool as a starting point: if all goes well, we’d like to be able to make improvements in the coming years to let people explore their community’s energy savings in even more depth.”