Electrification and the Energy Transition: Law and Policy

Why doesn't everyone just build more renewable power plants? Will the lights go off if everyone plugs in their electric cars at the same time? What's a "carbon offset" and how do they work? This course examines these questions through the legal and policy frameworks established to enable society's increasing electrification. Students will be introduced to the regulatory and policy regimes governing Ontario's energy systems and how these systems are being decarbonized. Topics that will be considered include the structure of the electricity sector and Ontario's electricity market; the obstacles to electrifying transportation; and the policy and practical challenges associated with electrifying heating.