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Premier to entrench green targets – Metro US

Premier to entrench green targets

Premier Darrell Dexter announced Thursday the government intends to make its renewable energy targets law.

Earlier this year, Dexter pledged that 40 per cent of the province’s energy consumption would come from renewable sources by 2020.

Thursday’s announcement that Emera and Nalcor intend to transfer energy from a Lower Churchill Falls hydroelectric project was a big step toward that goal.

According to the province, the project will account for 10 per cent of the province’s energy consumption when it comes online in 2017.

Now, Dexter said, the government will make the goals law.

“Considering the fact that almost 90 per cent of the electricity we now generate in Nova Scotia comes from fossil fuels, the new legislated target will be very significant,” he said, adding that the legislation will be brought forward next spring.

Current legislation requires the government to meet a target of 25 per cent by 2015.