Accelerating Smart Energy Communities in New Brunswick

Community action is essential to ensure that Canada meets its climate and net-zero goals. In 2021, QUEST Canada launched the New Brunswick Smart Energy Communities Accelerator program that aids New Brunswick communities in discussing and actioning community energy plans and is designed to foster economic development and greenhouse gas emission reduction efforts. This presentation will overview the program and provide exciting highlights and updates, as well as share success stories from several participating communities.

Speaker

Since 1998, Eddie Oldfield has coordinated initiatives focused on local sustainability, GHG emissions reduction, clean energy and efficiency, transportation/fleets, climate adaptation and resilience planning.  As Senior Lead, Projects, at QUEST, he supports the delivery of regional and national projects to advance net-zero communities, including a pilot Accelerator Program in New Brunswick. Eddie also co-chairs the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)’s Energy and Utilities working group and is also a founding member of the OGC Health working group and Smart Cities working group.  He has led development of innovative web-based map services & distributed spatial data infrastructure, to support decision making including for climate-health programs and a cross-border pandemic exercise in 2007.  Eddie holds a BA (2008), with Interdisciplinary Honours from St. Thomas University, and is an accomplished musician.  QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal recipient.