2026 on the Horizon: What Comes Next for Clean Energy

by Dan Roscoe, CEO of Roswall

2026 is close enough to stop speculating and start paying attention.

The clean energy transition has spent years defined by targets, roadmaps, and ambition. That phase is not over, but it is no longer the most important one. The projects breaking ground today will determine what the energy system actually looks like in operation. Not in theory. Not on paper. In practice.

As we approach 2026, the transition is entering a more consequential phase, one where delivery matters more than aspiration. What gets built, integrated, and relied on will shape the next chapter of clean energy in Canada far more than what gets announced.

Mersey River Wind moves from construction to operation

By 2026, Mersey River Wind will move from construction into operation, becoming one of Nova Scotia’s largest wind energy projects.

Large-scale clean generation built locally and delivered into the grid for consumers changes the conversation. It shifts clean energy from a future objective to an available supply. That matters because markets, policy, and planning behave differently once generation exists.

This is a monumental milestone for Roswall and our electricity provider, Renewall. It’s not a victory lap, but rather a celebratory acknowledgement of what’s to follow. When generation comes online, it creates the conditions for downstream change, including retail choice, new procurement models, and greater flexibility across the system. It signals what becomes possible once clean power is no longer hypothetical and presents a roadmap for other regions to follow.

Clean energy becomes the default, not the alternative

One of the most noticeable shifts underway is how clean energy is justified. Increasingly, renewables are chosen for price stability and long-term certainty, not only for emissions reduction.

That shift is important. Fewer projects are being defended on climate benefits alone. More are being evaluated on durability, cost predictability, and risk. Businesses and municipalities are normalizing clean power procurement because it makes financial and operational sense over time.

This is what happens when costs, reliability, and risk align. Clean energy stops being framed as an alternative and starts being treated as standard infrastructure.

The grid conversation moves from capacity to coordination

As generation expands, the conversation naturally moves beyond capacity.

The next set of constraints is not whether clean energy can be built, but how it is integrated. Transmission, storage, flexibility, and coordination across the system become the focus. Non-wires alternatives move from theory to practice. Digital grid tools and demand response begin to play a more meaningful role.

This shift reflects a maturing system. It recognizes that reliability is a function of design and coordination, not any single asset. The clean energy transition increasingly becomes a systems challenge rather than a generation challenge.

Regional coordination gains urgency

Local projects also sharpen the case for regional thinking.

As clean generation expands, the logic of interties and cross-provincial coordination becomes harder to ignore. Energy security starts to be framed regionally rather than provincially, particularly in Atlantic Canada, where shared infrastructure can support resilience, flexibility, and economic stability.

Clean generation strengthens the argument for a more integrated Atlantic grid. It connects local investment to regional outcomes and reframes energy security as a shared opportunity rather than a zero-sum equation.

Capital becomes more disciplined

Despite the scale of the transition, capital is becoming more selective, not less.

There is growing preference for projects that can be delivered on realistic timelines using proven technologies. Fewer speculative bets. More focus on execution, speed, and certainty. In that environment, renewables benefit from their ability to move from approval to operation within predictable windows.

This discipline matters. It shapes which projects move forward and which remain stuck in prolonged planning cycles. It also reinforces a broader shift toward credibility over novelty.

Public expectations evolve

Public expectations are changing alongside the market.

There is less patience for delays that stall buildable projects and more expectation that clean energy shows up as real infrastructure. Communities want to see tangible outcomes, local benefits, and progress they can point to, not just announcements and studies.

This is a healthy pressure. It pushes developers, policymakers, and institutions to focus on delivery and accountability rather than intention alone.

2026 as a turning point, not a finish line

2026 will not solve everything. It will not complete the transition or remove every constraint facing the energy system.

What it will do is clarify which approaches can move from plan to reality. Which systems can integrate clean power at scale. Which projects can be built, connected, and relied on.

The next phase of clean energy will be defined by delivery, integration, and trust. The work underway now is what makes the future credible.

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Dan Roscoe is the CEO of Roswall Development, a renewable energy developer, and President of Renewall Energy, a renewable energy provider, both based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His work is focused on building the infrastructure for a cleaner, smarter energy future across Canada and beyond.