Energy independence isn’t isolation
by Dan Roscoe, CEO of Roswall
When Canadians hear the phrase “energy independence,” the picture that often comes to mind is close to home: a row of wind turbines outside a rural community, a hydro dam powering nearby towns, or solar panels on a rooftop cutting monthly bills. These are powerful images because they connect energy directly to people’s lives.
But the real opportunity is much broader.
A broader meaning of independence
Energy independence simply does not stop at the community level. It stretches across a spectrum that extends from households to provinces to international partnerships, and each layer strengthens resilience in a different way.
What makes this spectrum possible is clean electricity. Unlike fossil fuels, which tether us to volatile imports and limited refining capacity, renewable power can flow wherever the grid reaches. True independence is not about cutting ties. It is about building the right ones. Canada has both the resources and the credibility to lead the creation of this new model of energy security.
For decades, fossil fuels created the illusion of independence. In practice, they exposed economies to global price shocks and supply risks outside of our control. The price spikes of 2022, triggered by geopolitical conflict and soaring profits in the fossil fuel industry, demonstrated just how quickly Canadian households and industries could be swept up in forces far beyond our borders.
Even our own exports underscored the limitations. Canada’s crude was not simply a matter of supply. It was constrained by infrastructure and refining capacity. Only a handful of refineries could process certain grades, including sweet crude, limiting our trading partners and leaving producers dependent on a narrow set of buyers.
One of the fundamental benefits of clean electricity is that it operates differently. It does not require specialized processing or a specific refinery. The only limitation is transmission. Build the wires, and the electrons can flow. That is why investment in grid infrastructure, not pipelines, is now the critical enabler of real energy independence.
Proof points at home
Canada already has strong examples of how shared independence works in practice. Hydro-Québec’s long-standing interties supply clean, dispatchable hydroelectricity to the northeastern United States. These contracts provide predictable revenue for Quebec, reliable energy for New England, and a clear demonstration that cross-border electricity trade can strengthen both sides.
In Atlantic Canada, the groundwork for a similar story is already underway. A new $217 million federal financing deal will help double the transmission capacity between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, with construction set to begin this year if approved by the NS Energy Board. The project brings together Nova Scotia Power, the Canada Infrastructure Bank, and Mi’kmaw communities through the Wskijinu’k Mtmo’taqnuow Agency, an important partnership that will provide long-term benefits for Indigenous communities while strengthening the grid.
This investment is a positive step that improves reliability, expands hosting capacity for renewables, and better connects the region to the larger North American grid. Much more transmission will still be needed, but projects like this show the kind of collaboration required to unlock Atlantic Canada’s abundant wind resources for local use, regional integration, and future export markets.
In the West, provinces are exploring ways to share resources across borders. As Alberta and Saskatchewan expand wind and solar, and Manitoba leans on its hydro reservoirs, coordinated trading could balance variable supply with dispatchable assets like hydro and battery storage, ensuring reliability while reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Together, these examples show that independence grows when grids are linked and resources are shared.
Beyond borders
The opportunity is not limited to Canada. The U.S. Northeast and New England are natural partners for Canadian clean power. Demand for renewables in these states is accelerating, driven by ambitious clean-energy mandates and the retirement of coal and oil plants.
At the same time, offshore wind development has faced delays and cost pressures, leaving a gap that reliable imports from Canada’s clean energy economy could help fill.
We already see the proof in practice in Quebec. For Atlantic Canada, new transmission capacity could enable wind power to reach the eastern seaboard, meeting growing demand for clean energy just as it comes online at scale.
Cross-border grids also provide mutual resilience. When Nova Scotia’s wind output is high, excess power could flow south. When demand peaks in our region, imports could provide backup. This is how modern power systems are already operating across Europe and parts of North America.
Unlike oil markets, where refinery capacity dictates access and constrains who we can sell to, electricity’s only gatekeeper is transmission.
A spectrum of independence
Thinking about energy independence as a spectrum helps clarify the opportunity:
Households gain resilience through rooftop solar, community-scale projects, and microgrids that can keep lights on during outages. Electric vehicles and demand response programs turn consumers into active participants in the grid.
Provinces build stability by pooling resources across interties. Hydro, wind, and solar complement one another when supported by modern distribution systems and digital grid management.
Nations strengthen their competitiveness by trading clean electricity. Reliable access to affordable, low-emission power is increasingly a deciding factor for industrial investment.
Continents can stabilize entire systems through subsea cables and high-voltage interconnections. Ambitious proposals like Nato-L, a potential subsea link between Canada and the UK, may not be imminent, but they signal how far clean electricity could eventually travel.
At every level, independence is not about standing alone. It is about building layered resilience.
Policy recommendations
To realize the full spectrum of energy independence, Canada needs policies that reflect both urgency and ambition:
Frame independence as a spectrum. Move beyond the language of self-sufficiency and recognize that resilience is built through connection.
Invest in interties and distribution upgrades. Unlock the full value of renewables by ensuring transmission and smart grids are ready for growth.
Modernize interconnection and permitting. Transparent, time-bound processes can accelerate projects without sacrificing oversight.
Support international partnerships. Position Canada as a trusted clean-power exporter to democratic allies in the U.S. Northeast and beyond.
Fossil fuels tied Canada to volatile markets and limited processing partners. Clean electricity offers something far stronger: independence that scales outward, from households to provinces to international allies.
The future of energy independence is connection: wires, partnerships, and trust. Canada has the resources and credibility to lead, but speed and scale will determine whether we seize the opportunity.
At Roswall, we believe the connective tissue of the energy transition is infrastructure. Generation matters, but independence comes from the grids, interties, and partnerships that turn clean energy into shared resilience.
That is where we are focused, and that is how Canada can lead.
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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.