Power Starts Here: Why the Energy Transition Must Be Local First
by Dan Roscoe, CEO of Roswall
But real change doesn’t begin in Ottawa or New York. It starts closer to home. In rural town halls and around kitchen tables.
When we picture the energy transition, we often think in headlines and megawatts—massive turbines, national mandates, international climate pledges.
The truth is, the clean energy we need—wind, sun, and tides—is already all around us. But tapping into it takes more than technology. It takes local will, political pressure, and a public that demands better. Because no matter what’s announced at the federal level, the energy transition only becomes real when communities choose it—and fight for it.
Energy transitions don’t start in headlines. They start in hometowns.
The Clean Energy Future Must Be Built from the Ground Up
The clean energy future won’t be handed down from above—it has to be built from the ground up. Federal programs and funding are critical. But they don’t work without strong local demand and action. That’s because renewable energy isn’t just more sustainable—it’s more democratic. These resources exist everywhere, not just in the few places where fossil fuels are buried.
But to harness them, communities need more than good intentions. They need policy tools, political power, and public momentum.
When municipalities, Indigenous communities, and regional developers take ownership of the transition, we don’t just generate more electricity. We generate more equity, more resilience, and a future shaped by the people it’s meant to serve.
The Source for Clean Energy Is Everywhere
Nova Scotia has some of the most reliable wind in the world. Canada’s tidal potential is unmatched. Solar power works even in northern climates. Unlike oil or gas, these resources don’t depend on rare geology—they rely on what already surrounds us.
The question is whether we’re ready to use it.
And that depends less on physical limits and more on political ones. Clean energy waits on decision-making. The faster we empower communities to lead, the faster we move.
People trust local governments and organizations more than distant institutions. When energy projects are shaped locally, they earn support faster and last longer. Projects with community involvement are more likely to respect land use, deliver social benefit, and reduce public friction. They’re also more likely to succeed over time, because they’re built on partnerships, not just permits.
When energy feels local, people care about it. When it feels imposed, they resist it. The difference is who it’s built with.
Political Change Doesn’t Just Happen
Every clean energy breakthrough starts with local pressure. From zoning reform to community-led pilot projects, real change moves when people push for it.
Municipalities have a critical role to play. They can demand better interconnection rules. They can advocate for more funding and faster permitting. And they can be vocal in aligning provincial and federal policies with what works on the ground.
We’ve seen this work across Canada. Towns that organize and speak up move to the front of the line for pilot projects, partnerships, and funding. The message is clear: waiting doesn’t work. Acting does.
There’s no shortage of federal ambition. But there’s often a shortage of readiness to meet it. Programs like the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program, the Clean Electricity Regulations, and Indigenous clean energy funding all offer opportunities—but only to communities that are ready to apply, plan, and partner.
And if they’re not? Those dollars go elsewhere. Local capacity—technical, political, and social—is the difference between announcements and action. So, if we want communities to lead, we need to equip them. That means:
Clear, accessible Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for municipalities and regional entities
Dedicated support for Indigenous-led energy projects, including shared ownership models
Funding for community engagement, energy literacy, and local energy planning
Policy reforms that prioritize interconnection access, permitting certainty, and equity of opportunity
When we invest in these tools, we're unlocking leadership and permission structures for progress to happen.
At Roswall, we’re building partnerships—with communities, municipalities, Indigenous Nations, and utilities. We support projects that reflect the values of the people they serve. That means working on grid coordination, land agreements, local hiring, and long-term benefit-sharing.
We believe the energy system of the future won’t be defined by megawatts—it will be defined by trust, access, and shared value. If we want clean energy to succeed, we need to stop waiting for change to arrive from elsewhere.
The power is already here—in the wind, the sun, the tides, and in our people. The question is: are we ready to claim it?
The transition doesn’t begin with infrastructure—it begins with intention. Power starts here.
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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.