What is the Energy Transition and Why is it Essential?
Introduction
The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasizes that, within scenarios analyzing human contribution to recent warming, limiting the average global temperature increase to 1.5°C requires a 43% reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2019 levels [1].
These findings occur within a complex climate context, where scientists distinguish between natural climate variations — present throughout the planet's history — and changes observed since the mid-20th century, to which human activities contribute significantly according to current data.
In Quebec, although electricity is produced almost entirely from renewable sources, approximately half of all energy consumed still comes from fossil fuels [2]. How can we transform our energy systems to reduce our dependence on these sources while maintaining economic and energy stability? This article provides a clear definition of the energy transition and explores concrete examples of technologies under development.
What Does "Energy Transition" Mean?
Beyond a simple technological change, the energy transition represents a profound structural transformation of our societies.
It is generally defined as the shift from a model relying primarily on fossil fuels to a more diversified set of low-carbon energy sources, including renewable energies. This evolution aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions attributable to energy uses, while improving the overall efficiency of systems and supporting long-term energy security objectives.
Three fundamental pillars structure this transition. First, the transformation of the energy production system involves the progressive replacement of thermal power plants fueled by coal, oil, or natural gas with facilities producing renewable energy. Second, improving energy efficiency reduces the amount of energy needed to accomplish the same tasks, whether in industry, transportation, or buildings. Third, developing energy sobriety encourages changes in our lifestyles and consumption habits to decrease our overall energy demand.
The energy transition also has important economic and social dimensions. It represents a vector for creating economic opportunities and jobs in green sectors. Investments in renewable energies, energy efficiency, and clean technologies stimulate innovation and generate a new sustainable economy. The transition also strengthens countries' energy sovereignty. By exploiting their own local renewable resources — hydroelectricity, geothermal energy, solar energy, geological hydrogen, or wind power — nations reduce their dependence on fossil fuel imports and international market fluctuations, while creating wealth locally.
Climate Urgency and the Central Role of Energy
The evolution of energy systems occupies a central place in scientific discussions on contemporary climate change, without excluding the influence of long-term natural mechanisms.
The IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report indicates that greenhouse gas emissions from human activities constitute a dominant factor in the warming observed since the mid-20th century, while recognizing that Earth's climate is influenced by complex natural cycles [1]. The objectives of the Paris Agreement build on this distinction to target levers of action on which societies can intervene.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), approximately 60% of global energy supply still relies on fossil fuels — oil, natural gas, and coal [3]. These traditional energy sources remain the primary contributors to carbon dioxide emissions. The IEA emphasizes in its Energy Technology Perspectives 2024 report that the electrification of energy uses and the massive deployment of renewable energies represent essential levers for achieving climate objectives [4].
Source: IEA, Global Energy Review 2025 p.27
Technologies and Concrete Examples of Energy Transition
Emerging Low-Carbon Energies
The energy transition materializes through various innovative technologies and approaches that are already transforming the energy landscape. In Quebec, several renewable energy technologies are already well established and constitute pillars of the provincial energy system. Hydroelectricity remains the preferred solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, providing nearly all of Quebec's electricity [2]. Wind energy effectively complements hydroelectric production, while solar presents growing potential to contribute to Quebec's energy transition [2].
Beyond these established sectors, several emerging solutions are attracting increasing interest:
Hydrogen, whether produced from renewable electricity or naturally extracted from the subsurface, represents a particularly useful energy vector when direct electrification is not possible. It can power heavy industry, long-distance transportation, or serve as energy storage, thus supporting a more flexible and sustainable energy transition.
Geothermal energy offers significant potential for electricity generation and low-carbon heat supply. By exploiting the heat naturally present in the subsurface, it provides stable, predictable energy available at all times.
Next-generation nuclear reactors are emerging as a credible option for ensuring stable and abundant low-carbon energy production. More compact, safer, and designed to minimize waste, these systems could play a key role in the massive integration of intermittent renewable energies.
Forest biomass can serve as an alternative in industrial sectors where electrification remains difficult. Derived from forestry residues, it produces renewable heat or biofuels, thus contributing to reducing dependence on fossil fuels while valorizing abundant and often underutilized local resources.
Carbon Capture and Storage
Energy storage technologies play an essential role in managing the characteristic intermittency of certain renewable sources like wind and solar, by allowing grid stabilization and ensuring reliable supply even when production fluctuates. However, for sectors where electrification remains difficult — such as heavy industry, materials production, or certain mining and petrochemical applications — complementary solutions are necessary to reduce residual emissions.
It is in this context that carbon capture and storage (CCS) occupies a strategic position. This technology captures CO₂ directly at the source, then injects it deep into the subsurface where it is permanently trapped. Integrated with practices like carbon-neutral drilling, CCS contributes to significantly reducing the carbon footprint of industrial operations, particularly in extractive sectors where certain emissions are considered inevitable.
By aggregating capture, geological storage, and innovations in drilling techniques, CCS becomes a powerful lever to support the energy transition, particularly in regions where geological potential allows for optimizing these long-term solutions.
The Invisible Pillars of the Energy Transition
The development of these technologies requires not only adapted infrastructure, but also access to strategic materials often unknown to the general public. Among them, critical minerals and rare earths play an indispensable role in manufacturing clean technologies. Lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, permanent magnets for wind turbines and electric motors, or semiconductors in solar panels all depend on resources like lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, neodymium, or dysprosium.
These materials thus constitute the invisible pillars of the energy transition: without them, it would be impossible to deploy at scale the solutions necessary to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Their availability, responsible extraction, and supply source diversification therefore become major strategic issues. This is why exploration and understanding of local geological potential — particularly in Quebec — play a key role in supporting a sustainable and secure energy transition.
The Energy Transition in Canada and Quebec
Canada and Quebec occupy a leading position in the North American energy transition thanks to their ambitious strategies and natural assets. At the federal level, the Canadian Electricity Advisory Council has proposed strategic recommendations to guide the transformation of the national energy system [5]. The Government of Canada is also targeting carbon neutrality by 2050, an objective supported by various investment and emission reduction programs [5].
Quebec, for its part, benefits from a distinctive energy profile. Nearly 100% of its electricity comes from renewable sources, primarily hydroelectricity, making it one of the cleanest grids in North America [2]. The Plan for a Green Economy 2030 continues this trajectory by setting clear targets to accelerate the transition [2]. However, a major challenge remains: approximately 50% of the total energy consumed in the province still comes from fossil fuels, particularly in the transportation and heating sectors [2]. Decarbonizing these uses therefore constitutes one of the central priorities for the coming years.
Positioning of Ressources et Énergie Squatex
Ressources et Énergie Squatex is a Quebec company that directs its reflections and exploration projects toward resources and technologies likely to support, in the long term, the evolution of energy systems. With more than 20 years of expertise in geology, the company is particularly interested in natural hydrogen, geothermal energy, critical minerals, and low-carbon drilling approaches.
Its work and exploratory studies aim to better understand the geological potential associated with these resources, both in Quebec and internationally. This approach is part of a desire to contribute to reflection on tomorrow's energy solutions, without presuming the development or future production implementation of specific projects.
Conclusion
The energy transition is part of a global reflection on the evolution of energy systems facing complex climate, economic, and geopolitical challenges. It relies on the progressive transformation of production methods, improving energy efficiency, and reflection on energy uses and needs.
The success of this transition requires collective action. Governments must establish favorable regulatory frameworks and invest in necessary infrastructure. Companies must innovate, adopt sustainable practices, and develop clean technologies. And citizens are encouraged to modify their consumption habits, support local initiatives, and actively participate in discussions on energy projects. This collaboration among all actors in society proves essential to achieving our climate objectives.
Beyond the climate imperative, the energy transition represents a major economic opportunity. According to the International Energy Agency, investments in clean energies create jobs, stimulate technological innovation, and strengthen the competitiveness of economies that resolutely commit to this path. The transition therefore constitutes both our collective responsibility toward future generations and an opportunity to build a more resilient, sustainable, and prosperous economy.
To learn more about the Energy Transition, follow Squatex on LinkedIn.
References
[1] GIEC. "Sixième rapport d'évaluation - Synthèse." Groupe d'experts intergouvernemental sur l'évolution du climat, 2023. Web. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/
[2] Gouvernement du Québec. "Sources d'énergies propres et renouvelables du Québec." Quebec.ca, 2024. Web. https://www.quebec.ca/agriculture-environnement-et-ressources-naturelles/energie/sources-energie/transition-energetique
[3] Agence internationale de l'énergie. "Global Energy Review 2025." AIE, 2025. https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/5b169aa1-bc88-4c96-b828-aaa50406ba80/GlobalEnergyReview2025.pdf
[4] Agence internationale de l'énergie. "Energy Technology Perspectives 2024." AIE, 2024. Web. https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-technology-perspectives-2024
[5] Ressources naturelles Canada. "Conseil consultatif canadien de l'électricité - Document de travail." Gouvernement du Canada, juin 2024. PDF. https://natural-resources.canada.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/energy/CoucilReport_june27_French_Web.pdf
