The Canadian province of Quebec plans to sharply expand wind and solar power over the next 25 years as part of a strategy to add 150 terawatt-hours of renewable energy by 2050, it said in its recently released 2026-2050 Integrated Energy Resource Management Plan.
The long-term plan aims to strengthen energy security, support economic growth, and help the province meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets while gradually reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The government said the 2050 renewable energy target could be revised in future updates as economic conditions and energy demand evolve.
Wind power is expected to provide the largest share of new electricity generation, reflecting Quebec's strong wind resources and the relatively low cost and speed of deployment. However, the government acknowledged that variable wind generation cannot reliably meet periods of peak electricity demand on its own.
Installed wind capacity is projected to reach 12-16 gigawatts by 2040 and 21-25 GW by 2050. To support that expansion, Quebec said it will increase energy storage capacity and deploy additional grid management tools to ensure sufficient electricity supply during peak demand.
The plan also calls for a significant expansion of solar power, citing the technology's rapid deployment potential, modularity, and the availability of suitable development sites. Because solar generation is limited during winter peak demand periods, the government said it would complement rather than replace other sources of electricity generation.
Large-scale solar projects will be developed where transmission and distribution networks have available capacity, with installed solar capacity projected to reach 1-3 GW by 2040 and up to 5 GW by 2050.
The provincial government also expects strong growth in distributed solar installations, including rooftop and parking-lot systems, saying smaller-scale projects can be deployed quickly to expand behind-the-meter electricity generation.