Community-appropriate bioenergy resource potential assessment in Pelican Narrows, Saskatchewan

Abstract

Bioenergy is a promising renewable energy option for energy insecure communities across the boreal region. Whilst community energy planning tools are advancing, many are driven by external technical resource assessments and fail to capture local community values. Community energy solutions must be community-appropriate. This research combines spatial tools with participatory mapping to assess bioenergy resource potential for the northern Indigenous community of Pelican Narrows, Saskatchewan. Results show that sufficient resources are available near the community to support local bioenergy production needs, whist respecting culturally significant and traditional use areas and ensuring that resources can be harvested within proximity of the community and road networks. The assessment approach demonstrates the utility of spatial and participatory tools to address the data challenges related to biomass resource assessment in remote northern contexts and to ensure community-appropriate energy solutions. The research responds to increasing calls in energy geography scholarship for energy transition planning that is spatially relevant, grounded in technical realities, and accountable to community values, expectations, and aspirations.