CREATING LIKE NATURE On Biomimetics, Energy Policy and the Sustainable Design of Renewable Energy Futures

In this paper, I will argue that Canada has the technological resources to achieve a sustainable biomimetic distributed energy system, and that policy innovation and behavioural change is needed to spur developments toward this preferred future. By studying how nature operates and optimizes processes - biomimicry - to the systemic production, storage and distribution of energy, I will be able to look holistically at the current energy structure in Canada and use foresight techniques to assess drivers, trends and ultimately paths for sustainable change-making at the policy level. I will also investigate policy structures in other regions where distributed energy grids has been tackled with more political courage to highlight success cases and illuminate discussion. Finally, I will assess the possible futures that Canada could embark upon through the enactment of similar legislation