Energy Plan Released

By 250 News

Provincial Minister of Energy , Richard Neufeld has unveiled the province's energy plan.

Of particular note to the north, the Province will proceed with discussion on the building of the Site C dam on the Peace River  although the Minister made it clear the discussions do not mean the Province will  actually build the dam.  He also pointed  to a committment to finding uses for beetle fibre to fire up plants to  produce electricity.

With a focus on green energy, Neufeld said the  plan will is built on four cornerstones:

Environmental Leadership:
All new electricity projects developed in B.C. will have zero net greenhouse gas emissions.
 Existing thermal generation power plants will reach zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2016.
* Zero greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired electricity generation.
* Clean or renewable electricity generation will continue to account for at least 90 per cent of total generation, placing the province's standard among the top jurisdictions in the world.
* Eliminate all routine flaring at oil and gas producing wells and production facilities by 2016 with an interim goal to reduce flaring by
half (50 per cent) by 2011.
* The best coalbed gas practices in North America. Companies will not be allowed to surface discharge produced water, and any re-injected
produced water must be injected well below any domestic water aquifer.

Energy Conservation and Efficiency:
* An ambitious target to acquire 50 per cent of BC Hydro's incremental resource needs through conservation by 2020.
* New energy efficiency standards will be determined and implemented for buildings by 2010.

Energy Security:
* Government has committed the province will be electricity self-sufficient by 2016.
* To encourage small B.C. Clean or high efficiency cogeneration, BC Hydro is establishing a standing offer program with a set purchase price for power projects up to 10 megawatts.
* Public ownership of BC Hydro and the BC Transmission Corporation.
* BC Hydro and the Province will enter into initial discussions with First Nations, the Province of Alberta and communities to discuss Site C.

Investing in Innovation:
* The new $25-million Innovative Clean Energy Fund will encourage the development of clean energy and energy efficient technologies in the electricity, alternative energy, transportation and oil and gas sectors.
* The new BC Bioenergy Strategy will take advantage of B.C.'s abundant sources of renewable energy, such as beetle-killed timber, wood wastes and agricultural residues.

"The ongoing public ownership of BC Hydro and BC Transmission Corporation will ensure British Columbians continue to enjoy low-cost power for years to come," Neufeld said. "This plan builds on a proud tradition of innovation that has resulted in 90 per cent of our power generation coming from clean sources and sets B.C. apart as a leading
jurisdiction in sustainable environmental and economic management."

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