Activities
The BC Sustainable Energy Association is actively engaged in a wide range of member-driven initiatives.
Chapter Development
The BCSEA's member-driven approach supports a highly democratized model of organizational development. As soon as there are 10 members in a local area, the members are invited to form a Local Chapter. Local Chapters support the BCSEA’s campaigns and undertake independent local activities, such as holding monthly meetings with speakers, organizing local Sustainable Energy Tours, putting on biodiesel or electric vehicle demonstrations or forming a car-share cooperative.
Clean Energy Classrooms
A project of the BC Sustainable Energy Association in partnership with Renewable Recruits, Clean Energy Classrooms is the one-stop resource portal to training & education options in Canadian sustainable energy. The comprehensive online resource lists programs, courses and workshops in 6 different regions of Canada.
Climate Change Showdown
The Climate Change Showdown is a successful middle school education project which has now been presented to over 5,000 students in school classrooms across Greater Vancouver, Nelson, and Vancouver Island. The educational resource encourages team work as students collaboratively move around the game board, learning about positive and negative environmental consequences that result from individual and societal actions and behaviours. The program is free and takes 80 minutes to deliver in class.
Energy Solutions Teleworkshops
The BC Sustainable Energy Association offers a monthly lunchtime teleworkshop for its members to help us learn about important developments in sustainable energy and climate solutions. Our Energy Solutions Teleworkshops are free for members and invited guests. Future teleworkshops will focus on Municipal Climate Solutions, BC's Biomass Energy Strategy, SmartGrid Technology, The Future of LEED Buildings, Sustainable Sewage Treatment, Urban Electric Vehicles, and much more. Check our events listing for information on upcoming Teleworkshops.
Events
In addition to regular chapter meetings held throughout the province, the BCSEA organizes several large-scale events each year. Past events include the 2005 Wind Summit and 2006 Solar Summit. Our Chapters have delivered over 50 public presentations on sustainable energy technologies and climate change in Victoria, Duncan, Nanaimo, Qualicum, Parksville, Courtenay, Campbell River, Cortes Island, Nelson, Prince George, Dawson Creek, Kelowna, Kamloops, Abbotsford and Vancouver.
Partnership Building
The BCSEA has established positive relations with over 50 governmental, non-governmental, business, and educational organizations, with a view to advancing the sustainable use of renewable energy technologies in BC. We are an active member of several prominent alliances, associations and networks in the province. We also provide reciprocal links on our website in an effort to support a spirit of collaboration amongst organizations sharing our vision of a sustainable energy future in British Columbia.
Policy
We have an active policy committee that meets with senior staff at BC Hydro, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Ministry of Environment and with representatives of federal and provincial political parties, municipal councillors and staff, to present policies and program suggestions designed to accelerate the deployment and sustainable use of renewable energy technologies in BC.
SolarBC
A joint program of the BC Sustainable Energy Association and eaga, SolarBC will be facilitating the installation of over 2,000 solar hot water systems in homes around the province over the next two years. The goal of the program is to influence policy and building regulations, reduce barriers to the widespread adoption of solar hot water, and to make abundant solar energy the preferred choice for British Columbians to meet their hot water needs.
