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Front Page News Archive
Be
an Exhibitor at the Second Annual Kamloops Energy Fair
The BC Sustainable Energy Association is hosting the Second
Annual Kamloops Energy Fair on Sunday May 25, and we hope
you will join us! The first fair last year was a remarkable
success and we expect to be bigger and better in 2008. The
event is locally run by an all-volunteer organizing team of
professionals and will showcase mainly Kamloops-area businesses
and non-profit groups.
The Exhibitor’s Package can be downloaded
here and includes the guide and registration form. We
encourage you to submit your registration before the earlybird
deadline of March 31 to take advantage of the discount booth
rates. Exhibitors are also welcome to apply to participate
as a speaker. Our goal is to educate public and industry about
options to 'green' their homes, businesses, work, and lifestyles.
Information that you have to offer makes an important part
of the fair and simultaneously helps your potential customers
and fellow industry/tradespeople understand your products,
services and knowledge.
Feel free to call or email us directly with any questions.
You can reach us at this
email address or at 250-318-6483. If you leave a message,
we’ll get back to you within a day or two. This year
our exhibitor coordinators are Cheryl, Joel, and Tracy.
With best regards from The Energy Fair Team
Greening
the BC Building Code
There is an urgent deadline on FRIDAY, December 20, 2007,
for comments on proposed changes intended to "green"
the BC Building code.
 The
BCSEA will submit comments, but it will also help for individuals
to comment, so that people in government hear from lots of
people who value energy efficiency and want the government
to do its part to ensure appropriate standards are set for
all buildings in BC.
Click here to
read what the BCSEA is advocating, and to send your comments
to the government today...
Change Something Finals
Help BCSEA "Change Everything"
BCSEA is one of five finalists in Vancity's
Change Everything "Change Something" contest.
This is a new (and final) voting period which requires
you to register and login in order to vote.
Yes, this means you get to VOTE
AGAIN! Please visit the website and cast your vote.
And let your friends, family and other networks know that
sustainable energy needs their support also.
Energy Solutions
Teleworkshop Series
BCSEA has announced the next round of free, monthly, lunchtime
teleworkshops to help us learn more about important developments
in the fields of sustainable energy and climate change.
Join
us!
For a free lunchhour teleworkshop
from the comfort of your home or office
Tuesday October 9, 12-1pm
Microhydro Power in BC
Learn more about the technology, development and permitting
process, and the environmental issues involved. More
info...
With guests:
Upcoming sessions include Solar Hot Water, Wind, Run-of-River
and Geothermal energy. More info
...
Climate Action
Day in Victoria
Climate Action Day is an event to inspire the public
to make meaningful and lasting changes in their lives with
respect to the climate crisis through live performances, multimedia
displays and an interactive solutions centre.
Saturday, September 15, 2007 - 3:00 to 9:30 pm at
the Cameron Bandshell in Beacon Hill Park, Victoria, BC. The
5k Walk for Kyoto starts 3pm sharp - Rain or shine! Visit
www.cadvictoria.org
for complete information.
Welcome to our West Kootenay
Chapter
On July 30, 2007, the BCSEA Board of Directors officially
welcomed the West Kootenay Chapter as our eighth regional
chapter. Congratulations!
The Chapter's members come from all over the region: Kaslo,
Grand Forks, Slocan Valley, Nelson, Trail, Rossland and points
in between.
Their next meeting is August 15, 6-8pm in Room L-10 of Castelgar's
Selkirk College and will feature a tour of a geothermal heating
and cooling system. A field trip is planned for August 25
to sustainable living community near Grand Forks. Adam
James is the contact for the chapter. Please get in touch
and if you want to take part in Chapter events.
The West Kootenay section on the website
is coming soon...
Province's new Energy Plan
signals BCSEA policy success
Over the past three years, the BCSEA has promoted 12 specific
policy initiatives to the BC government:
- Strong goals for climate action and greenhouse gas reduction;
- Strong energy conservation goals;
- A strong commitment to produce more power from green,
sustainable sources of electricity;
- An acceptance that we can use BC's dams to firm up wind
energy, and the value of aggregated wind energy as a contribution
to the grid;
- Smart metering, differential rates, and the ability of
energy saving companies to be able to sell saved "negawatts"
to BC Hydro for the same price they pay for new megawatts;
- A Public Benefit Fund on hydro bills to finance efficiency
upgrades and/or renewable energy;
- A Standard Offer Contract for small wind, solar, tidal
energy, etc. (as in Ontario and Germany);
- A review of the BC Utilities Commission mandate to "serve
the public interest", which the BCUC has usually interpreted
to mean "cheap power", ignoring social and environmental
benefits;
- Strong support for solar hot water;
- A rejection of polluting coal-fired power plants, like
those proposed for Princeton and Tumbler Ridge;
- A commitment to include the cost of greenhouse gases in
all power contracts;
- More support for sustainable biodiesel.
Read more ...
Kamloops Energy Fair!
BCSEA's Kamloops Chapter is proud to present the first
Kamloops Energy Fair on Sunday, May 27, 2007, at the McArthur
Island Sports Centre. The event is free to attend and
is chock full of fun and educational ways to reduce energy
use and move to more sustainable forms of energy. The full
speakers schedule and exhibitors map are posted online...
Global Warming: Changing CO2urse
March is Climate Action
Month
BCSEA member the Canadian
Earth Institute is sponsoring March as Climate Action
Month with their new course, Global
Warming: Changing CO2urse. Join
thousands of other friends, families and interested groups
across North America who are gathering together to talk, reflect
and change the world through dynamic dialogue, personal empowerment
and action. Through this course and the six others that CEI
offers, practical tools, information and support for enduring
change are put in people's hearts and hands. CEI's inclusive,
non-judgmental programs give individuals the freedom to make
the radical change that will shift our culture. Contact the
Canadian
Earth Institute in Victoria at 250-727-9163 or by
email.
Government Commits
to Conservation and Standard Contracts
New BC Energy Plan
Released
BC's long-awaited Energy Plan has been released and there's
lots in it to like. BCSEA's response is posted
here. Read the full plan on the government
web site.
BCSEA chapters
host David Suzuki events
"If you were Prime
Minister Tour"
BCSEA Chapters in Kamloops, Kelowna and Victoria will host
public events with David Suzuki in February. Dr. Suzuki wants
to start a national discussion around what Canadians would
do differently if they ran the federal government, focusing
on environmental issues. His cross-Canada tour is about empowerment
and engagement in the political process. Public concern for
environmental issues has reached record levels and this happens
to coincide with an upcoming federal election. Now is the
time to speak up and get leaders of all parties to commit
to real action on the environment. For event dates see the
BCSEA events page... Visit the David
Suzuki Foundation site for full tour information.
New BCSEA Chapters
Comox Valley & South
Peace
The BCSEA is proud and pleased to announce the creation of
two new regional chapters: Comox Valley and South Peace. BCSEA
now has seven chapters: Central Interior, Comox Valley, Kamloops,
Okanagan, South Peace, Vancouver and Victoria. The Cowichan
Valley, Haida Gwaii, Mid-Vancouver Island and West Kootenays
are other regions considering having a chapter. More...
$500 Energy Incentive Program
Real Estate Agents of Change
British Columbian homes are about to get greener, thanks
to GreenerHomes.ca,
a BC realtor that is walking its ‘green’ talk. As
of January 1, 2007 GreenerHomes.ca
Realtors will be giving their clients $500 to assess and improve
the energy efficiency of their homes.
"I welcome this approach from the real estate industry.
If this was embraced widely, it could become common practice
for people to upgrade their homes before they sell them, or
as soon as they buy them," said Guy Dauncey, President
of the BC Sustainable Energy Association. "This is a
great move forward." More
... ( PDF,
90kb)
Conservatives' new renewable energy
plan
BCSEA Asks: "Is that
all there is?"
On January 19, 2007, the federal Conservatives announced
their new energy program, the ecoENERGY Renewable Initiative.
The plan unfreezes former Liberal energy initiatives and provides
$millions for clean energy (read: clean coal) research. BCSEA
is underwhelmed. More...
Sunday, December 10 at 11:00am
No Coal For Christmas
Concerned citizens will rally this weekend at Vancouver's
Kits Beach to protest plans for coal fired power plants in
BC. The problem is serious, but the atmosphere will be festive
and family-oriented with music, hot chocolate, games, speakers,
face painting and a “climate dinosaur” awards ceremony.
It’s hoped Santa will show up in his zero emission sleigh
to lend support and help banish the Grinch. Contact: Donald
Gordon 604-732-1374 or Quincy
Young 604-732-3477
United Nations Climate Change Conference
Naomi's in Nairobi
Thanks to the support of many generous people and agencies,
BCSEA board member, Victoria Chapter chair and University
of Victoria student Naomi Devine is off to the United
Nations Climate Change Conference in Kenya. Thank you all!
Click here for her updates from COP12.
United Nations Climate Change Conference
Help send Naomi to Nairobi
BCSEA board member, Victoria Chapter chair and University
of Victoria student Naomi Devine has been selected
to attend the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference
in Kenya as part of a 15-member Canadian youth delegation.
This dynamic, multi-disciplinary team from all parts of our
country will be working to help African youth build capacity
on climate change action, secure a permanent youth constituency
with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and increase
the capacity of youth to engage with international climate
policy during and after the conference.
Naomi will also be representing the BCSEA at COP12/MOP2,
filing a daily blog and preparing a report and presentation
to share with supporters upon her return. She needs your help
to raise the $3240 to cover her travel, accomodation and carbon
offsets.
Want to help send Naomi to Nairobi? Contact
her here...
Federal Clean Air Act Introduced
Conservative Emissions Plan
a Smokescreen
October 19, 2006: The Conservative government released the
centrepiece of their "made-in-Canada" environment
agenda today — a Clean Air Act that would cut greenhouse
gas emissions in half, but not until 2050.
Read
the details of the new Clean Air Act...
2006 Report of Commissioner of Environment and Sustainable
Development
Feds
told to act quickly,
decisively on climate change commitments
Ottawa, 28 September 2006—The federal government has
done too little and acted too slowly on Canada's commitments
to address the challenge of climate change, says the Commissioner
of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Johanne Gélinas,
in her Report tabled today in the House of Commons.
"Climate change is upon us and no matter how you look
at it, the stakes for Canada are high," said Ms. Gélinas.
"With its resources and powers, the federal government
can make a big difference. But our findings show that it has
not been up to the task so far."
The chapter "The
Commissioner's Perspective—2006" is available
on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada Web site.
September 25, 7:30pm at the Italian Cultural Centre in
Vancouver
Global Warming: The Biggest
Show on Earth
What will it take to unchange our changing climate? Join
UBC Professor William Rees, PhD and author/consultant and
BCSEA president Guy Dauncey for an engaging and thought-provoking
presentation on global warming and the behaviours behind the
causes and solutions, and how we could completely eliminate
the emissions causing climate change--if only we wanted to.
The event is free. More
info...
Climate Action Tour 2006
The BC Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA) and the Climate
Action Network/Réseau Action Climat Canada (CAN-RAC)
want to know what British Columbians want in a federal Kyoto
plan to address the climate crisis. You can give your input
at three public events on the BC southcoast:
September 20 Victoria
September 21 Vancouver
September 22 Saltspring Island
Visit
the CANet site for full information..
 
SolarBC Hot Water Workshops
Sept 18 & 19 in Victoria
Visit the SolarBC
website or read
more! (
27kb PDF)
Two full-day workshops, one for experienced installers (including
the approved training for CanSIA's Solar Domestic Hot Water
System Installer Certification). Also the EnerWorks SDHW System
Installation Course, for people wanting to learning about
and becoming a part of the DSHW industry.
Good and Bad Energy: Wind
wins thrice; coal gains foothold
Results of the 2006 Call for
Power
On July 27th BC Hydro announced
the results of its 2006 Call for Power.
Among the 38 contracts awarded to IPPs to generate power,
there are twenty-nine water (run-of-river and small hydro),
three wind, two coal/biomass, two biomass and two waste heat.
The combined total energy contracted amounts to 7,351 GWh/yr.
Government Report Paints
Dire Picture
Climate Change and BC
Climate change in BC is expected to alter the province's
hydroelectricity supply, affect the productivity of lakes,
rivers and the ocean, change ecosystems and increase the risk
of forest fires, pest outbreaks, flooding and extreme weather,
according to a new government report.
Executive
Summary [pdf
36 KB]
Full
Report [pdf
5.3 MB]
Read more ...
 Coming
soon to a theatre near you
An Inconvenient Truth
Humanity is sitting on a ticking time bomb. If the vast majority
of the world's scientists are right, we have just ten years
to avert a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet
into a tail-spin of epic destruction involving extreme weather,
floods, droughts, epidemics and killer heat waves beyond anything
we have ever experienced.
If that sounds like a recipe for serious gloom and doom,
think again. The film, An
Inconvenient Truth, offers a passionate and inspirational
look at one man's fervent crusade to halt global warming's
deadly progress in its tracks by exposing the myths and misconceptions
that surround it.
That man is former Vice President Al Gore, who, in the wake
of defeat in the 2000 election, re-set the course of his life
to focus on a last-ditch, all-out effort to help save the
planet from irrevocable change. In this eye-opening and poignant
portrait of Gore and his "traveling global warming show,"
Gore also proves himself to be one of the most misunderstood
characters in modern American public life. Here he is seen
as never before in the media - funny, engaging, open and downright
on fire about getting the surprisingly stirring truth about
what he calls our "planetary emergency" out to ordinary
citizens before it's too late.
UBC Students Create Super-Efficient
Vehicle
Vancouver to Halifax on a Gallon
of Gas
 Engineering
students from the University of British Columbia (UBC) have
built a vehicle capable of travelling the distance from Vancouver
to Halifax on a single gallon of gasoline.
The
team of UBC engineering students recently took top prize for
their vehicle, the "Mark V", at the Society of Automotive
Engineers (SAE) Supermileage
Competition, an international competition that challenges
students to design, build and drive a single-person vehicle
to achieve the best fuel mileage possible, powered only by
gasoline. Teams from Canada, India and the U.S. took part
in the competition, which was held on June 9, in Marshall,
Michigan.
The UBC team maximized vehicle efficiency by optimizing aerodynamics,
and by employing lightweight construction, a small displacement
engine and conservative driving habits. The vehicle achieved
an amazing 3,145 miles per US gallon (0.074 L/100 km), the
theoretical equivalent of Vancouver to Halifax on a gallon
(3.79 L) of gas, which at today's rates, costs less than $5
at the pump. 
This is the UBC team's forth win in six years of competition.
Last year, they achieved 1,600 miles per gallon, beating 27
teams. This year's entry achieved nearly twice that amount,
by comparison.
Other universities represented were the University of Windsor;
University of California, Los Angeles; UC Berkeley, Pennsylvania
State University, and the Delhi College of Engineering.
More
...
For
more information on the Super Mileage Competition, visit www.supermileage.org
July 15, 2006 at Shawnigan Lake, BC
SVO Workshop this weekend on Vancouver
Island
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Clearing the Air on Climate Change
Elizabeth May to speak in Vancouver &
Victoria
 Noted
environmentalist, Officer of the Order of Canada and leadership
candidate for the federal Green Party of Canada, Elizabeth
May will be in British Columbia June 5-7 and will be speaking
at two public events sponsored by the BC Sustainable Energy
Association.
As part of her national speaking tour on the environmental
impacts of accelerating tar sands development, May will be
speaking in Vancouver on June 5 and in Victoria on June 6.
Please see our online Events Calendar
for these and other BC sustainable energy events listings.
New!
SolarBC Blog
A Solar System Tour of Europe
SolarBC Project Leader Nitya Harris is on a solar trip
to Europe for the month of June. Keep track of her adventures
and discoveries on her
blog .....
The goal of BCSEA's SolarBC Hot Water Project is to increase
the awareness of the potential for solar hot water systems
in BC by building capacity, facilitating rebates and by
providing hig quality information.
Victoria Day 2006
Strength in Community Festival
Envision a just society, where communities control decisions
that affect their future, where sustainability, local economies
and future generations matter, where democracy works.
The Strength in Community Festival will be held on Victoria
Day, May 22, 2006, between noon and 4:00pm, on the grounds
and auditorium of St Ann’s Academy, close to down town
Victoria, immediately following the Victoria Day Parade.
Join BCSEA, Dogwood Initiaitive, Council of Canadians, Island
Chefs Collective and others for an afternooon of interactive
displays, delicious local food, stimulating speakers, children’s
games, foot-tapping music and good company.
A thought-provoking film and awards ceremony to acknowledge
the achievements of BC’s Community Heroes will take place
that the evening at the St. Ann's Auditorium. More
info ...
May 4, 2006
Alternative Energy Task
Force Issues Report
The Premier's Task Force on Alternative Energy and Power
Technology has just released its report: A Vision and Implementation
Plan for Growing a Sustainable Energy Cluster in British Columbia.
"Building the Future: British Columbia can be
a world leader in sustainable energy. Government and Industry
can create high-value jobs in profitable businesses by supplying
smart, sustainable energy solutions to B.C., to Canada and
to the world."
The full 80-page report is available
online.
April 26, 2006
Parliamentarians
Receive TIME-ly Warning
 Concerned
about cuts to climate change programs and the apparent abandonment
of our obligations under Kyoto, the BC Sustainable Energy
Association has sent a copy of the recent TIME Magazine Special
Report on Global Warming to each of the 308 members of Canada's
House of Commons.
The magazine's cover reads: "BE WORRIED. BE VERY WORRIED:
Climate change isn't some vague future problem - it's already
damaging the planet at an alarming rate."
The scientific debate on whether or not Earth is warming
is over," said BCSEA president Guy Dauncey. "All
of our parliamentary representatives, and especially members
of the Conservative government, must determine how our
country will respond." More...
April 22, 2006
Earth
Day 2006
Have a wonderful
Earth Day weekend!
And
always listen to your Mother!
(Rendered image by Josh Levenberg)
April
12, 2006
BC Hydro's 2006 Open Call
for Power
BC
Hydro has received bids for 53 separate projects from
37 independent power producers in response to the 2006
Open Call for Power, issued in December 2005.
Highlights include:
- No fewer than 34 run-of-river hydro projects;
- Six wind projects: three at Chetwynd and one each at
Dawson Creek, Prince Rupert and Tumbler Ridge;
- Four hydro projects with storage;
- Two coal projects, one at Tumbler Ridge, the other from
Compliance Power Corp, resurrecting its woodwaste and
coal project;
- Five waste heat projects at Quesnel and other locations
from EnPower.
Read
BC Hydro's release …
Help
us put the "sustainable" in Sustainable Energy Association
Become a monthly BCSEA Energizer!
 Your
BC Sustainable Energy Association membership helps to maintain
the core functions of our growing organization.
Our members' active financial support enables us to launch
new initiatives, respond to policy and media opportunities,
support our chapters, publish our monthly and quarterly updates,
and even maintain this fine website.
By becoming a BCSEA Energizer, contributing
$10 or more per month, you will help the BCSEA be self-sustaining,
able to confidently plan for the future, refining our already
efficient operations to better deliver our outreach and engagement
goals.
We need 100 BCSEA Energizers to help us set
the course for a sustainable energy future for British Columbia.
How about you?
March
31 - April 2, Vancouver & Victoria
BC Solar Summit 2006
Building
on our award-winning SolarBC
Hot Water Acceleration Program, the BC Sustainable
Energy Association is hosting four days of workshops and meetings
in two cities to promote solar water heating.
The BC
Solar Summit will be a celebration of ideas with local
experts and inspirational leaders from around the world! Come
out to learn more about BCSEA's 100,000 Solar Roofs Initiative.
More
details and Solar Summit agenda at www.SolarBC.org
March
21, 2006
Ontario
renewable energy policy breakthrough hailed
BC should make similar renewable energy commitment
The BC Sustainable Energy Association enthusiastically endorses
the recent Ontario government announcement of a program to
encourage renewable energy generation, and believes BC should
follow suit.
Ontario's Standard Offer Program gives a fixed price and
assured electrical grid access to wind, small hydro, solar
and biomass energy producers. The policy has been extremely
successful in Europe, and Ontario's program is a North American
first. More
...
Save
Energy - Save Money!
Energy-saving Tips for Consumers
Twelve quick tips to help you save energy and money this
winter
Hot
water shouldn't be a drain on your wallet
Over 10% of your energy bill goes to heating water for
your dishwasher, shower, and faucets. You can cut this energy
use, and your energy bill, by implementing these easy steps.
Read tips ...
"...
and a Sustainable New Year!"
Send the Premier a message
Ask him to redefine the "public
interest" and support a Sustainable Energy Policy for BC
For some
time now, the BC government has taken a hands-off approach
to energy policy in BC. This has forced BC Hydro to operate
in a vacuum, and the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) to become
the policy-maker by default.
Unfortunately, after years of pressure
from BC's major industries, who want cheap power and nothing
but cheap power, the BCUC has gotten into the habit of interpreting
its mandate "to serve the public interest" as meaning simply
"to provide cheap power". This is reinforced by the government's
current Energy Plan, which also emphasizes cheap power.
Take ACTION!
 Climate
Change: the biggest show on Earth
Focus on Sustainable Energy & Climate Change
Updated November 16, 2005
This month BCSEA and CANet are sponsoring three
great local events - two in Victoria and one in Vancouver
- to draw attention to the upcoming United Nations climate
change negotiations conference in November/December 2005.
 Officially
known as the Eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,
and the first ever Members of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol
"COP 11/MOP1" is the first Conference to be held since the
Kyoto Protocol came into effect. The Conference - to be held
in Montreal - is a strategically important event with representatives
from over 180 countries discussing new measures to be taken
in the fight against climate warming.
Canada will play a unique and important role
in this round of negotiations as Environment Minister Stéphane
Dion will be Chair of the two-week international negotiations.
The participation of public interest organizations
and mobilization of the Canadian public on this issue is critical.
The attention of the world will be focussed on this conference.
Canadians will have a unique opportunity to promote the importance
of sustained and inclusive action to deal with climate change,
in Canada and globally.
Climate Change: The Biggest Show on Earth
November 22, 7pm at UBC Robson
Square, Vancouver
This "town hall-style" meeting will
examine our current path of increasing GHG emissions. Key
players from academia, government and industry will engage
in a dialogue to identify strategies and next
steps for BC. With:
- Dr. Richard Gammon, Professor of Atmospheric
Sciences, Chemistry and Oceanography, University of Washington
- Mossadiq Umedaly, Chair, Xantrex Technology Inc.
(and Co-chair, BC Alternative Energy Task Force)
- Thomas Osdoba, Manager, Sustainability Group, City
of Vancouver
- Guy Dauncey, President, BC Sustainable Energy
Association
Thanks to CANet, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum
Resources and the Pinch Group, Raymond James for
financial support for these events.
See the BCSEA Events page
for more details.
BC's huge green energy reserves
can fuel jobs, economy
November 23, 2005
British Columbia has huge reserves of green
power that could stimulate enormous economic development and
employment opportunity, with as many as 400,000 new jobs over
25 years, and establish BC as a leader in renewable energy,
according to a report released today by the BC Sustainable
Energy Association (BCSEA).
Tallying the province's green energy potential
from wind, solar, tidal, geothermal and other technologies,
combined with energy-savings from efficiency measures, would
produce 84,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) a year. This is 150% of
BC Hydro's current total generation and enough power for 8.4
million homes.
Read
more..
Tap into Savings - Tap into
the Future - Tap into the Sun!
Solar hot water project offers generous incentives
September 23rd, 2005
UPDATE: The SolarBC Website is now live!
www.SolarBC.org
Dawson
Creek, BC-Relief from the high cost of energy is on everyone's
minds these days. A solar energy program launched in Dawson
Creek this week offers local residents a chance save up to
50% on their annual hot water heating costs.
SolarBC, an initiative of the BC Sustainable
Energy Association, launched a two-year pilot project on Thursday,
September 22. The project offers financial incentives for
the installation of solar thermal systems for residential
hot water.
"Household hot water is the second most
expensive energy cost in most homes," said Dawson Creek
mayor Wayne Dahlen. "SolarBC's project means energy and
cost savings for Dawson Creek residents. The benefits of clean,
renewable, solar energy are clear."
Roof-mounted solar collectors capture the sun's
energy and transfer heat to water, reducing the use of conventional
energy, such as natural gas or electricity. Energy-savvy homeowners
will be further rewarded by taking advantage of up to $900
in government subsidies.
The project will be a boon for local plumbing
and energy system contractors who will be trained by suppliers
to install these systems. The program will be offered in other
selected BC communities throughout the fall and winter. Dawson
Creek residents will be the first to tap into savings and
tap into the future, by tapping into the sun.
"Our project will help overcome the barriers
to wider adoption of solar hot water systems across BC by
increasing public awareness and providing financial incentives,"
said Nitya Harris, SolarBC project leader. "Sustainable
energy solutions are the way of the future, and that future
is here now."
Full release in our Media
section.
Sustainable Energy Solutions
for BC
August 11th, 2005
The BCSEA has sent a major report to the BC government’s
Alternative Energy and Power Technology Task Force, chaired
by the Right Hon. Barry Penner, Minister of the Environment,
and Mossadiq Umedaly, CEO of Xantrex Technology Inc.
The report is titled Sustainable Energy Solutions for BC,
researched and written by Guy Dauncey, with input and support
from the BCSEA’s Directors. The BCSEA Directors have
also sent a separate detailed response to the Task Force’s
Vision Paper. For the full report, click here.
The report finds that BC has the potential to generate 84,250
GWh of sustainable, renewable energy (including efficiency
savings) by various means, in addition to the current use
of large-scale hydro, and to create over 400 ,000 temporary
and permanent jobs involving smart power and smart end use
over the next 30 years, including 25,000 GWh and 145,000 jobs
from province-wide energy efficiency upgrades and retrofits.
The report opens with an analysis that global climate change,
peak oil, and peak gas are the three drivers of a sustainable
energy economy, including numbers about the availability of
future oil and gas supplies.
It then uses available data to show the potential sustainable
energy that BC could obtain from wind, microhydro, wood residues
biomass, geothermal, tidal current, landfill gas, energy efficiency,
and solar PV, and estimates the total number of jobs that
could be developed in each sector.
It describes three Smart Power Actions which we believe are
needed to deliver on this promise:
(a) A widening of the definition of the phrase “public
interest”, which is currently being interpreted by
the BC Utilities Commission to mean “cheapest power”,
to the exclusion of other social and environmental concerns;
(b) Support for an Advanced Renewables Tariff, as the single
best policy which could allow BC to deliver the huge potential
of sustainably sourced electricity;
(c) Support for a Public Benefit Charge to be levied on
every BC Hydro utility bill, to finance greater investments
in energy efficiency and home retrofits.
The report then looks at ways in which transport could be
powered in a BC without oil and gas, and concludes that electric
vehicles are the most sensible, smart, cost-effective way
to go, combined with plug-in hybrids using biofuels for longer
distance driving. A smart urban EV could be operated for $7
a month, and the total power demand on the grid if all of
BC’s vehicles were to be electrically operated for short
trips appears to be in the range of 8,000 GWh a year.
The report concludes with an analysis of BC’s potential
for far greater use of solar hot water and geoexchange heat,
and an analysis of the energy that could be saved and the
jobs that could be generated if these sectors were to reach
their potential.
The full report can be read here.
BCSEA Welcomes its 500th member!
July 15, 2005
The BC Sustainable Energy Association is very pleased to
announce BC Energy of Nanaimo as its 500th member.
BC Energy is a building supply company that promotes and
sells 'Energy-Efficient and Environment-first' products for
homebuilders. BC Energy's home packages deliver a healthy
and environmentally sensitive home that is also seismically
certified. Their packages more than double the efficiency
of R2000 and are delivered at lower costs than a conventionally
built R2000 home.
"Energy efficiency is fundamental to sustainable
energy," said Guy Dauncey, BCSEA president. "Efficiency
is the marriage of sound economic and environmental values.
BC Energy is to be congratulated for bringing sustainable
energy solutions to the house building market."
"We are thrilled to be new members of the BCSEA,"
said Rod Croome, manager of BC Energy. "Energy efficient
homes make complete sense. They cost no more to build, yet
by cutting energy consumption, save you money."
As their 500th member, BC Energy will receive a special profile
on the BCSEA web site and a book on the theme of sustainability
from New Society Publishers.
You can reach BC Energy at:
info@bcenergy.net
http://bcenergy.net/
357 Warbler Place, Nanaimo, BC V9R 6Y8
Telephone: 250-714-4545
Toll-free: 888-714-4545
City Green offers EnerGuide
Gift Certificate
July 4th, 2005
Thanks to a friendship with City Green, all existing and
new BCSEA members are also eligible to receive a $25 gift
certificate for a City Green EnerGuide for Houses Home Energy
Evaluation (www.citygreen.ca).
This will help you reduce your electricity bills, improve
the comfort and value of your home and help put our province
on the sustainable energy path, while reducing your greenhouse
gas emissions.
If you are not a homeowner, the certificate can be gifted
to a colleague, friend, family member, or to your landlord.
This offer is available for a limited time and only for residents
of Southern Vancouver Island and the Greater Vancouver Regional
District Contact Peter Sundberg or Paula Steele at www.citygreen.ca
energuide@citygreen.ca.
In Victoria call 381-9995, elsewhere call Toll Free 1-866-381-9995.
Solar Hot Water Acceleration Project Underway
April 8th, 2005
With Dawson Creek as our first pilot community, we're moving
strongly forward in our solar hot water project. At present,
we are in the final process of selecting the other pilot communtiies
in B.C. who want to be leaders in installing solar hot water
systems. Read more......Click
here!
Twenty-eight steps to a sustainable energy
future
 Thoughtful,
practical advice for the next provincial government
April 21, 2005
We've released our policy paper with 28 energy policy recommendations
that would enable the next BC government to encourage the
development of a truly sustainable, non-polluting energy supply
for British Columbia. More...
Ten Things You Can Do Today
To Promote Sustainable Energy
Everyone can play a part in the conversion to sustainable
energy. Here's our handy guide to 10 things you can easily
do to reduce your energy footprint and promote non-polluting
energy. Read more...
The BC Sustainable
Energy Association
works to help BC become a leader in the field of sustainable
energy:
Energy conservation and efficiency, as well as the development
of clean and green energy solutions in BC, in Canada and in
the Pacific Northwest Region.
We are one of the small groups of thoughtful,
committed citizens that is changing the world.
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