Energy issues featured prominently in the recent provincial election, with strong accents on both audacious development and sustainability. The new government faces immediate decisions on a couple of key energy issues: liquefied natural gas exports and BC Hydro’s planning. What do these look like from a sustainability perspective?
We identify two baskets of economic risk with the BC LNG export scheme; the risk to capital and economic stability, and the net financial impact to household, commercial and industrial energy consumers.
Energy Connections broke new ground this year, tackling the difficult but inspiring topic of community empowerment. People from across BC, heralding from various different backgrounds and industries, united under one roof for a day of information, inspiration and engaging dialogue.
Looking back on the event as a whole, it is difficult to envision a more appropriate keynote speaker to kick off this incredible day; a day marked by passionate and like-minded individuals learning from one another and engaging in the broad vision of sustainable energy.
The BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre is appealing a ruling of the BC utilities commission in late January that electricity rates designed to help low-income customers would be unlawful. The commission dismissed a major application by lawyers at BC PIAC for approval of a package of measures to assist the hundreds of thousands of BC men, women and children who are struggling to cope with the high and rising costs of electricity service from BC Hydro.
With Clean Growth Climate Action, the BC New Democrats have just announced their intention to weigh in seriously on climate action and renewable energy transition in BC.
Renewable Natural Gas. Those unfamiliar with the concept might initially think of it as an oxymoron. “How can natural gas be renewable?” you might ask. The major difference lies in timescales. While renewable natural gas can be produced from last weekend’s leftover brunch, conventional natural gas could be derived from an ancient, decomposing pterodactyl. Confused? Read on.
In early August, the BC utilities commission approved a cut in the price of Renewable Natural Gas purchased by gas customers. BC Sustainable Energy Association and Sierra Club BC supported the move in a lengthy proceeding initiated by natural gas utility FortisBC Energy Inc.
As the TMX Ministerial Panel made its way across British Columbia this summer, holding consultation meetings on Kinder Morgan’s proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, three of BCSEA’s Chapters spoke of our belief that Canada has no need for expanded pipeline capacity and should instead focus on a transition to clean, renewable energy.
With 
