Media release - for immediate release
B.C. Citizens for Green Energy
www.greenenergybc.ca
October 4, 2011

How will we power
the B.C. Jobs Plan?: BCCGE

“Mines consume a lot of energy, and the Jobs Plan calls for
eight new mines by 2015, and expansion of at least nine
existing mines; so we have to ask where the electricity is
going to come from to power these mines....We need to do it
right; we need to serve load growth from new industrial activity the right way with clean energy from renewable sources.”

— David Field, co-spokesperson, B.C. Citizens for Green Energy —

Vancouver, B.C. — B.C. Citizens for Green Energy (BCCGE) is once again calling on the provincial government to stay the course with the policy of electricity self-sufficiency enshrined in B.C.’s Clean Energy Act. 

BCCGE’s call comes in response to the recent unveiling of the B.C. Jobs Plan by Premier Christy Clark; a plan that will significantly increase electricity loads in the province from new industrial activity over the next decade.

BCCGE co-spokesperson David Field says, given recent talk of watering down B.C.’s electricity self-sufficiency objectives, there is also talk that increased electricity demand from industrial activities like mining might be met with gas-fired generation and increased GHG emissions rather than with electricity from clean, renewable energy from hydro or wind energy.

“Mines consume a lot of energy, and the Jobs Plan calls for eight new mines by 2015, and expansion of at least nine existing mines; so we have to ask where the electricity is going to come from to power these mines,” Field said. “We need to do it right; we need to serve the load growth from new industrial activity the right way with clean energy from renewable sources.”

Field acknowledges that gas-fired electricity generation has a role to play in meeting peak electricity demand and for helping to firm renewable energy sources.  But gas-fired generation can’t take the whole load.  What’s needed, he says, is investment in new transmission capacity to get renewable energy from where it is generated to the new industrial load centers that will be created by the Jobs Plan. 

“There’s certainly going to be heightened job activity in the Northeast and Northwest of B.C. under the Jobs Plan, but developing B.C.’s renewable clean energy resources would create jobs all over the province.  That would help all B.C. communities and particularly First Nations communities,” Field said.  

“We need to support what we’ve already started in this province with job-creating renewable energy development; now is not the time to abandon the goal of electricity self-sufficiency and the jobs that renewable energy development can create and support.” 

Field says, if B.C. wants to be a “climate change leader” as the Jobs Plan states, then we need to stay the course with renewable energy development and self-sufficiency and not miss the opportunity we have to meet future electricity load growth in our province the right way with renewable clean energy — today’s renewable energy is tomorrow’s cheap electricity.

“I applaud the vision of the BC Jobs Plan and taking the strengths of British Columbia, converting them into competitive advantages, and turning opportunity into lasting economic benefit for all British Columbians,” Field said.  “To me that means developing the wealth of renewable energy resources we have here in B.C. and not missing the opportunity to do it right by creating jobs throughout B.C. and a legacy of lasting economic benefit from renewable clean energy for future generations.”

A poll conducted by Oraclepoll Research Limited between September 26th to September 27th 2011 found that a “strong 84% of respondents” were of the opinion that the BC government and BC Hydro should continue the current policy of generating enough electricity within the province to meet the requirements of British Columbians.

For more information about green energy in B.C. please visit the BCCGE website at www.greenenergybc.ca and join the green energy discussion on the BCCGE Livewire Blog.

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For more information contact David Field
Co-spokesperson, B.C. Citizens for Green Energy
604-529-1604
e-mail us at info@greenenergybc.ca


B.C. Citizens for Green Energy is an advocacy group representing a cross-section of British Columbians who encourage a legacy of clean, renewable electricity for future generations.
www.greenenergybc.ca