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British Columbia is Canada’s largest
coal producer, second-largest producer of natural gas, and
third-largest generator of hydroelectricity. Clean,
renewable hydroelectric power supplies almost 90 per cent of
our energy requirements.
There is also a growing cluster of firms
engaged in alternative energy and power technologies, such
as clean fuel systems, advanced lithium power cells, power
conversion, and power measurement.
British Columbia is a global leader in
hydrogen fuel technology – Ballard Power Systems has its
head office and main R&D facilities here, so does the
national Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation.
British Columbia’s Energy Plan supports
the development of both conventional and alternative
energy sources, and guarantees qualified independent power
producers access to the transmission system operated by
the publicly-owned British Columbia Transmission
Corporation.
With massive untapped renewable and
non-renewable energy resources, proximity to the U.S.
market, and existing tie-ins to cross-border transmission
systems and U.S. energy hubs, our energy sector is poised
for continued rapid expansion.
The energy plan aims to secure 50 per
cent of the province’s incremental power requirements from
clean energy sources, such as small hydroelectric,
cogeneration, wind, tidal, geothermal, and biomass and
biofuels.
The 2006 BC Hydro Open Call for Power
resulted in BC Hydro awarding 38 electricity purchase
agreements (EPA). An additional EPA for Columbia Power
Corporation was also awarded. Of these 39 EPAs, 37 are
classified “BC Clean” representing over 1,300 megawatts
(MW) of capacity and 5,300 gigawatt hours (GWh)
annually.
BC Hydro’s 2006 Integrated Energy Plan has noted the
following potential electricity sources:
- Small hydroelectricity - sites identified have the
potential to generate up to 520 MW or 8,000 GWh
annually.
- Large hydroelectricity - sites identified have the
potential to generate up to 2,010 MW or 10,348 GWh
annually.
- Biomass - near term potential for electrical
generation of at least 258 MW or 2,064 GWh annually.
- Wind Power - excellent opportunities exist for in
British Columbia with the potential for 458 MW or 16,120
GWh annually.
- Tidal and Wave Power - BC Hydro has identified the
potential for 52 MW or 2,096 GWh annually.
British Columbia is also at the forefront of research
and development of new fuel sources, including biodiesel,
cellulosic ethanol, and hydrogen.
British Columbia has a world leading cluster of
hydrogen and fuel cell companies employing more than
1,600 people. Private hydrogen and fuel cell companies
in Canada have invested more than $1 billion in research
and development over the last five years, with the
majority of this investment occurring in British
Columbia.
- Onshore oil and gas – estimated 69.7 trillion cubic
feet (TCF) of natural gas and 8 billion barrels of oil (BBO).
- Offshore oil and gas – estimated 42 TCF of natural
gas and 9.8 BBO.
- Coal-fired thermal power – estimated coal resource
exceeds 23 billion tonnes.
- Coalbed gas – estimated 84 TCF.
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