B.C.'s energy picture: Richard Neufeld

Richard Neufeld
The Globe and Mail
Nov 17, 2006

Gary Mason (B.C. Looks Ready To Succumb To Lure Of Coal-Fired Plants -- Nov. 13) misleads readers when he suggests B.C. is ready to move to coal-fired generation for its future energy needs.

There were 38 successful proposals to BC Hydro's 2006 open call for power. Thirty-six of those rely on hydro, waste heat, wind or biomass to generate power. The two proposed coal-fired plants would use biomass as well, which is clean-burning wood residue from the forest industry.

At present, about 90 per cent of our electricity is generated from clean and renewable sources such as hydro and biomass. The 2002 energy plan set a goal for electricity distributors of acquiring 50 per cent of new generation from clean sources. This target is higher than any other jurisdiction in Canada.

By 2011 -- when all generation projects with BC Hydro contracts will have begun deliveries -- close to 90 per cent of B.C.'s electricity generation will still come from clean and renewable sources.