Island power plan not most environmentally sound: critic

   John Kimantas
   Nanaimo News Bulletin
   05/30/2002

   A plan put forward by an energy economist proposes reducing pollution
   emissions to almost one-tenth that proposed by B.C. Hydro.

   Hydros plan calls for a natural gas power plant for Vancouver Island
   fed by a pipeline across Georgia Strait. The end result would be 1,850
   tonnes of carbon dioxide pumped into the atmosphere a year by 2010,
   Simon Fraser University professor Mark Jaccard predicts.

   By contrast, a mixture of cogeneration, woodwaste and small hydro
   power from around the province, fed to Vancouver Island via a new
   power cable, would produce just 190 additional tonnes of carbon
   dioxide.

   Savings in harmful nitrous oxide emissions would be from 174 tonnes
   under the B.C. Hydro plan to just nine tonnes under his plan.

   The additional cost for these savings, Jaccard predicts, would be a
   residential rate increase of 0.04 cents a kilowatt hour in B.C.

   The report has had a lukewarm reception so far from both B.C. Hydro
   and Nanaimo city council, but Jaccard, a former chairman of the B.C.
   Utilities Commission, isnt surprised the power company has yet to do
   an about-face.

   Jaccard believes B.C. Hydro hopes to fix two problems with one
   solution an aging power cable to Vancouver Island that needs replacing
   and an increased demand for electricity across the province.

   Through B.C. Hydros solution, Vancouver Island will be paying the
   price for all B.C.s increased energy needs, Jaccard says.

   Youre going to get the emissions for the whole province, he says.

   The economist believes three power plants will eventually be built on
   Vancouver Island simply because B.C. needs an additional 660 megawatts
   of power, and the public utility will be under pressure to use the gas
   pipeline to make it pay for itself.

   Meanwhile, Jaccard sees simpler solutions through many smaller
   projects.

   A model for the woodwaste solution is already taking place in places
   like Quesnel where energy-efficient wood-based burners are replacing
   old bee-hive burners that produced no energy.

   The result is a dramatic reduction in particulate pollution.

   The increase in NOx emissions in Quesnel have almost no environmental
   effect relative to the greater good from reducing particulates, he
   says.

   We have the double benefit of getting rid of NOx and particulates in
   Nanaimo while also reducing particulates in Interior communities.

   Cogeneration is Jaccards second solution one already being explored in
   places like Europe. Jaccard sees more institutional cogeneration
   instead of just industrial.

   Its fairly easy to add aero-diffusion and reciprocating turbines, he
   says. Examples would be hospitals and colleges anywhere youve got a
   fairly decent-sized boiler. It can even be apartment buildings or
   office towers.

   Jaccard believes the cost for this energy form will fall dramatically
   once experience and economies of scale reduce costs.

   His third solution is small hydro projects either turbines in rivers
   or small retention dams.

   Even considering sites too far from grids or limited by First Nation
   or environmental considerations, Jaccard believes B.C. Hydro could
   easily realize between 300 and 1,000 megawatts from the remaining
   sites.

   An incredible response to B.C. Hydros own call for proposals is proof
   of the potential, Jaccard adds.

   All these energy forms will entail private involvement.

   Its hard to do the small stuff with the big elephant, Jaccard says.

   These are more entrepreneurial projects.

   Jaccard splits no hairs about his solution not being the
   environmentally-friendly approach espoused by other B.C. Hydro
   critics, who see reductions in use and a reliance of alternative
   energy forms as the solution.

   But if were burning waste anyway, why not get some electricity from
   it? he says.

   Environmentalists have embraced his report anyway, and at least
   Jaccard says it buys time to see whether a gas pipeline to Vancouver
   Island is really needed.

   Wind, tidal, solar and other energy forms are too distant to be
   financially viable now, Jaccard says.

   But building a super-sized gas plant will only put all B.C. Hydros
   eggs in one basket, Jaccard says. Three to four years from now were
   going to regret it once we see how cheap renewables are getting, he
   says.

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