VICTORIA — Evan Pivnick, clean energy program manager at Clean Energy Canada, made the following statement in response to the update on BC Hydro’s competitive call for power:
“It’s great to see B.C. moving fast to capture the huge opportunities posed by wind power in the province. From both industry and households, B.C. is seeing rapidly growing demand for clean electricity. The projects announced today can help ensure we can meet this demand while keeping energy bills low in the years ahead.
“B.C. already has the second-lowest household electricity rates in North America, thanks to a combination of clean hydro power and electricity trading that allows us to import cheap electricity and then sell it when prices are higher.
“As more and more British Columbians ditch pricey fossil fuels in favour of electricity, low-cost wind power will be key to meeting power demand in a cost-effective way. In fact, a Clean Energy Canada report on power costs in Alberta and Ontario found that renewables like wind and solar are already the cheapest ways to generate electricity. Meanwhile, a household in B.C. can save almost $800 a month on energy expenses by switching to electric household solutions like EVs and heat pumps.
“Now that some of the details of the chosen wind projects have been released, we know that eight of the nine will have 51% Indigenous equity ownership, a positive but not surprising revelation given the already high level of Indigenous clean energy leadership across the country. It’s also encouraging that the province intends to accelerate and streamline the permitting and environmental assessment processes for the selected and future wind projects.
“Between today’s updated call for power and the completion of the Site C hydro dam, B.C. looks to be on track to meet an expected 15% increase in electricity demand by 2030, a number that assumes the province fully achieves its climate and electrification goals this decade. Affordable, clean energy and a safer climate are well within B.C.’s reach.”
RESOURCES
Report | Opening the Door
Report | A Renewables Powerhouse
Calculator | mycleanbill.ca
Media brief | Addressing common myths around B.C.’s energy future
