This report demonstrates that if the Government of British Columbia requires LNG proponents to principally power their facilities with renewable energy using E-Drives, the province will create more permanent and stable regional jobs and significantly less carbon pollution, without significantly impacting the proposed sector’s competitiveness.
Taking such action will not only create more jobs, it will help advance the province considerably closer to its long-stated goal of producing the “cleanest LNG in the world.” This will in turn help strengthen the social licence that both government and industry need to ensure the industry develops without risk of interruption or delay.
We acknowledge there are impacts associated with renewable energy infrastructure development and would expect that any proponents would mitigate or eliminate any potential ecosystem impacts, seek maximum benefits for First Nations communities, and accommodate wherever possible the preferences of impacted nearby communities.
Given the multiple benefits outlined above—and given that the E-Drive technology does not present a heavy or unfair burden on the sector—we recommend the provincial government implement policy that would direct or enable LNG proponents to maximize the use of renewable energy through E-Drives in their planned facilities.
