APPENDIX A: The BC Energy Plan: Summary of Policy Actions
Energy Conservation and Efficiency
1. Set an ambitious conservation target, to acquire 50 per cent of BC Hydro's incremental resource needs through conservation
by 2020.
2. Ensure a coordinated approach to conservation and efficiency is actively pursued in British Columbia.
3. Encourage utilities to pursue cost effective and competitive demand side management opportunities.
4. Explore with B.C. utilities new rate structures that encourage energy efficiency and conservation.
5. Implement Energy Efficiency Standards for Buildings by 2010.
6. Undertake a pilot project for energy performance labeling of homes and buildings in coordination with local and federal
governments, First Nations, and industry associations.
7. New provincial public sector buildings will be required to integrate environmental design to achieve the highest standards
for greenhouse gas emission reductions, water conservation and other building performance results such as a certified standard.
8. Develop an Industrial Energy Efficiency Program for British Columbia to address specific challenges faced by British Columbia's
industrial sector.
9. Increase the participation of local governments in the Community Action on Energy Efficiency Program and expand the First
Nations and Remote Community Clean Energy Program.
Electricity
10. Ensure self-sufficiency to meet electricity needs, including "insurance" by 2016.
11. Establish a standing offer for clean electricity projects up to 10 megawatts.
12. The BC Transmission Corporation is to ensure that British Columbia's transmission technology and infrastructure remains
at the leading edge and has the capacity to deliver power efficiently and reliably to meet growing demand.
13. Ensure adequate transmission system capacity by developing and implementing a transmission congestion relief policy.
14. Ensure that the province remains consistent with North American transmission reliability standards.
15. Continue public ownership of BC Hydro and its heritage assets, and the BC Transmission Corporation.
16. Establish the existing heritage contract in perpetuity.
17. Invest in upgrading and maintaining the heritage asset power plants and the transmission lines to retain the ongoing competitive
advantage these assets provide to the province.
18. All new electricity generation projects will have zero net greenhouse gas emissions.
19. Zero net greenhouse gas emissions from existing thermal generation power plants by 2016.
20. Require zero greenhouse gas emissions from any coal thermal electricity facilities.
21. Ensure clean or renewable electricity generation continues to account for at least 90 per cent of total generation.
22. Government supports BC Hydro's proposal to replace the firm energy supply from the Burrard Thermal plant with other resources.
BC Hydro may choose to retain Burrard for capacity purposes after 2014.
23. No nuclear power.
24. Review BC Utilities Commissions' role in considering social and environmental costs and benefits.
25. Ensure the procurement of electricity appropriately recognizes the value of aggregated intermittent resources.
26. Work with BC Hydro and parties involved to continue to improve the procurement process for electricity.
27. Pursue Government and BC Hydro's planned Remote Community Electrification Program to expand or take over electricity service
to remote communities in British Columbia.
28. Ensure BC Hydro considers alternative electricity sources and energy efficiency measures in its energy planning for remote
communities.
Alternative Energy
29. Establish the Innovative Clean Energy Fund to support the development of clean power and energy efficiency technologies in the electricity, alternative energy, transportation
and oil and gas sectors.
30. Implement a provincial Bioenergy Strategy which will build upon British Columbia's natural bioenergy resource advantages.
31. Issue an expression of interest followed by a call for proposals for electricity from sawmill residues, logging debris
and beetle-killed timber to help mitigate impacts from the provincial mountain pine beetle infestation.
32. Implement a five per cent average renewable fuel standard for diesel by 2010 to help reduce emissions and advance the
domestic renewable fuel industry.
33. Support the federal action of increasing the ethanol content of gasoline to five per cent by 2010 and adopt quality parameters
for all renewable fuels and fuel blends that are appropriate for Canadian weather conditions in cooperation with North American
jurisdictions.
34. Develop a leading hydrogen economy by continuing to support the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Strategy for British Columbia.
35. Establish a new, harmonized regulatory framework by 2010 for hydrogen by working with governments, industry and hydrogen
alliances.
Oil and Gas
36. Eliminate all routine flaring at oil and gas producing wells and production facilities by 2016 with an interim goal to
reduce flaring by half (50 per cent) by 2011.
37. Establish policies and measures to reduce air emissions in coordination with the Ministry of Environment.
38. Best coalbed gas practices in North America. Companies will not be allowed to surface discharge produced water. Any re-injected
produced water must be injected well below any domestic water aquifer.
39. Enhance the Oil and Gas Environmental Stewardship Program, ensuring sound environmental, land and resource management.
40. Continue to work to lift the federal moratorium on offshore exploration and development and reiterate the intention to
simultaneously lift the provincial moratorium.
41. Work with the federal government to ensure that offshore oil and gas resources are developed in a scientifically sound
and environmentally responsible way.
42. Participate in marine and environmental planning to effectively manage marine areas and offshore oil and gas basins.
43. Develop and implement a comprehensive community engagement program to establish a framework for a benefits sharing agreement
resulting from offshore oil and gas development for communities, including First Nations.
44. Pursue regulatory and fiscal competitiveness in support of being among the most competitive oil and gas jurisdictions
in North America.
45. Enhance infrastructure to support the development of oil and gas in British Columbia and address impediments to economic
development such as transportation and labour shortages.
46. Encourage the development of conventional and unconventional resources.
47. Support the growth of British Columbia's oil and gas service sector.
48. Promote exploration and development of the Interior basins with a priority focus on the Nechako Basin.
49. Encourage the development of new technologies.
50. Add value to British Columbia's oil and gas industry by assessing and promoting the development of additional gas processing
facilities in the province.
51. Provide information about local oil and gas activities to local governments, education and health service providers to
inform and support the development of necessary social infrastructure.
52. Work with First Nations to identify opportunities to participate in and benefit from oil and gas development.
53. Support First Nations in providing cross-cultural training to agencies and industry.
54. Improve working relationships among industry and local communities and landowners by clarifying and simplifying processes,
enhancing dispute resolution methods, and offering more support and information.
55. Examine oil and gas tenure policies and develop guidelines to determine areas that require special consideration prior
to tenure approval.