The BC Energy Plan puts British Columbia at the forefront of environmental and economic leadership. This plan looks to all forms of clean, alternative energy in meeting British Columbians’ needs in the provincial economy.

Bioenergy, geothermal energy, tidal, run-of-river, solar and wind power are all potential energy sources in a clean, renewable future.

New technologies and new solutions will be encouraged to "green the grid" and provide clean remote energy and reduce energy losses.

The plan’s policy actions will mean more jobs, new investment and ultimately greater prosperity for British Columbia.

Environmental Leadership

  • Zero greenhouse gas emissions from coal fired electricity generation.
  • All new electricity generation projects will have zero net greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Zero net greenhouse gas emissions from existing thermal generation power plants by 2016.
  • Ensure clean or renewable electricity generation continues to account for at least 90 per cent of total generation.
  • No nuclear power.
  • Best coalbed gas practices in North America.
  • Eliminate all routine flaring at oil and gas producing wells and production facilites by 2016 with an interim goal to reduce flaring by 50 per cent by 2011.

ENERGY CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY

  • Maintain public ownership of BC Hydro and the BC Transmission Corporation.
  • Set an ambitious target, to acquire 50 per cent of BC Hydro’s incremental resource needs through conservation by 2020.
  • Implement energy efficient building standards by 2010.
  • Achieve electricity self-sufficiency by 2016.
  • Make small power part of the solution through a set purchase price for electricity generated from projects up to 10 megawatts.
  • Maintain our competitive electricity rate advantage.
  • Establish policies and measures to reduce air emissions in coordination with the Ministry of Environment.

INVESTING IN INNOVATION

  • Establish a $25 million Innovative Clean Energy Fund.
  • Implement the BC Bioenergy Strategy to take full advantage of B.C.’s abundant sources of renewable energy.
  • Generate electricity from mountain pine beetle wood by turning wood waste into energy.
  • Invest $89 million for fuelling stations and the world’s first fleet of 20 fuel cell buses through a federal-provincial partnership.