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Your B.C. Government

BC Energy Plan

The new BC Energy Plan: A Vision for Clean Energy Leadership puts British Columbia at the forefront with aggressive targets for zero net greenhouse gas emissions, new investments in innovation, and an ambitious target to acquire 50 per cent of BC Hydro's incremental resource needs through conservation by 2020. This will ensure we meet our energy needs for the future and at the same time combat climate change.

What your B.C. Government is doing for power through the BC Energy Plan:

  • All new electricity projects developed in B.C. will have zero net greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Existing thermal generation power plants will reach zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2016.
  • Zero greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired electricity generation.
  • Clean or renewable electricity generation will continue to account for at least 90 per cent of total generation, placing the Province's standard among the top jurisdictions in the world.
  • Eliminate all routine flaring at oil and gas producing wells and production facilities by 2016 with an interim goal to reduce flaring by 50 per cent by 2011.
  • The best coal bed gas practices in North America. Companies will not be allowed to surface-discharge produced water, and any re-injected produced water must be injected well below any domestic water aquifer.
  • An ambitious target to acquire 50 per cent of BC Hydro's incremental resource needs through conservation by 2020.
  • New energy efficiency standards will be determined and implemented for buildings by 2010.
  • Government has committed the province to be electricity self-sufficient by 2016.
  • To encourage small B.C. Clean or high efficiency cogeneration, BC Hydro established a standing offer program with a set purchase price for power projects up to 10 megawatts.
  • Public ownership of BC Hydro and the BC Transmission Corporation.
  • BC Hydro and the Province have entered into initial discussions with First Nations, the Province of Alberta and communities to discuss Site C.
  • Since 2008, the Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund has approved investments of over $47 million in 34 projects in communities across B.C., representing a total value of over $174 million to help develop clean and renewable energy technologies for British Columbians in areas such as solar, geothermal, tidal, wind, and bioenergy.
  • The BC Bioenergy Strategy is helping to realize the value of B.C.'s abundant sources of renewable energy, such as beetle-killed timber, wood wastes and agricultural residues.

For more information:
BC Energy Plan
B.C.'s Renewable Electricity Potential