British Columbia’s state-owned utility BC Hydro announced on Thursday it will issue a call for new large, utility-scale renewable energy projects to power the region’s growing clean economy.
The competitive process to acquire new electricity sources will be BC Hydro’s first of its kind for 15 years, British Colombia’s Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation said in a press release. The call is expected to launch in 2024 and will only consider 100% clean energy projects including wind and solar power.
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Electricity demand in the province is expected to increase 15% by 2030, largely due to economic and population growth, as well as the acceleration of electrification across sectors in line with the energy transition. In the last six years, the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on British Columbia roads has increased by almost 2,000%, according to local government statistics.
“As we face the threat of a record fire season across Canada, the need to switch to clean power to fight climate change has never felt more urgent,” said Premier David Eby. “The good news is that from electric cars to electrified heavy industry, British Columbians are taking action.”
He added: “To guarantee affordable power for this important transition, we are working in partnership with First Nations and BC Hydro to generate more of the clean electricity that British Columbia needs to build our economy and grow our role as a clean-energy superpower.”
Additionally, the local and national governments will provide C$140m (£106.07m) to the B.C. Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative, a project that supports indigenous-led power projects to create economic opportunities for indigenous peoples and advance the agency of indigenous communities.
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By GlobalData“First Nations are key partners as we work to power B.C.’s growing clean economy with clean, renewable electricity,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. The funding will support smaller-scale, indigenous-led power projects that may otherwise not be competitive due to their size.
