Site Visit tickets are officially sold out!

On Thursday, June 6th we will be trekking to Columbia Power Brilliant Dam & Expansion, Nelson Community Solar Garden & Hydro Plant, as well as Waneta Dam for a full day of excursions led by some of the industry’s top experts.

Tickets for the Operations Workshop on Tuesday, June 4th and the general Conference on Wednesday, June 5th are still available but are selling quickly.

The full-day Workshop will be focusing on four different sessions:

1. Myth Busters
2. BC First Nations Clean Energy Tool Kit
3. Energy Sovereignty and Financing Projects
4. Electrification of Transportation

Speakers include Judith Sayers, member of the Hupacasath First Nation and Strategic Advisor, Peter Leighton of RE Royalties, and Pete Thimmaiah of Plug In BC.

We are excitedly anticipating two special keynote speakers for the conference: Dr. Andrew Weaver MLA, Leader of the Green Party and Sophie Pierre, member of the Ktunaxa Nation, former Chief of the ʔAq̓am Nation and former Chief Commissioner of the British Columbia Treaty Commission.

Join in on the festivities, expand your network by connecting with clean energy industry professionals, and learn more about all the emerging trends in clean tech and renewable energy from June 4th – 6th in Trail by registering today!

Register Now

Representatives from the clean energy sector from across the country are coming to Trail next month for the Clean BC conference which runs June 4-6 at the Best Western. Local students from Selkirk College are also invited as well as not-for-profits, local government and First Nations.

The conference is called Powering Generations: Legacy to the Future and will include some site visits to local dams, the Nelson Solar Farm, and the Midas 3D lab. It’s hosted by Clean Energy BC which describes itself as an industry association that has been the voice of BC’s clean energy industry for over 25 years.

One local member is Austin Engineering’s Mary Austin, whose great work has helped bring the conference to Trail. It’s the first event being held outside the lower mainland explains Operations and Policy Manager, Anitra Paris.

“We’ve been having an annual signature conference in the fall called Generate and that’s been happening for, I want to say for over 10 years, but this is the first time we’re having a road show. We haven’t’ actually gone out into the Province,” Paris explained.

Trail is a great location for the first event.

“Trail is this amazing confluence of a history of clean energy projects,” explained Paris. “There are some projects that are over 100 years old and there’s also some really interesting cutting edge clean technology that’s going on, like the Midas 3D printing lab.”

The keynote speakers are Indigenous leader, Chief Sophie Pierre and Doctor Andrew Weaver, leader of the BC Green Party.

“The nice thing about this conference is the practical, how-to, on the ground energy projects and electrification of transportation and electrification of homes,” said Paris. “He’ll (Dr. Weaver) most likely be talking about how to get to the low-carbon economy and how do we actually achieve this Clean BC plan.”

The province’s plan sets some ambitious targets to reduce Green House Gas emissions through making homes more energy efficient and converting to electric vehicles. Another presentation will look at the types of jobs and training needed to fulfill the plan.

There are special rates available for students, not-for-profits, local governments, and First Nations to attend. There’s more information here.

by Alex Skultety

“Clean BC conference comes to Trail next month” originally featured on My Kootenay Now on May 1st 2019. 

Clean Energy BC will celebrating the culmination of the spring season with our Operations Workshop and Annual General Meeting on Thursday, June 13th.

Whether you’re a plant operator, supervisor, manager, project developer, or simply interested in operations, join us on June 13th to learn more about the many wind, solar, biomass and hydro plants that are sprinkled throughout British Columbia.

This workshop will foster invigorating dialogue centered on topics such as new equipment in the industry, emerging tools, innovative ideas, and even challenges faced by these operations.

This is an ideal networking opportunity for those in the clean energy industry who have any burning questions to be answered and perspectives to be shared.

Registration for the Operations Workshop includes the Keynote Luncheon with BC’s Innovation Commissioner, Dr. Alan Winter. Dr. Winter was appointed BC’s first Innovation Commissioner in 2018 and has since been acting as BC’s tech ambassador. His role includes developing relationships, encouraging investment, and promoting innovation in British Columbia.

Dr. Winter will be speaking about new opportunities for tech companies in BC, fostering innovation across industries to diversify the province’s economy, and generating jobs for British Columbians.

Clean technology and innovation is a vital investment that will help pave the way for renewable energy projects to thrive in BC, creating lasting partnerships and spearheading the fight against climate change.

Do not miss out on this unparalleled networking and learning opportunity!

Register Today!

The British Columbia Government released its budget today and CleanBC features prominently this year. Our Clean Energy BC “Electrification of British Columbia” white paper focused on many of the areas that feature within the budget.

A key element to highlight is that currently 75% of the CleanBC plan has been established. The remaining 25% of the plan is still to be determined. This is the area where the majority of the electrification opportunities sit and also where the clean energy sector shines. The budget begins to move British Columbia in the right direction on climate action.

The member companies of Clean Energy BC have historically championed BC’s climate leadership vision and continue to support the Province’s invigorated new CleanBC Plan. Our members are already working throughout the world, accelerating the transition to renewable energy.

The clean energy sector is driving the third industrial revolution, investments, and jobs, and BC’s future is locked into the low-carbon world. Therefore, we look forward to a long-term relationship with the Province of BC as it endeavours to achieve its international commitments to carbon reduction through electrification.

Click here to read the highlights of the 2019 BC Budget

February 14, 2019 – Vancouver, British Columbia

Clean Energy BC (CEBC) is very disappointed with the contents of the “Review of BC Hydro’s Purchase of Power from Independent Power Producers” conducted by Ken Davidson. In his report, there is a fundamental error in using an inaccurate and overly simplified proxy for the market price of electricity. It is stated, “Energy has only one price and that is the price it can be bought or sold at in the market. In the case of BC Hydro, the market value of all energy is the Mid-Columbian (Mid-C) rate.” No party that builds new energy projects – BC Independent Power Producers (IPPs), BC Hydro, or IPPs or utilities anywhere – uses a spot price like Mid-C. Projects are based on long-term fixed price arrangements.

Independent Power Producers have been essential to BC’s green power grid. Historic investments have enabled BC to become an internationally recognized clean power leader, propelling our province to meet the reduction targets in CleanBC and the Paris Agreement. IPPs across the province are proud to have invested in the infrastructure, jobs, and community building of BC.

Furthermore, IPPs have built strong and long-lasting relationships with numerous First Nations in the Province. Our partnership approach supports First Nations’ economic development and reconciliation by providing jobs, equity partnerships, and socio-economic benefits – often in remote areas where there are few other opportunities available. Research has shown that clean energy projects offer the single most powerful First Nations reconciliation tool available for the BC government. Historically, BC Hydro has lacked First Nation inclusion in their process, leaving a gap that IPPs have successfully filled to cultivate equity partnerships.

“When the B.C. NDP government chose to proceed with Site C, they did this knowing that they would deprive First Nations of the opportunity to invest billions of dollars in an industry that is within their values. It is a sad day that this is no longer an option to communities that were developing plans to build more projects.”

— Kekinusuqs, Judith Sayers, President of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council

The IPP run-of-river hydro, wind, and solar generation has diversified the power mix and brought power to regions and communities previously under-served. The majority of IPP projects have been approved by the BCUC regulatory process. During the period of time referenced in the report, the contract prices that were agreed upon were based on market rates that, even if BC Hydro were to have built the projects, would have been constructed at the same or higher rates. In addition, BC Hydro does not have the capacity or capability to build these types of projects.

IPPs contribute to property tax and water rental revenues collected by Government. In 2018, the total tax contributions made by IPP projects in BC were greater than that of the entire oil sector. If new renewable power projects had not been built, new power capacity requirements would have been met by gas plants with related emissions profiles.

Independent Power Producers negotiate in good faith with government, risking capital, investing in trail-blazing new partnerships with First Nations and utilizing the best market information available. The member companies of Clean Energy BC have historically championed BC’s climate leadership vision and continue to support the Province’s invigorated new CleanBC Plan. We look forward to a long-term relationship with the Province of BC as it endeavours to achieve its international commitments to carbon reduction through electrification.

“Our members are delivering low-cost, affordable, and reliable power throughout the world and in BC,” said Jae Mather, Executive Director of CEBC. “Other nations across the globe are actively accelerating the transition to renewable energy. The clean energy sector is driving the third industrial revolution, investments, and jobs, and BC’s future is locked into the low-carbon world. We look forward to working on the CleanBC plan with the Government of BC so that we may reduce our carbon emissions, grow the economy through investment and jobs, and build resilience with First Nations and communities throughout the province.”

For media inquiries, please contact Jae Mather, Executive Director of CEBC

604-568-4778

Click here for backgrounder.