The provincial government’s announcement of $17 million in funding to help get B.C. consumers into clean energy vehicles, and support B.C.’s green-tech sector, is something that our group, B.C. Citizens for Green Energy (BCCGE), applauds and fully supports.
Making clean energy transportation options more affordable for consumers, and getting more electric, hydrogen and natural gas-powered vehicles on the road, along with the necessary infrastructure to support the initiative, is a good thing.
However, in order to achieve a net gain from reduced tailpipe emissions, we also need to ensure that the electricity powering these clean energy vehicles is coming from renewable clean energy sources rather than from imported coal-fired electricity.
In this regard, recent talk about scaling back on B.C.’s electricity self-sufficiency objectives, and potentially relying more heavily on imports of cheap coal-fired electricity is concerning.
That’s why BCCGE, has encouraged the provincial government to stay the course with the current policy of electricity self-sufficiency and to support the jobs that renewable energy development can create province-wide.
Our group has also encouraged members of the public who share our concern to write to their respective MLAs and make their view known.
If B.C. wants to remain a clean energy leader, then we are going to have to meet increased electricity demand in this province with renewable clean energy.
David Field, Co-spokesperson
B.C. Citizens for Green Energy