Latest news with #CleanB.C.
Vancouver Sun
04-06-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Capacity crunch? B.C. Hydro seeks proposals for more backup power for provincial grid
With no new big dams of its own to build, B.C. Hydro on Wednesday threw open a window for private developers to propose new sources of 'baseload' power to backup the growing list of renewable electricity proposals it's enlisting to expand the province's grid. 'Baseload' refers to sources of power utilities can turn on or off as needed, such as B.C. Hydro's existing dams. With this, Hydro is considering possibilities for geothermal, pump-storage hydro or even grid-scale batteries as a means to meet peak demand when intermittent wind and solar sources are less reliable. B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix didn't put a number on the amount of electricity Hydro might be looking for in a request for expressions of interest, just that 'we want to see what's out there and get those proposals in place.' Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Westcoast Homes will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Dix, however, characterized the step as 'a moment when we have to build again to diversify, to build the economy and to create wealth,' not dissimilar to the period of B.C.'s dam-building boom in the 1960s and 1970s. 'This call for power, though, is about the growth of our economy, about the opportunities in mining, about the requests for power that are at an extremely high level,' Dix said. 'We've got to build out clean electricity, which is one of our significant economic advantages in B.C.' Critics of the government's energy policy, however, look at the announcement as evidence that the ambitions in government's Clean B.C. plan to electrify the economy are putting a strain on the province's electricity grid. 'This is an acknowledgment that B.C. Hydro is facing a capacity crunch,' said Barry Penner, executive director of the Energy Futures Institute and former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister. Penner's Energy Futures Institute is one of the groups that has questioned whether Hydro is keeping up with demand, particularly since B.C. Hydro is in the third year of drought conditions that have pushed it to being a net importer of electricity. B.C. Hydro's Site C dam, which is expected to be fully in commission by the end of this year, will add eight per cent to B.C.'s electricity supply. Dix added that the 10 independent power projects approved last fall will add another eight per cent, but won't start coming online until 2028. On Wednesday, Penner acknowledged that it makes sense for Hydro to explore the capacity of future options, such as geothermal, but it shouldn't discount the potential of the existing natural-gas-fired power generation that it has on hand now, but is planning on decommissioning as part of its Clean B.C. plan. Penner added that he was attending the Go Clean Energy Conference in Bend, Ore., as he spoke to Postmedia News, where representatives from California talked about that state's plans to pause its plans to get rid of natural-gas-fired plants in light of long-term drought. 'There is some policy cognitive dissonance, shutting down existing capacity when they say we need more,' Penner said. Conservative Opposition critic Larry Neufeld said 'we need to be far less scared of natural gas.' 'We have nothing against green energy whatsoever, the geothermal, the biogas he's talking about,' said Neufeld, who is also the Tory MLA for Peach River North. 'Our concern would be, though, that investing too much in one area leaves us open to not fulfilling the baseload (requirements) as fully as it should be.' However, Mark Zacharias, a special adviser to the think-tank Clean Energy Canada, said 'there are many sources, all of them are … feasible and should be cost-competitive over time.' Considering regulatory timelines, Zacharias said grid-scale batteries would be the quickest to roll out and 'costs at grid scale are just plummeting.' On geothermal, Zacharias said B.C. has a 'medium' potential for the method, which taps heat from underground to power steam turbines, and 'has been successfully used around the planet.' Wednesday's announcement also included a request for expressions of interest for ideas for energy efficiency, which would reduce electricity use. This component does include a target to reduce some 2,000 gigawatt-hours worth of electricity use, the equivalent of powering 200,000 homes, to free up power for potential new industrial users. Hydro CEO Chris O'Riley said the utility wants to talk with potential partners about new technologies that could expand its 'leading energy-efficiency programs.' 'We are looking beyond the near term and opening up exploration of the next chapter of B.C.'s energy future,' O'Riley said. depenner@
The Province
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Province
B.C. car dealers brace for end of EV rebate as zero-emission targets remain in place
B.C.'s ambitious Clean B.C. targets include requiring that 90 per cent of all new vehicles sold in 2030 and 100 per cent in 2035 to be zero emission Leigh Heppner, general manager of Preston Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac in Langley, said the provincial rebate had been successful in drawing customers toward EVs. Photo by Jason Payne / PNG The pace of electric vehicle sales has slowed considerably over the past year in B.C. and could drop even further with the pausing of provincial rebates this week, which had offered up to $4,000 off the cost of eligible vehicles. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The percentage of all new vehicle purchases that are electric has slid from 22.5 per cent in late 2024 to 18 per cent in February 2025, according to data compiled by Jerome Gessaroli for the Energy Futures Institute. According to Statistics Canada, EV sales across the country dropped 44 per cent in March compared to the same time last year, with both the federal government and Quebec pausing their rebate programs in the first two months of 2025. The B.C. NDP government plan from 2017 to address climate change sets ambitious targets to reduce emissions by 40 per cent by 2040, although the most recent accountability report projects the government will only reach half of that goal. Part of that plan includes legislatively mandated EV targets, which require 90 per cent of all new vehicles sold in 2030 and 100 per cent in 2035 to be zero emission. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Leigh Heppner, general manager of Preston Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac in Langley, told Postmedia that the rebate had been successful in drawing customers toward EVs but that cost pressures are ramping up and the lack of a rebate is likely to drive down sales. He said the mandates are unrealistic and keeping them in place, with the rebate gone, has the potential to force manufacturers to reduce the number of gas-powered cars they import into the province. This could in turn reduce the number of vehicles dealerships are selling, hurting their bottom line, and forcing some British Columbians to go elsewhere for their business. Leigh Heppner is the general manager of Preston Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac in Langley. Photo by Jason Payne / PNG 'I think that by restricting the supply of gas vehicles into the province, we aren't going to see an automatic uptick in EV sales,' said Heppner, who explained that manufacturers could also choose to pay the fine of up to $20,000 for not meeting the targets. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'As a dealer, we're caught in the middle, where we live with what the manufacturer decides to do. So if that's restrict supply, that's one factor, if it's pay the penalty, then at the end of the day, we know that that's going to work its way into the cost for the consumer in one way or another.' Blair Qualey, CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of B.C., added the industry already saw the costs added to vehicles during the COVID-19 pandemic when supply chains broke down. Between 2019 and 2021, the average price of a new vehicle rose by 13 per cent, according to a report released earlier this year by Car Help Canada. Qualey said he hopes to see the province bring back the rebates and continue investments into charging stations and educating consumers on the benefit of electric vehicles. At the same time, he wants the province to back off on the mandates, which he said the industry will not be able to meet. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Premier David Eby has acknowledged that target may not be achievable and that the legislation is under review. 'Their concerns are real,' the premier told reporters at the beginning of April, stating that Energy Minister Adrian Dix will examine the rebate program as part of a wider review of the CleanBC climate plan. Interim Green leader Jeremy Valeriote believes the rebate program was never meant to be permanent and that the price of an electric vehicle has come down enough that it may no longer be necessary. He said he would have preferred the rebate continue but that there are changes that could be made to make it more targeted. At the same time, he wants steps taken to ensure the province can reach its legislatively mandated EV targets and believes it is still possible despite the setbacks, stating that '10 years is a long time.' 'Yes, it's achievable. Yes, we need incentives, whether in the form of the rebates, or some other way of incentivizing it,' said Valeriote. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We're meeting our target for now, and we need to keep adjusting and to make sure that we keep meeting those targets. I think 2035 is entirely possible with the way technology is moving.' However, even if the province can reach those targets there is some concern about whether B.C. has the electricity necessary to power those EVs. The province has been a net importer of power for the past two years, and Barry Penner, Energy Futures Institute chair and a former B.C. Liberal environment minister, said his institute's research estimates the government would need to build two more Site C dams just to meet EV energy demand. 'We're driving up electricity demand in British Columbia before we have dealt with our self-sufficiency issues,' said Penner. 'In other words, we are putting the cart before the horse.' For his part, Dix echoed Eby and Valeriote in saying that the province is on track to meet its target of 26 per cent new vehicles being zero-emission by 2026 and the goal is to find additional ways to encourage EV uptake. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He said the federal government announced the end of their own rebate program in January, which had offered up to $5,000, and his government is focused on increasing the number of charging stations in B.C. The government says there are now over 7,000 charging stations around the province. 'We're continuing to work with everyone involved to ensure that people have an opportunity to purchase EVs, to see the advantage of EVs,' said Dix. 'For many people the key issue is not just an issue of price level, although that's an important question, the issue is of being able to use EVs across the province.' Read More
CBC
03-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
What you need to know about B.C.'s EV rebates after the end of the consumer carbon tax
On Tuesday, B.C. moved to end its consumer carbon tax after 15 years and announced it would review its Clean B.C. rebate programs — including those incentivizing the purchase of electric vehicles — as it looks to fill a $1.8 billion financial hole. Trevor Melanson from think-tank Clean Energy Canada says that the program may not disappear immediately, and the government should think about lowering the income cap associated with the rebate.
CBC
01-04-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
EV rebates under review as B.C. looks to offset cost of removing carbon tax
Social Sharing Rebates for electric vehicles, along with other parts of the Clean B.C. program, could be on the chopping block as the province looks to balance the estimated $1.5 billion additional fiscal hole in its budget left by the termination of the consumer carbon tax this week. Premier David Eby indicated that cuts could be coming to the program that offers rebates to individuals and businesses for cutting their carbon footprint. On Monday, Eby said his government is "restructuring significant parts" of Clean B.C. and that changes will need to be made. Energy Minister Adrian Dix said that among the areas of Clean B.C. currently under review are EV rebates for consumers. However, he said that support for heat pumps and window improvements is expected to continue. Jeremy Valeriote, interim leader of the Green Party, said that a review of Clean B.C. was agreed upon in the deal struck between the NDP and Greens finalized last month. "It makes sense to put everything on the table and see what's working and what's not," he said, adding that he does not want EV rebates to be cut in this process. The federal government previously offered up to $5,000 toward an EV purchase, subject to some restrictions – but abruptly halted its rebate program earlier this year due to high demand. BC declined to clarify how much money was left for its own EV rebate program in the wake of the federal rebate's termination. The provincial program, Go Electric, provides income-based rebates. It offers between $500 and $2,000 for plug-in hybrids with a range of less than 85 kilometres and between $1,000 and $4,000 for battery electric and long-range plug-in hybrids. Conservative Leader John Rustad said all of the Clean B.C. rebates should be scrapped. "When you look at the potential damage from Clean B.C. to our economy and how it will put a brake on our economy, it actually needs to be pulled out," he said. B.C.'s EV sales targets increasingly out of reach: report A report from the Energy Futures Institute, authored by Jerome Gessaroli, found that EV sales have fallen in recent months — down from 22.5 per cent of new vehicle sales in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 18 per cent in February 2025. Gessaroli, lead of the Sound Economic Policy Project at the B.C. Institute of Technology, attributes it to the phasing out of government incentive programs. It's a trend he expects to continue, which he says will make B.C.'s EV sales targets of 90 per cent of new cars by 2030 out of reach. Ultimately, he says the rebates are a bad policy, as taxpayers are helping to fund the purchase of expensive EVs that are inaccessible to many low-income British Columbians. "It's a very expensive way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," he said, proposing that the EV targets should be focused on emissions rather than sales. Currently, Dix said B.C. is a leader in Canada when it comes to EV sales, and that sales targets have so far been met. "The next step in the mandate is probably reachable, but I think having people buy more EVs is the most important thing," said Dix. Environmentalist says climate tax recall 'rushed through' Jens Wieting, senior policy and science advisor with the Sierra Club, says he supports a review of Clean B.C. but warns that any disruptions to EV rebates could make it harder to achieve the set targets, as inconsistencies can cause confusion for potential EV customers. "A review is necessary, but it must be done in a way that addresses the question of meeting our climate targets, addressing cost of living, and making sure we are sustaining hope for a livable planet and a livable future," said Wieting. He says the cancellation of the carbon tax was "rushed through" by the government, which he says will have consequences for emissions and for low-income British Columbians who benefited from climate tax rebates. In reviewing Clean B.C., Wieting is concerned about the government undermining progress on climate action in pursuit of short-term economic gains. "Right now, we have a trade conflict, and overall, the focus seems to be on the economy, but clearly, we need governments to take action to respond to more than one crisis at a time."
CBC
01-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
B.C. officially kills its consumer carbon tax — but with few details on what comes next
Social Sharing British Columbia's 17 years of having a consumer carbon tax ended on Tuesday, not with a bang, but with an air of resignation. "I support the policy. I thought it was a good policy. I fought for the policy," said Premier David Eby at a news conference on Monday afternoon, where he talked about the imminent demise of the policy at the hands of his own government. "Without a doubt, the policy became absolutely toxic with British Columbians." While that wasn't the case with all British Columbians, Eby had long made the political calculus it was no longer worth fighting for. WATCH | Consumer carbon tax ends on Tuesday: B.C. scrapping consumer carbon tax altogether on April 1 6 days ago Duration 2:08 In September, he promised to scrap the consumer carbon tax if the federal government waived the requirement. And on Monday, with that waiver in place, Eby's government fast-tracked a bill through the legislature to kill it prior to the scheduled April 1 increase. After several hours of debate, it passed around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. The immediate effect will be the elimination of 17.61 cents per litre to the price of gas for most motorists. But even with more than six months of advance notice, there are several potential effects of the elimination that Eby was unable to directly answer on Monday. Gas companies could hike prices For starters, what will happen if gas companies raise the price at the pump by a commensurate 17.61 cents per litre, as people on social media have already speculated based on spikes at their local stations? "A little heads-up to the oil and gas companies …now is not a time to be playing games," said Eby, who argued regulations forcing gas companies to report increases to the utilities commission would work as intended. What about the revenue the province kept from the carbon tax, which it factored into its budget presented earlier this month, creating an estimated $1.5 billion additional fiscal hole? "We are not going to be increasing … taxes to make up the difference," said Eby, who promised a review of all government programs "to ensure we're delivering programs as efficiently as possible." And what about the portion of the carbon tax returned to many residents via the climate action tax credit, which, for many lower-income citizens, was greater than the cost of the tax itself? "This is significant for many British Columbians," admitted Eby. "And that payment will not be happening anymore." He offered no follow-up or defence of that tradeoff, only the acknowledgement later on in the news conference that this would not have been his first choice. "The policy has run its course. British Columbians don't support it; they don't want it. We listen to the people," he said. Industrial carbon tax to remain Finally, what about B.C.'s reputation as a leader in climate policy? Eby pointed out the province's industrial carbon tax would stay in place and said it would "restructure significant parts of the Clean B.C. program" — though again, without many details. "It's going to be a reality-based policy around fighting climate change in a way that grows our economy and supports British Columbians with the cost of daily life," he said. In the legislature, outside of the short time allotted to the Green Party, there was little debate over whether the carbon tax was effective in achieving its aim of reducing carbon emissions. The opposition Conservative Party focused on the NDP's reversal in supporting it and the lack of opportunity for extensive debate, while the government defended the need to act quickly. University of B.C. political science professor Kathryn Harrison said the tax, enacted by the former B.C. Liberal Party in 2008, at a time when the rest of the country was without one, had a positive effect. "There were, by my count, about 15 studies that found that the consumer carbon price was effective in reducing emissions below what they would otherwise be," she said. "We would need higher carbon prices to see absolute reductions." Indeed, British Columbia's gross greenhouse gas emissions stayed effectively flat from 65.5 million tonnes in 2007 to 65.6 million tonnes in 2022, the most recent year available. A trendline and legacy that could be interpreted and debated in multiple ways — much like the history of the controversial tax itself.
