Like the province, FortisBC aims to cut emissions
As we take our first steps into the new year, discussion of our energy future in B.C. and across the world continues to be a matter of key importance. Over the last few months of 2018, the importance of energy to our day-to-day lives was demonstrated as we faced an unprecedented natural gas supply disruption resulting from the Enbridge pipeline incident.
And, just as we emerged from that, holiday storms wreaked havoc on the electrical system in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. Over just three months, we were reminded of how much we rely on reliable, safe and affordable energy.
The supply situation was unlike anything we’ve ever faced. But thanks to the diligent efforts of Enbridge to restore service, support from the government and regulators, assistance from Mother Nature with mild weather and the additional conservation efforts of our customers, FortisBC was able to avoid any significant service disruption. For this, I’m grateful to all our customers, from families to businesses to municipalities.
As we turn our attention to 2019, we see new energy opportunities. Late last year, the provincial government rolled out CleanBC — its plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency. At FortisBC, we are encouraged by the vision the government put forward and we’re excited to work with our customers and government partners to fulfil its promise.
CleanBC aligns with our vision for B.C.’s energy future — the Clean Growth Pathway. Both documents acknowledge that natural gas and electricity have important roles to play in a lower-carbon energy future. For instance, nearly 40 per cent of B.C. GHG emissions can be traced to the transportation sector.
We’re supportive of the government’s initiative to continue transitioning heavy duty vehicles to compressed natural gas. Moving from diesel or gasoline to CNG has been shown to reduce GHG emissions by up to 30 per cent at roughly half the cost in commercial fleet and transit applications that FortisBC has spearheaded.
We support expanding these programs to vehicles operating at the port as the CleanBC plan mentions. FortisBC also supports the government’s goal of increasing the number of electric vehicles on the road. We’ve invested in strengthening the province’s EV charging network, building five fast-charging stations in 2018 and planning more this year.
Lowering the carbon content of natural gas through the increased use of Renewable Natural Gas and hydrogen is also a shared goal of the two plans.
FortisBC was the first utility in Canada to offer carbon-free RNG to its customers and we are enthused to see the government set a 2030 target of 15 per cent of natural gas used in homes to be renewable. The GHG reduction from this increase to our RNG supply would cover three-quarters of the total emission reductions target for buildings and homes.
Having British Columbians involved is crucial for both our and the government’s plans. By 2022, FortisBC is committed to spending more than $90 million per year on promoting energy efficiency to our customers through education, incentives and rebates. Incentives to purchase more energy-efficient home heating and making funds available for energy efficiency retrofits are central in both CleanBC and the Clean Growth Pathway.
I look forward to what 2019 will hold for FortisBC, our customers, our partners and the communities we serve.
The challenges that lie ahead as we move toward 2030 and beyond are formidable but achievable. My colleagues at FortisBC are continually looking for ways we can provide energy affordably, reliably and safely with a consistent focus on both economic and environmental sustainability.