WHEREAS independent power production is a central tenet of the BC governments energy plan; AND WHEREAS many local governments are exploring the feasibility of creating independent power production; AND WHEREAS there exists a voluminous amount of fibre due to the dead and dying pine forests: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM lobby the provincial government to create incentives for local governments to become involved in independent power production.
MINISTRY OF ENERGY, MINES AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES The Province of British Columbia Province is experiencing an unprecedented mountain pine beetle infestation that has affected several million hectares of trees throughout the Province. This provides the opportunity to convert the timber into uses for bioenergy like wood pellets and wood-fired electricity generation and cogeneration. Independent power producers are well positioned to supply competitively priced, clean electricity to meet our growing needs and local governments can participate in BC Hydros Call for Power processes. Several local governments have partnered with IPPs to develop electricity generation projects which have been awarded Electricity Purchase Agreements by BC Hydro. The Provinces Energy Plan supports projects that are socially, environmentally and economically sustainable and we are committed to ensuring that the Province attains electricity self-sufficiency by 2016.