British Columbia enhances its leadership role in Canadian bioenergy

16 February 2008
British Columbia enhances its leadership role in Canadian bioenergy

The Province of British Columbia has launched an ambitious bioenergy strategy, and lays out the path for other Canadian provinces to follow.

The BC Bioenergy Strategy was announced on 31 January and updated this week.

The Strategy's priorities include a comprehensive biomass inventory; ten community bioenergy

projects; a target of 50 per cent or more of the province's renewable fuel requirements to be met by biofuels by 2020 and a Call for Power process.

"This is immensely important in laying out the path for everyone else to follow," says Doug Bradley, President of Canadian Bioenergy Association (CANBIO).

CANBIO is especially supportive of the BC Government's intention to streamline the regulatory and permitting environment for bioenergy and to review the Safety Standards Act Power Engineers, Boiler Pressure Vessel Safety Regulations to accelerate the adoption of bioenergy technology.

"We feel that all provinces with substantial amounts of biomass should develop a bioenergy strategy to increase renewable energy use," Bradley estimates.

Canada boasts 18 times more forest than Finland and has substantial, unused agricultural residues. Yet only 6 per cent of our energy comes from biomass compared with nearly 25 per cent in Finland.

Now, the Canadian Bioenergy Association (CANBIO) is on a mission to redress this situation.

More information:

BC Government Bioenergy Strategy

CANBIO