The company said that renewable biomass could include forest-based biomass and sawmill residue, and potentially dedicated energy crops, organically sourced material separated from municipal solid waste, and other fuels.
Blair Lekstrom, minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, said: “We are following through on our Clean Energy Act commitment to build a strong future for new sources of clean electricity in BC as we move towards becoming electricity self-sufficient by 2016. The call will also strengthen BC communities and diversify local economies by creating new job opportunities.”
The Ministry of Forests and Range has identified the Smithers/Fort St. James corridor, Mackenzie, Northeast BC, Central and Northern Vancouver Island, Cariboo-Chilcotin, and Northwest BC as having available fibre supply.
David Cobb, president and CEO of BC Hydro, said: “We’re looking for projects that take fuel sources that might otherwise go to waste and use it to generate clean power for British Columbia’s benefit.”
“We are targeting up to 1,000 gigawatt hours per year of cost-effective energy – that’s enough to power close to 89,000 homes or a community the size of Kamloops.”
The company informed that phase one of the Bioenergy Call has resulted in electricity purchase agreements for 580 gigawatt hours per year of clean power.
