Seeing the B.C. forest instead of the trees a powerful idea

Despite the current global economic turmoil, British Columbia's long- term prospects are fundamentally strong. And as our province grows, so too will our need for electricity. BC Hydro forecasts that demand will increase by as much as 45 per cent in the next 20 years as our population increases to 5.5 million.

Most people think that electricity will come from our province's hydroelectric resources. But there is another abundant, clean power source that's waiting to be tapped. Importantly it's a power source that can play a key role in revitalizing one of B. C.' s traditional economic generators - the forest industry.

Various bioenergy technologies can take the forest industry's " leftovers,"known as timber residues, and use them to create renewable power that is greenhouse gas ( GHG) neutral.

Some two- thirds of B. C.' s land base is forested. B. C.' s Interior harvest is generally focused in the Okanagan, Cariboo and Chilcotin regions along Highways 97 and 16. More than 1.2 million tonnes of surplus mill residue is created annually. Most is either burned or left to decompose.

Bioenergy projects could quickly turn yesterday's waste into tomorrow's power. This amount alone could create 300 megawatts of clean power, or roughly enough electricity to supply 240,000 homes. Roadside slash and the unused tops, branches and stumps of trees could create another 1,000 to 1,200 megawatts.

On top of this, the mountain pine beetle is expected to kill up to 70 per cent of the Interior's pine forests - about one billion cubic metres of wood- by 2012. This residue can potentially be turned into clean energy, badly needed as B. C. grows.

Despite having some of the world's most productive mills and sustainable forest practices, B. C.' s forest industry remains prone to boom and bust cycles. The current downturn is primarily the result of the collapse in the U. S. housing market, the mountain pine beetle epidemic and the impact of the softwood lumber dispute.

Bioenergy, however, can help B. C.' s sawmilling industry weather the storm by providing mills with a new revenue stream for their wood residues.

A thriving sawmilling industry is important to the success of bioenergy opportunities as the cost of mill residues are typically much less than other fibre sources such as roadside debris or standing pine beetle- killed timber.

This symbiotic relationship can make a mill more economic, can bolster existing employment and lead to new jobs for loggers, truckers and plant operators, helping spur employment in forest dependent communities.

This is critical to sustaining the viability of communities and " one company" towns hit hard by the slowdown in the forest industry. Bioenergy can create more than 1,500 new jobs and help mitigate job losses in the sawmilling sector. It can also help facilitate first nations participation in the renewable power industry.

The good news is that the groundwork has been laid by the provincial government. Its energy plan and more recent bioenergy strategy have set the necessary policy and regulatory changes in motion.

Why? The province has been a net importer of power in six of the past seven years, and it is anticipated that within three to five years domestic demand will exceed our installed capacity.

If we do not move toward electricity self- sufficiency, B. C. will be forced to continue to import power - from dirty coal- fired plants in the U. S. and Alberta - at spot market prices during peak periods. Prices can be four to 10 times more expensive than domestic power. Worse, importing power into B.

C. is akin to sending jobs and economic development to the jurisdictions that generate it.

Made- in- B. C. bioenergy can immediately help fill our need for power, while supporting our forest industry and economy. There are excellent examples in other areas, particularly Europe, where bioenergy is already a successful part of the energy mix.

Moreover, in B. C. we are taking a number of steps toward a 2020 target to cut GHG emissions by 33 per cent below current levels. Because it is GHG- neutral and can displace imports of GHG- intensive, coal- fired generation, and prevent the burning of road side slash and timber residues in beehive burners, bioenergy means we are doing our part to improve local air quality and tackle climate change.

Today, we have the innovative technologies in our province to make this abundant, clean and renewable resource a reality. Let's make the most of this important opportunity and, in doing so, help bring diversification and hope to our province's forest industry and the communities it supports.