From PolicyNote.ca – Jan. 4, 2011

by Dr. Marvin Shaffer

The Vancouver Sun’s Gordon Hamilton reports that the IPP lobby, BC Citizens for Green Energy, has
released a Letterman-like top ten reasons for the development of more
of their run-of-river and other ‘green’ power projects. Though not as
funny as Letterman, the BCCGE’s top ten could bring out a laugh, except
for the serious environmental and economic issues involved.

The BCCGE states that more development of their projects would:

1. Eliminate the need for BC to import electricity from coal-fired generators in Alberta and the United States. (What
they don’t say is that it would also restrict BC Hydro’s ability to
import surplus hydro power during the spring run-off on the Columbia
River system in the US, or the ever-increasing amounts of surplus wind
power, produced at times when not needed in Alberta or the U.S. — very
cost-effective clean energy imports that could greatly benefit BC
Hydro’s customers).

2. Create jobs for people in BC. (True, it would create some
jobs during construction, but very few during operations. On the other
hand, and not mentioned by BCCGE, it would do so by driving up BC Hydro
rates more than necessary, to the detriment of BC households and
industry).

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