British Columbia: Clean electricity snapshot

2022-2024

British Columbia has abundance of natural resources that can and are used for clean generation, particularly hydropower. The province is building on clean generation expertise to become a global leader in renewable power in the 21st century. For instance, hydropower is also being routed to supercharge the next generation of clean hydrogen generation. Thanks to its forestry industry, British Columbia is also Canada's largest producer of biomass-generated electricity.

Powering Canada's Future is the Government of Canada's strategy for clean electricity. It combines historic investments and balanced, fair regulations to lay out the path forward to build grids that will provide power that is reliable, affordable and clean and serve as the backbone of our economy.

Federal investments

As of November 2024, the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs) has approved funding of over $25.9 million for 14 projects in British Columbia. Most recent projects include:

• $677,988 SREP funding towards RDOS Renewable and Electrification Feasibility Studies for Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen.
• $2 million in SREP funding towards Metlakatla Mount Hays Wind Project fot Metlakatla Development Corporation.
• Around $4.94 million in SREP funding towards the Penticton Smart Microgrid & Energy Hub for the City of Penticton.

In December 2024, British Columbia announced nine new clean energy wind projects. The projects will provide nearly 5,000 gigawatt hours per year of electricity, enough to power 500,000 new homes.

Emissions and electricity generation

According to the National Inventory Report, in 2022, around 1% of British Columbia's electricity was generated from other fuels, such as diesel, while over 90% was generated from renewable resources including hydro, wind, tidal, and solar.

B.C Hydro call for power

In April 2024, BC Hydro issued a call for power to help ensure B.C has sufficient clean energy to meet future demand. The call was designed in collaboration with the First Nations Energy and Mining Council. BC Hydro received a strong response to its call for new renewable power-generation projects, and through its evaluation process, the province will award 30-year electricity purchase agreements to nine wind projects. These projects will provide nearly 5,000 gigawatt hours per year of electricity, enough to power 500,000 new homes, boosting BC Hydro's current supply by 8%.

The development and construction of new clean-energy projects will generate between $5 billion and $6 billion in private capital spending throughout the province.

Hydro power

British Columbia has harnessed hydro power through projects located across the province, including:

• The Mica Generating Station, one of BC's largest hydro facilities, generates capacity of 2,746 megawatts (MW) and can power more than 650,000 BC homes each year.
• The Revelstoke Dam, which has a generating capacity of 2,480 MW and produces around 15% of the electricity BC Hydro generates each year.

Hydrogen and fuel cells

By 2050, British Columbia could earn $2.5 billion in annual gross domestic product through the use and export of hydrogen. Hydrogen exportation has a potential of generating $305 billion by 2050 from the province alone, and could potentially create 3,750 new jobs by 2050.

British Columbia has 51% of Canada's hydrogen and fuel cell facilities (PDF). Hydrogen exportation has a potential of generating $305 billion by 2050 from the province alone. Continued investment will encourage global demand for British Columbia's expertise and technology over the next 30 years.

Solar power

The Ulkatcho First Nation's solar energy project is expected to produce enough electricity to power about 350 homes and is set to reduce the need for diesel generation in the community by about 64%.

Aspen BC Solar Project Limited, in partnership with the Lower Nicola Indian Band, is proposing to build the Aspen Solar and Energy Storage Project, which could produce 100 MW solar and up to 400 MWh storage —enough to power 20,000 homes annually. The project will create job opportunities for local communities and Indigenous Nations.

Geothermal power

British Columbia has identified 16 potential geothermal sites, with six of them having the potential of generating 1,000 MW collectively. For instance, the South Meager Geothermal Project has been assessed as having a generating capacity of up to 100 MW, enough to power 80,000 homes.

Economic opportunities

In addition to cleaner air and lower greenhouse gas emissions, a clean electricity grid can stimulate investment in innovation, provide economic opportunities, and create good jobs.

New jobs

Electrification and the transition to cleaner forms of electricity generation is expected to create good jobs across Canada. British Columbia is projected to see some of the greatest growth rates in clean energy jobs by 2050. For instance, independent experts from Clean Energy Canada (PDF) forecast that there will be around 317,000 clean energy jobs added in British Columbia between 2025 and 2050.

Since 2016, the British Columbia Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative has created more than 1,400 clean energy jobs and generated over $16 million in revenue for First Nations in the province. The initiative has also generated enough clean energy to power over 3,600 homes.

BC Hydro's capital plan and its first call for power are estimated to lead to total public and private capital investments of approximately $40 billion and create between 11,300 and 14,000 construction jobs annually.