REPORT HIGHLIGHTS B.C. ALT ENERGY & POWER OPPORTUNITIES

VANCOUVER – A new report by industry to the Premier’s Technology Council identifies opportunities for the government and private sector to work together in establishing B.C. as a global leader in innovative power technologies, Premier Gordon Campbell said today.

“B.C. has the people and the resources to help drive the global shift toward smart power technology and alternative energy as part of our goal of leading the world in sustainable environmental management,” Campbell said. “Innovative power technology developed here in B.C. is improving the quality of life for thousands of people around the world, by improving how power is generated, transported and used. Demand for that expertise will only continue to grow.”

The report, entitled A Vision for Growing a World-Class Power Technology Cluster in a Sustainable British Columbia, identifies five international market opportunities in which B.C. has the potential to take a leadership role that will result in significant economic opportunities and job creation:

Remote power solutions for rural communities, including off-grid distributed generation from a variety of established and emerging alternative sources.
Sustainable urban practices, including building designs and urban planning to reduce energy consumption and grid-tied sustainable distributed power to help offset peak power needs.
Smart urban transport, including application of natural gas and electric hybrid engine, fuel cells and hydrogen – areas in which B.C. is already recognized as the global leader.
Smart grid solutions, including the use of software, hardware and electronics to increase the efficiency of power grids.
Large-scale clean, green power production to generate and deliver electricity to the western power market.

The report leverages input from leading experts to create a strategy and a framework for collaboration to address the opportunities and challenges for smart, sustainable power technologies in B.C.

“In 2002 we brought in the B.C. Energy Plan – a plan that looks forward on how to build on B.C.’s great energy resources,” said Richard Neufeld, Minister of Energy and Mines. “This report contains some exciting ideas about how to unleash our province’s full potential as an energy innovator, and advance the goals of the Energy Plan.”

“As more markets around the world look for smart power choices, they will be looking to buy those products, services and expertise from somewhere,” said the report author Mossadiq Umedaly, chairman of Xantrex Technology and a member of the Premier’s Technology Council. “B.C. is poised at the edge of a tremendous opportunity, but we also have challenges and competition. If we work together and apply ourselves thoughtfully and consistently with a clear strategy and focus we can be the providers of leading-edge power technology solutions to markets around the world.”

According to the report, power technology is already one of the biggest technology industries in B.C. with dozens of sub-sectors with the potential to add hundreds of millions to the economy over the next decade. B.C.’s power technology sector already includes more than 60 companies providing 3,000 jobs and generating $700 million in annual revenues. B.C. has market leaders and emerging companies in a number of smart, sustainable power technology areas, including power electronics, fuel cells, natural gas and electric hybrid engines, smart grid and power measurement, micro-hydro, ocean, solar, and wind energy, sustainable urban building and design practices and more.

A copy of the report is available at http://www.gov.bc.ca/prem/popt/technology_council online

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Media contact:	Mike Morton Press Secretary Office of the Premier 250 213-8218	Tamara Little Communications Director Ministry of Energy and Mines 250 889-1825

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