Key parts of the newly minted COP28 agreement stress not just the long-term goals in the fight against climate change, but also the need to balance them with more immediate human considerations in attaining those goals.
A critical component of this transition, we believe, is ensuring reliability of both gas and electricity systems.
For example, British Columbians rely significantly on B.C.’s gas system to deliver energy at peak winter heating times. Just such a situation was observed recently on January 12, one of the coldest days this winter season, when our province’s gas system delivered twice the energy of B.C.’s electricity system. At 21,763 megawatts, this was a new record for the gas system, up 1.8 per cent from the high set in 2022.
A section of the COP28 deal notes the importance of “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner.” So, as we consider greater electrification of certain sectors of our province, it is our position that we have to manage this increase carefully, ensuring both the gas and electricity systems work in unison to maintain reliability and resiliency when energy is needed the most.
We’re committed to meeting B.C.’s future energy needs while managing the financial impacts on the province’s families and businesses through a diversified approach that leverages the strengths of our gas and electricity delivery systems. The clean-energy transition is an opportunity for our province to show leadership in balancing climate action with resiliency and affordability that will require a collective effort.
COP28 also recognizes the need for “tripling renewable energy capacity globally and doubling the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030." This closely compares to FortisBC’s goals, which recognize that replacing conventional natural gas with renewable and low-carbon gases can help British Columbians decarbonize efficiently and affordably.
Renewable natural gas (RNG) and other low-carbon gases such as hydrogen will play a major role in reaching greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals set out in the provincial government’s CleanBC Roadmap, which seeks to cut GHG emissions across all sectors by 40 per cent as of 2030, based on 2007 levels. RNG is a low-carbon fuel made from decomposing organic waste. It is already being supplied through FortisBC’s existing system and can be used seamlessly with existing gas appliances. Recognizing the critical role it can play in meeting climate targets, FortisBC, with the support of the province, is increasing its supply of RNG, consistent with CleanBC.
We are also spearheading exploration of the potential of hydrogen, which could be added to our existing gas delivery infrastructure as a low-carbon energy source that may help us further decarbonize by replacing conventional natural gas. We believe the potential impact on emissions reductions in B.C. could be significant but further study and legislative supports are needed to enable this critical pathway for decarbonization.
As noted in the COP28 agreement, "transitional fuels can play a role in facilitating the energy transition while ensuring energy security." One of the strongest pillars in that bridge is liquified natural gas (LNG).
British Columbia has benefited for decades from LNG storage, which plays a vital role in providing B.C. households with energy supply on some of the province’s coldest days. LNG is also a fuel for transportation, such as for the marine sector, thereby reducing GHGs and improving air quality as compared with traditional marine fuels. LNG has a pathway to lower emissions as it can be made with RNG, making this transitional fuel especially important to hard-to-decarbonize sectors like marine transportation.
Our support for lower-carbon energy options has already paid big dividends. Not long ago we were happy to announce that we helped our customers avoid approximately 776,000 tonnes of GHG emissions in 2022―the annual emissions equivalent to taking almost 238,000 gasoline-powered cars off the road.
This kind of emissions-reduction accomplishment speaks for itself, but the COP28 agreement, with its emphasis on a feasible and fair strategy to fight climate change, is a further reminder that more investment in RNG and other renewable and low-carbon gases will help hasten us on our collective path to a lower-carbon future.
Roger Dall’Antonia is president and CEO at FortisBC.
