FORSETH: Fuelling fantasies in BC

FortisBC Renewable Natural Gas is part of BC's low-carbon future — that is the enthusiastic headline. However, there is political resistance.Vancouver city councillor Adriane Carr (Green Party) wants to ban natural gas hookups in newly built homes. Her proposal did not pass the Legislature, but such notions are gradually becoming politically accepted.The BC government has invoked the BC Energy Step Code as the primary tool to reduce energy use and emissions from buildings. While energy-efficient insulation fittings and high R factors in new builds reduce emissions by impacting the size, efficiency and amount of greenhouse gas emissions from mechanical systems, the code claims they do not eliminate a building's carbon emissions, even under the most stringent energy efficiency requirements.And so, the province and municipal governments have set ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets . But, they can only be achieved if the building sector starts to ‘decarbonize’. This is code for 'electrification.'The BC Zero Carbon Step Code requires the construction sector and local communities to switch from carbon-intensive mechanical systems to zero-carbon systems. It will happen in stages, and the province will start mandating different Zero Carbon Step Code Levels as early as this year, with zero-carbon new construction required by 2030.Vancouver, Victoria, Saanich, and Burnaby are among the municipalities that have already adopted or are in the process of adopting the highest level of the Zero Carbon Step Code, which incentivizes decarbonization in new builds. In truth, it is a switch to the unreliable and expensive electrical grid.These measures significantly increase the cost of construction and the ongoing operations cost for homeowners. These trendy policies have not yet sunk into the general public's conscience.That is, people don't know what's going on.However, the huge natural gas distributor in the province is trumpeting change. FortisBC is changing, says its promotional material. According to its advertising, FortisBC is a natural gas and electricity distribution company in BC that is taking steps toward a lower-carbon future. The company is promoting Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), as a sustainable low-carbon energy source created by capturing and purifying methane produced from organic waste. RNG is their answer to staying in political and environmental favour and also staying in business. Recovering and utilizing methane is viewed as environmentally friendly.RNG can be seamlessly integrated into the existing natural gas system. Presently, 1% RNG is mixed into the province-wide distribution system.They say the company is also leading the transition to lower-carbon commercial transportation by promoting using natural gas vehicles powered by RNG.FortisBC describes it this way: "Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) is sustainable energy derived from organic waste. Every household and industry makes it. RNG is created by breaking down organic materials from agricultural farm waste, landfill waste, and wastewater. FortisBC works with local farms, landfills, green energy companies, and municipalities to produce RNG. It is then blended into the existing natural gas system, displacing equivalent volumes of conventional natural gas. The substitution is a gradual phase-out of fossil fuels by using renewable gas."The product is distributed through the 50,000 kilometers of natural gas lines already in place.FortisBC is promoting the adoption of commercial natural gas vehicles, which contribute heavily to carbon emissions. RNG being one of the lowest carbon-intensity transport fuels available, switching to RNG allows commercial transportation operators to use the same natural gas engine without additional capital investment once they adopt CNG. This narrative paints FortisBC as an environmental angel. However, the environmentalists will not accept the claims, as they say it is still burning something. They argue that even though RNG is a lower-carbon fuel, it still involves combustion and therefore contributes to air pollution and climate change. They see electricity from renewable sources as the only truly sustainable option.I previously wrote about how the plans for the electrical demand from the grid by EV cars were not achievable in the foreseeable future. I described the shortcomings in January 2024.The ‘greenies’ have yet to answer how their legislated demands on the electrical grid will be met if FortisBC is ruled out of business. There are consequences from legislated ‘decarbonization’ electrification schemes. There is the fantasy of nuclear fusion transitioning from the laboratory into an actual commercial device, which will never happen. Traditional nuclear energy has significant intrinsic problems.Electricity demand in BC is expected to increase by 15% or more between now and 2030 without the additional political rules for EV cars and all-electric homes.Until then, maximizing all hydropower opportunities with many more dams, erecting thousands of windmills, and burning natural gas and RNG in new turbines is the only foreseeable solution to meet the fantasy targets for the intended electrical grid demand.Maybe we should just change the fantasy legislators.

FORSETH: Fuelling fantasies in BC

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