BRITISH COLUMBIA HYDRO

 

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The BC Hydro and Power Authority is a Canadian electric utility in the province of British Columbia generally known simply as BC Hydro. It is the main electric distributor, serving 1.8 million customers in most areas, with the exception of the City of New Westminster, where the city runs its own electrical department and the Kootenay region, where FortisBC, a subsidiary of Fortis Inc. directly provides electric service to 213,000 customers and supplies municipally owned utilities in the same area. As a provincial Crown corporation, BC Hydro reports to the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, and is regulated by the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC). It is mandated to provide, "reliable power, at low cost, for generations." B.C. Energy Minister Rich Coleman said that increases would not be as high as the 10 per cent per year for five years that Hydro had announced March 2011.

 

 

BC, British Columbia hydor electricity dam



BC Hydro operates 30 hydroelectric facilities and three natural gas-fueled thermal power plants. In 2009 86.3 per cent of the province's electricity was produced by hydroelectric generating stations, which consist mostly of large hydroelectric dams on the Columbia and Peace Rivers. BC Hydro's various facilities generate between 43,000 and 54,000 gigawatt hours of electricity annually, depending on prevailing water levels. BC Hydro's capacity is about 11,000 megawatts.


The Hugh Keenleyside Dam (left) was required under the Treaty, and was completed in 1968. The Arrow Lakes Generating Station (right) was only added in 2002.

Electricity is delivered through a network of 18,286 kilometers of transmission lines and 55,254 kilometers of distribution lines. For the 2008-2009 fiscal year, the domestic electric sales volume was 50,799 gigawatt hours and net income was $366 million, resulting in a return on equity of 11.75 per cent. As of March 31, 2009, BC Hydro and its subsidiaries employed 5844 full time and part-time employees

 

 

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE 

 

Never mind the politics, people need a place to live, food and energy.  Imagine a world where there is abundant energy for transport, the home and our factories, and that energy does not harm our environment. Imagine that the world economy is stable and that the population is under the threshold where the planet can meet our needs. Isn't that a wonderful vision?

 

That ideal may not be totally within our grasp. But was can at least strive for clean energy for living, which is technologically within sight.

 

 

RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY

 

Solar power from micro generation is now a growing industry as many Youtube videos are demonstrating. As these conversions and new builds gain in popularity electric vehicles will also gain favour, especially for households generating excess energy, which they could get better value from by using for transport. Electricity used in this way might reduce transport costs by up to 200%. So provide a higher quality of life with lesser environmental damage.

 

If buying an EV, it would make sense to have the latest future proof technology, such as battery cartridge exchange built into the vehicle, for self servicing, or exchanges at local stores or cooperatives. This technology exists but has not yet been incorporated in production vehicles.

 

When EVs become available with cartridge refueling, it would make sense to have in place at least a few service stations to cater for eventual demand. The technology would thus be in place when it is needed. Such a move when it is implemented will greatly reduce carbon dioxide build up in the atmosphere and ease the transition from oil based economies to abundant clean energy.

 

 

THE CHICKEN AND EGG SITUATION

 

If there were service forecourts to cater for battery cartridge exchange, that might in turn persuade motor manufacturers to produce vehicles with the system. This is a classic chicken and egg situation. Who should do what first.

 

Given the scale of the problem, it might be prudent for every corporation involved in the industry to at least investigate the potential that any emerging technology might offer for the future on mankind, which is after all the future of their company and eventual profits for their shareholders.

 

 

 

 

 

ENERGY GENERATING-DISTRIBUTION UTILITIES

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

LINKS

 

BC Hydro company website

Power Pioneers

British Columbia Transmission Corporation

BC Explorer - A Digital History of the Northwest

 

 

 

 

 

 Clean energy from wind generation

 

 

 

 

 

The world's fastest electric land speed record car, a blue bird eco streamliner

Probably the world's fastest solar powered Eco electric car: 350mph + 

This car's batteries are charged using natural solar energy.

A green eco sporting event - looking for sponsorship for 2015/2016.

Chasing the blue bird of clean air happiness - Maurice Maeterlinck.

 

 

 

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