B.C. government to rename some natural gas ‘clean’ to keep green pledges

VANCOUVER – The B.C. government is redefining some natural gas as “clean energy” in its bid to expand the provincial industry into global markets while remaining a leader in battling climate change.

Premier Christy Clark says the government will make the change only for gas being used to power liquefied natural gas development in northern B.C., and it will only apply to power generation that meets a set of environmental emissions standards.

Clark announced the change at a conference of energy sector companies several months after acknowledging her plan to support the development of three LNG plants could be at odds with B.C.’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

LNG plants are established energy hogs, and the government has said B.C. Hydro will deliver the necessary power to two of three plants but needs more power for its third.

Clark says she stands behind the change because it will help reap economic benefits for the province.

But Guy Dauncey with the Sustainable Energy Association says the move is “deceptive” because there is scientific evidence carbon emissions result from natural gas.