Week 8 - Langford & Colwood B.C., Develop Energy Plans

Langford & Colwood aim to become environmental sustainable cities with new formal policies. These communities are undertaking community energy plans (CEP) to meet provincial GHG reduction targets of 33% emission reduction by 2020.

CEPs include transportation, buildings, infrastructure and energy supply and distribution. Partially funded by BC Hydro the plans are directed by individual municipalities. Colwood Mayor, David Saunders, "we would like to look at our own utility." Meaning parts of Colwood could perhaps go of the provincial power grid and with partnerships with developments and universities to find ways to generate power instead.

Colwoods CEP will look at how much energy is consumed and how to reduce or compensate that energy use. Colwood council approved $50,000 for a consultant to draft the plan. Once a consultant and a contract has been decided the CEP will be funded by provincial gas tax money.

Langford, has already starts it's CEP and the council allotted $40,000 with BC Hydro and Community Development funding secured. Langford's community energy and emissions reduction strategy will cover ways to use resources more efficiently and improve air quality.

Langford City Planner, Emilie Adin said, "We are looking at opportunities to reduce energy demand through green buildings and efficient technologies. Obviously there are still going to be some need for a given period of time to use BC Hydro grid but we can supplement that with alternative energy."

This plan should be completed within 6 to 8 months and Langford is also producing material that can be used by other municipalities to draft CEPs like Colwood which includes a brochure for politicians to help them understand CEPs and Langford's plan.

Source: GoldStream News Gazette, Langford, Colwood craft energy plans, by Amy Dove, Friday, February 20, 2009.

Good on these communities taking initiative to take alook at their own energy and considering implementation of alternatives. The money invested by these municipalities is a drop in the bucket for a written plan. Good to see funding from other sources. I personally like the idea of using energy from universities like UVic and RRU which are looking a cogen projects. I wish and hope my home towns are actively looking at CEPs as well, but unfortunately doubt it.

Green Collar