2001 Triple Bottom Line Report - BC Hydro
2001 Triple Bottom Line Report - BC Hydro
2001 Triple Bottom Line Report - BC Hydro
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A B O R I G I N A L B U S I N E S S P A R T N E R S H I P P R O G R A M<br />
Since 1999 our Aboriginal Business Partnership Program has<br />
provided grants to help support development of Aboriginalowned<br />
ventures in B.C.<br />
The program offers up to $15,000 to help small-business owners<br />
meet capital and operating costs involved in starting up or expanding<br />
a business. Eight firms received funding last year, including a<br />
cyber-cafe, guitar manufacturer, two eco-tourism operations and<br />
several ventures involving niche markets for forest products.<br />
S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A C T I O N P L A N I N I T I A T I V E<br />
H Y D R O G E N<br />
Measures to develop hydrogen as a clean energy carrier are<br />
underway through our new business line of products and<br />
services. Leadership in this emerging, environmentally friendly<br />
industry represents the single largest domestic growth<br />
opportunity available to us.<br />
<strong>BC</strong> <strong>Hydro</strong> is actively participating in the commercialization<br />
of hydrogen technologies for four distinct markets in<br />
B.C. – transportation, industrial supply, stationary power<br />
and portable power products.<br />
The program has four components to enable <strong>BC</strong> <strong>Hydro</strong> to be in<br />
the best position to capture hydrogen market opportunities:<br />
• perform technical and market research to remain abreast<br />
of developments;<br />
• influence policy decisions related to developing hydrogen<br />
as a transportation fuel;<br />
• undertake projects to build a profitable hydrogen business,<br />
as well as increase the likelihood that potential markets will<br />
emerge; and<br />
E C O N O M I C B O T T O M L I N E | 7 0<br />
Interest in the program continues to grow. Over 100 applicants<br />
requested funding from the current program budget, almost triple<br />
the total from the previous year. Ventures outlined in this year’s<br />
pool of aspirants include tourism, forestry and technical businesses.<br />
Applications are evaluated by a six-member selection panel that<br />
includes one <strong>BC</strong> <strong>Hydro</strong> representative and five outside participants.<br />
Selection criteria include job creation, benefits to the local and<br />
B.C. economy, and fostering Aboriginal self-reliance.<br />
• communicate our vision of hydrogen’s future to the public,<br />
governments and other key stakeholders.<br />
Over the next four years we plan to undertake several projects<br />
to affect hydrogen markets, including:<br />
• supplying electrolytic hydrogen to industrial users in the<br />
fuel cell industry;<br />
• displacing purchased hydrogen at our Burrard Generating<br />
Station with electrolyzed hydrogen;<br />
• developing a high-pressure hydrogen fuelling station at<br />
Powertech Labs, in partnership with industry leaders;<br />
• bidding to supply transit authorities with hydrogen fuelling<br />
stations for hydrogen-powered buses expected to be<br />
purchased over the next few years; and<br />
• demonstrating the viability of stationary and portable<br />
hydrogen-powered fuel cells for reliability back-up.<br />
The analysis suggests that significant revenues will be possible<br />
from hydrogen sales in the coming years. Developing hydrogen<br />
as an alternative transportation fuel will also reduce emissions<br />
of both GHGs and local air pollutants.