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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.

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