A GHG Reduction Target for FortisBC: a First for a Gas Utility

As world leaders, activists, corporations and governments meet in New York for the 2019 Climate Action Summit this week, the message is clear - it is time for meaningful action and commitments to reduce GHG emissions. As UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in the lead up to the summit: “Don’t come to the summit with beautiful speeches. Come with concrete plans and strategies.”

That is why it is exciting to announce that FortisBC will the first gas distribution-primary utility in the world to set a target to reduce GHG emissions. FortisBC's 30by30 plan will lower GHG emissions 30% by 2030. This will reduce over 3 million tonnes of GHG emissions by 2030.

By delivering more energy to British Columbians than any other entity, FortisBC has a critical role in the province’s energy system now and in the future. Approximately 14% of the B.C.'s GHG emissions come from the natural gas delivered by the 50 thousand kilometers of gas distribution pipelines owned by FortisBC. Investments in energy efficiency, Renewable Natural Gas and low-carbon hydrogen will adapt the gas system to be a delivery system for affordable low-carbon energy.

This target sets us on a pathway to achieve long-term deep carbon reduction goals by 2050. The gas system is a critical piece of energy infrastructure that will make long-term decarbonization more affordable, reliable and agile. Using the gas system to deliver low-carbon gases to energy uses like heating and freight will reduce emissions more cost-effectively and ease the pressure in other areas of the energy system like electricity.

FortisBC owns and operates one of the lowest carbon LNG plants in the world. We recently agreed to supply industries in China with low-carbon LNG exports that will reduce over 100,000 tonnes of lifecycle GHG emissions. Similarly, the GHG emissions associated with all the marine vessel journeys into and out of Vancouver ports are larger than BC’s total GHG emissions. Supplying marine vessels with FortisBC’s LNG could reduce more lifecycle carbon than what was emitted from all buildings in B.C. last year.

While committing to a GHG reduction goal is significant, the critical test will be achieving it. To do so, we will need partnerships and support from the provincial and federal governments, municipalities, technology and renewable energy developers, research institutions, other utilities and other stakeholders. We will be doing more in the coming year to describe our plan and why low-carbon solutions from FortisBC are the right path for British Columbia and Canada. Setting this target had made an important issue urgent for our utility and signals that FortisBC is bringing concrete plans and strategies to address climate change head-on. I’m excited to be a part of this journey. 

For more information visit fortisbc.com/30by30