The Clean Energy Enigma: Why is the BC government ignoring low cost geothermal energy to destroy a valley with the Site C Dam?
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Members of the media and the public are invited to attend a one-hour technical briefing hosted by Alison Thompson, Chair and Managing Director of the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA).
CanGEA released the report: “Geothermal Energy: The Renewable and Cost Effective Alternative to Site C” on November 25, 2014. Two days later CanGEA wrote and requested an opportunity to brief Minister Bennett and Premier Christy Clark on this breakthrough research. CanGEA never received a response.
Instead, on December 16th, 2014, the BC government announced that construction of the Site C Dam (Site C) will commence in summer 2015. At the Site C Final Investment Decision technical briefing, Minister Bennett unequivocally rejected geothermal:
…there is no possible way that geothermal could be the answer to our prayers at the present time…
CanGEA is unable to confirm how Minister Bennett reached this conclusion – the supporting research and analysis has not been made public.
To CanGEA, it is completely mystifying why the BC government would choose to ignore critical new research demonstrating that geothermal
- is competitive with the updated Site C cost to ratepayers,
- addresses First Nations concerns and
- provides many other benefits to communities compared to Site C.
Importantly, like the LNG sector, the geothermal sector uses proven technology – the United States, Mexico and 23 other countries take advantage of geothermal energy.
With 6 court challenges to Site C underway, and a delayed start to Site C construction, CanGEA has decided to release its detailed technical information and in so doing encourage pursuit of geothermal energy now as an alternative to Site C.
Additional information will be issued on February 4th at 10:45 am at https://www.cangea.ca/. Thompson and members of her team will be available following the technical briefing for interviews.
Presenters:
- Alison Thompson, Chair and Managing Director
- Dr. Graeme Beardsmore, Technical Lead (Geothermal Qualified Person for Resource Estimation)
- Ashley Derry, Technical Advisor (Maps and Data)
- TM Gunderson, Engineering Lead
- Jim Weimer, Financial Consultant (Geothermal modeling)
Event: CanGEA Geothermal Technical Briefing
Date: Wednesday, February 4th, 2015
Time: 11:00 am – Noon
Location: 451-409 Granville Street, Vancouver B.C. (corner of West Hastings & Granville Street in UK Building)
Call-in: Conference call-in available – E-mail info@cangea.ca for call-in numbers.
Media Contacts: Alison Thompson at 
403-801-6805 or Justin Crewson at 403-923-4990
403-801-6805 or Justin Crewson at 403-923-4990