The province plans to export liquefied natural gas to Asia, Premier Christy Clark announced at BCIT last month.
"B.C.'s natural gas will help with the transition to a low-carbon global economy by displacing Asia's current reliance on other carbon-intensive fuels like coal and diesel," Clark said in a press release. "To protect our environment here, we also plan to introduce more ambitious means of offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon capture and storage, while balancing growth."
The premier made the announcement about the province's natural gas strategy - part of the B.C. Jobs Plan - at the British Columbia Institute of Technology on Feb. 3.
"We are creating new and exciting opportunities by diversifying our natural gas sector, strengthening job prospects for British Columbians and opening the door to new clean energy projects," she added. "My government is positioning liquefied natural gas as a cornerstone of British Columbia's long-term economic success."
The province plans to build two liquefied natural gas plants in northern B.C. by 2020.
Establishing the liquefied natural gas industry in B.C. is expected to create 800 long-term jobs in liquefied natural gas facilities and up to 9,000 temporary jobs during the construction phase, according to the release.
"Again, B.C. is demonstrating climate leadership with the world's first clean-energy-fuelled liquid natural gas plants," Minister of Environment Terry Lake said. "These two liquefied natural gas plants will provide Asia with a cleaner alternative for its immediate energy needs as B.C. natural gas displaces more carbon-intensive fuels like coal and diesel."
The province plans to focus on market opportunities in B.C. as well, by promoting the use of natural gas in transportation fleets such as ferries and heavy-duty trucks, the release added.
The full version of B.C.'s natural gas strategy, Fuelling B.C.'s Economy for the Next Decade and Beyond, as well as the province's liquefied natural gas strategy, A Strategy for B.C. Newest Industry, can be found and downloaded at www.gov.bc.ca/ener/natural_gas_strategy.html.
