B.C.’s electricity grid can handle increased demand from EVs, heat pumps and extreme weather events, while electricity trading keeps energy bills low, according to a new Clean Energy Canada report.
Recent claims to the contrary are not based in reality, concludes Reality Check.
Meeting B.C.’s 2030 EV sales targets would only increase electricity demand in the province by 2%, while heat pumps have a nominal impact on the grid. The new Site C dam, recently announced renewable power projects, and improvements in energy efficiency will put the province on track to meet these increases out to 2030.
Additionally, because B.C.’s grid is connected to the U.S. and Alberta, it is well positioned to manage future power demand. Since 2019, the value of B.C.’s electricity exports was 35% higher than all of its imports. As a result, energy bills will be 10% lower in 2025 than they would otherwise be absent power trading, with similar savings forecasted for the years ahead.
While hypothetical tariffs would not prevent energy trade with the U.S., electricity is a good candidate for increased interprovincial trade—a topic of recent national interest. Expanding interties with and through Alberta could help provinces, including B.C., expand and fortify their electricity grids in the most affordable way possible.
Even absent greater integration, British Columbians’ electricity bills are already among North America’s lowest at roughly half of what an Alberta household pays for power. Meanwhile, a Metro Vancouver family that swaps out fossil fuels for electricity via EVs and heat pumps could knock over $700 off its average monthly energy costs.
In short, claims that B.C. must increase its reliance on fossil fuels do not reflect B.C.’s actual energy landscape. The best, and cheapest, path forward for British Columbians is also the cleanest one.
KEY FACTS
- Meeting B.C.’s 2030 EV sales targets (that would see EVs make up 90% of car sales in 2030) would only increase electricity demand in the province by 2%.
- Heat pumps have a nominal impact on the grid. Given that 42% of B.C. households use electric baseboard heating, moving these dwellings to heat pumps could save households around $500 per year on operational costs along with reducing overall provincial electricity demand by 5%.
- Renewables, like wind and solar, are now the cheapest sources of electricity globally and have been shown to help drive down power bills.
- The U.S. states with the highest shares of solar and wind (Iowa leads with 55%) also have electricity rates that are 25% lower than the U.S. average.
- B.C. has benefited from a net gain from electricity trade of over $1.5 billion since 2019, reducing residential electricity bills by 10% from what they would otherwise be this year. Electricity exports exceed imports on average across these years.
RESOURCES
Report | Reality Check
