British Columbia’s clean energy sector is one of the strongest in the country and supports over 14,000 jobs, but it is often overlooked as a source of employment, according to the Pembina Institute.
In order to promote the sector, the organization said it has created the first clean energy jobs map that shows where these positions are located.
“The map gives a glimpse of a future in which all of us are working together: First Nations, local communities, private and public sectors — all of B.C.’s communities coming together to come up with resilient energy solutions that just makes sense,” said Clean Energy B.C. executive director Paul Kariya. “There is a lot more we can develop. There are a lot more clean energy jobs to create.”
There are currently 156 renewable energy projects in the province, including several that are under construction.
The biggest single source of clean energy jobs is large hydro, which supports 5,800 jobs in renewable energy. Biomass and biogas (4,400 jobs) and run-of-river hydro (2,600 positions) follow. In addition, there are 1,300 wind and solar jobs in the province.
“And renewable energy is only part of the bigger clean energy economy picture,” the Pembina Institute said in a release.
“The clean energy economy is the collection of all economic sectors that are directly responsible for supplying technologies, products and services that have measurable environmental benefits in terms of their abilities to reduce carbon pollution and improve energy efficiency.”
The institute said policies such as the province’s carbon tax have helped drive the growth of the clean energy sector. The commitment to Climate Action Plan 2.0 will further strengthen clean energy.
The map shows renewable electricity jobs and will be expanded to include green building, energy efficiency and clean transportation positions.
Penelope Comette, program director, clean energy economy for the Pembina Institute, said it is important for B.C. to be positioned to remain competitive.
“Policies that support the development of our clean energy economy will help to future-proof B.C. and enable us to thrive in a low-carbon world,” Comette said.
The clean energy jobs map can be found here.
