(This Letter was sent to the Times Colonist on January 15, 2026)
Dear Editor,
I am actively watching, as we all should be, the travels of our Premier and Prime Minister in Asia. Both are touting their own version of Canadian fossil energy export diversification.
Let’s focus on Premier Eby, India, and the market for BC LNG.
According to Government of India documents, in 2014 India generated 708 terawatt-hours of electricity from coal, 93TWh from natural has and less than 10TWh from solar.
Last year, they generated 1331TWh from coal, just 56TWh from natural gas, and a whopping 403TWh from renewables including 144TWh from solar alone.
I am not a business major, but does anyone else think pitching to be the supplier of a shrinking gas sector is not a great investment strategy?
India and China are renewable energy leaders and let’s face it, BC LNG is an idea that is 30 years too late. It’s facing a shrinking global market and competing against cleaner renewables that are already far cheaper and faster to build and install. British Columbia may talk a good game when it comes to refusing to be a vessel for Alberta’s pipe dreams, but we don’t seem to be immune to chasing fossil fuelled fantasies.
Cheers
Chris
Addendum 1: I wrote in 2019 about the fundamental lie of BCLNG. Spoiler: It’s dirtier than coal and more expensive than renewables, and even CAPP knows this.
Addendum 2: I wrote today’s letter after posting this on Mastodon. It includes the source links.
As Eby tours India today touting #BCLNG as the solution to their smoggy skies, reality is much —much— different. He appears to be selling gas to a country that is actively leaving it.
“Coal use declined in both countries even as electricity demand continued to rise”
” non-fossil energy sources grew fast enough in both countries to meet rising electricity demand.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/india-china-coal-power-renewables-b2899298.html
And from this article: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/india-solar-one-bengaluru-new-delhi-b2761414.html
“Renewable energy is now the most economical option.
Solar is now half the cost of power from new coal-powered plants. Shah added that dropping costs for energy storage, in the form of batteries, means that renewable power will be the “new normal,” even when the sun doesn’t shine”Neither of these articles even mention natural gas.
A quick look at the “Electricity Sector in India” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_India ) shows that the absolute amount of electricity generated by Natural Gas in India has dropped from 93TWh in 2011-12, to 56.6TWh in 24-25.
At the same time, just Solar has gone from 4.6TWh in 2014-15 (the first year with separate numbers) to 144TWh in 24-25? Renewables in total including traditional Hydro have gone from 181-403TWh.
Who is BC actually selling LNG to?
BCLNG #ClimateAction #BCPoli #EndFossilFuels #ABPoli #Canada #LNG #Renewables #Solar