Please sign the petition here and add your support. The petition reads as follows:

Attention Members of Parliament and Senate;

Canada needs to:

• Increase the tax incentive for natural gas used as a transportation fuel;
• Increase and extend the tax credit for the additional cost when purchasing a dedicated natural gas vehicle;
• Increase and extend the tax credit for the installation of natural gas refueling pumps;
• Create incentives for the major car manufacturers to sell natural gas vehicles (which they already manufacture and sell internationally) in Canada.

These incentives will encourage industry to replace older diesel trucks with newer, cleaner natural gas vehicles and strategically expand natural gas distribution throughout Canada. Its a great step in the right direction. It will provide the momentum for Canadian engine manufacturers, CNG equipment manufacturers, infrastructure builders, natural gas producers, and distributors to ramp up and make a real difference in having our own domestic natural gas resources reduce carbon emissions with a positive economic impact for Canada.

I encourage you to support legislation that will increase and extend incentives for the usage of natural gas in Canada’s transportation and power generation. I will be watching your press and floor remarks for statements of support.

T. Boone Pickens

Oil billionaire turned wind power and natural gas evangelist, T Boone Pickens, has been promoting and lobbying the increased use of natural gas in the U.S as a means to secure America’s energy future and reduce carbon emissions. The Bluebridge Plan is a similar grass roots movement that believes Canada needs to better leverage it’s domestic natural gas assets in order to reduce carbon emissions in Canada. Both plans would be beneficial to North America -  both economically and environmentally.

Unfortunately, consumers tend to have short memories. It was not that long ago that oil was at $147/barrel. Fact is, oil will return to those price points again, and higher. At the same time, we tend to ignore the importance of something when it is abundant. That’s where we are with natural gas. Technology in fracturing and horizontal drilling have made it economically possible to extract batural gas from tight shale rock formations. The gas has always been there but until the last couple years we have not been able to economically extract it. Today, the potential of shale gas has nearly doubled the natural gas reserves in Canada, and increased reserves in the U.S. by as much as 40%.

This is where the Picken’s Plan, the Bluebridge Plan and others are formulating message. Natural gas is a domestic resource that is a cleaner alternative to oil and coal. It is abundant, practical and proven. By increasing the usage of natural gas in the overall energy mix we can make considerable reductions in carbon emissions. Keep in mind, the natural gas is going to be developed and produced. The question is whether Canada and the U.S. take advantage of this lower carbon resource, or do they export it to the benefit of others.

As countries move forward on climate legislation, it becomes more apparent that a price tag will be added to the cost of carbon. Goods and services produced by low carbon energy will have a lower or no carbon costs, and therefore be more price competitive. By every measure, natural gas is a considerably lower carbon fuel then oil and coal.  Canada – as well as every other country in the world – need to reduce carbon emissions now. Various groups can argue all they want about how much and when but the point is implementing reductions now is a step in the right direction and natural gas can make those reductions significant.

The momentum for increased usage of natural gas in the U.S. energy mix is growing. U.S. law makers are currently considering the Natural Gas Act which will increase incentives to use natural gas as an alternative fuel in transportation. Canada needs to make comparable efforts to ensure that Canada is maximizing the benefits of natural gas to reduce carbon emissions.

Westport engine

Vancouver-based Westport Innovations signed a deal with Volvo to design and develop a clean-burning natural gas engine for the Swedish automaker’s fleet of large trucks. Volvo is the world’s second  largest truck manufacturer.

Westport Chief Executive David Demers is quoted by Reuters;

“Volvo power trains doesn’t have other natural gas engines … It is a big deal for the industry that the biggest (diesel truckmakers) are announcing that they are getting into natural gas.”

Natural gas emits as much as 30% less carbon then diesel or gas engines and there is growing momentum in the United States to provide increased incentives to use more natural gas in the country’s heavy truck transportation network. Unfortunately, Canada seems to trail the U.S. to increase the usage of natural gas in heavy trucks.

By taking advantage of the new abundance of natural gas in Canada as a result of shale gas extraction in the Horn River basin Canada could reduce carbon emissions and encourage economic growth in support industries like Westport Innovations.

Reuters: Westport stock jumps on Volvo natgas engine deal

The  International Gas Union released a the study this past week that by concluded global natural gas production will need to grow by 70 percent if the world is to start reducing carbon dioxide emissions quickly enough to avoid the worst effects of climate change. The study also forecast world gas demand will rise to 4.8 trillion cubic meters (“Tcf”) per year by 2030 from 2.8 trillion cubic meters today.

The IGN was quoted as stating;

“Demand from traditional sectors will increase … (and) natural gas will also play a new role as a complementary fuel to renewables by enabling increased deployment of energy supply from intermittent renewable technologies.”

Ofgem, the energy regulator for England, Scotland and Wales has estimated in a report that Great Britain needs to invest up to GBP200 billion on energy-related over the next 10 to 15 years to ensure the country can meet its targets to cut carbon emissions and shore up its energy security. It published a report this week that analyzed four seperate scenarios for the future direction of GB’s energy requirements and available supply. In all four scenarios demand for natural gas will increase over the next 10 to 15 years with a growing demand for Liquified Natural Gas (“LNG”).

Canada is the third largest producer of natural gas in the world and is a net exporter of natural gas. By increasing domestic use of natural gas in power generation and transportation, Canada could join other countries in using natural gas to meet energy demand while reducing carbon emissions.  Key investments into converting existing coal fired electicty plants to natural gas, incentives for more natural gas fill stations and providing increased incentives to convert or purchase natural gas and other alternative energy vehicles is required.

Please join The BlueBridge Plan and help change the energy mix.

Reuters: Natural gas to play key role in cutting CO2: study

The BlueBridge Plan supports and encourages investment and integration of renewable energy resources as well as conservation and improved energy efficiencies as part of a universal effort to improve energy usage and reduce carbon emissions.

Everyone is invited to offer constructive criticism and productive input into the evolution of the BlueBridge Plan. We recognize that natural gas is a fossil fuel with carbon emissions at the point of production and consumption. Investment into new technologies, and best practices will further reduce natrual gas carbon emissions.  

The objective is to reduce carbon emissions by using more natural gas and less higher carbon fuels such as coal and oil in our power generation facilities and transportation network for an immediate net reduction.