EU8 Research & Development Activities Aimed at Promoting Sustainable Development
| Significant Programs Underway | Description and Current Activities |
| Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Demonstration | Implement the Charging Infrastructure Installation Guidelines in the form of a demonstration of all levels of charging and all charging scenarios. |
| Haida Gwaii / Queen Charlotte Islands tidal feasibility study | Identify location and scale of tidal demonstration facility connected to Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte Islands electrical system. |
| Integrated Root Disease Management | The Oyomae mushroom causes root rot of trees, which then have to be removed by vegetation maintenance. To prevent contagion (through root contact), stumps are removed - a very expensive and intrusive process. A new method has been developed by researchers/consultants from the Ministry of Forests and UBC: a different type of mushroom (Hypholoma) is introduced, which displaces Oyomae. Hypholoma is not harmful to the trees. |
| Plug-in Electric Vehicle Demonstration | Pilot plug-in electric vehicle technologies: to assess vehicle performance and operability, and to study system impacts (load profile for different user patterns and power quality). Funded by Provincial Government, led by BC Hydro. |
| Regional Waste to Bio Energy Feasibility Study in B.C. Interior | Three stage feasibility study to assess the business viability of a large-scale municipal waste - to - energy project in the B.C. Interior that would eliminate the need for expanded landfill in the region. |
| Satellite Imagery Analysis for Land Use Monitoring (ArcGIS) | Analyze satellite imagery of BC Hydro property using image analysis software to identify where land use changes indicate environmental impacts or improvements. The technological innovation aspect comes from the integration of a GIS platform (specialized computer) and GIS software (ArcGIS). |
| MDA Phase A Advanced Sensors for Observation of Assets and Environment | Investigation into BC Hydro and BCTC's current aerial inspection work of assets and environments to determine extent and nature of work, technologies to reduce risk and/or improve quality of work and provide a critical analysis for the optimal deployment, such as transmission lines, reservoir slopes and wildlife monitoring. |
| British Columbia Institute of Technology Microgrid | Creates the infrastructure for a Microgrid at BCIT campus. Over the five years the project will start with the implementation of the communication layer first and then address the other sectors of the microgrid (distributed generation of renewable energy, management, logistic, etc.). |
| British Columbia Institute of Technology-Afresh House | Demonstration of two inverter based micro distributed Generation and designs of grid interconnection protocols at BCIT Afresh home. |
| In Home Power and Load Management | Demonstration of an in-home power generation and load management along with electric plug-in vehicles. |
| Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) Sprinter Vans Demonstration | Test and validate plug-in hybrid electric vehicles & vehicle to grid capable sprinter vans in normal fleet operations. Conventional Sprinters are a vehicle under consideration for widescale adoption inthe BC Hydro fleet as part of the Fleet Green Strategy due to higher fuel economy. A PHEV version will experience further savings of up to 75 per cent. |
| HARP-Hydrogen Assisted Renewable Power | The objective is to explore the technical and economic feasibility of reducing emission from nonrenewable power generation in remote communities by employing the following technologies: - GE smart energy optimization (Hardware and Software). - HARP system, including electrolyser, hydrogen storage, fuel cell, electrochemical storage device. |
| Bio-Refining Feasibility Study in Quesnel | This pre-feasibility study will investigate the potential for a bio-refinery pilot plant in the Quesnel community, an area heavily affected by the pine-beetle problem. The project will establish business cases for commercial and semi-commercial bio-energy and other bio-product facilities appropriate to Quesnel, B.C. |
| OWC Phase A Inspection of Submerged Dam Structures | Develop a state of technology and industry regulations report for Dam inspection. This report will be targeted on three main areas of dam inspection:
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| Anaerobic Digester Feasibility Study | Feasibility study with Fraser Basin Council to identify location and potential technologies to use agricultural wastes to generate synthetic natural gas reduction and power production applications. |
| Integrated Waste Hydrogen Utilization Project (IWHUP) | Demonstration of hydrogen capture, purification, storage, distribution and use technologies to model a 'hydrogen economy' on a small scale. |
| Micro-Algae Species and Harvesting System Feasibility Review | Study to assess potential for microalgae cultivation systems for production of biofuel and bioenergy. Study will outline which technologies and processes are best suited to B.C. conditions. |
| Demand Response Environmental Scan | BC Hydro conducted an environmental scan of technologies and practices in the Demand Response sector. |
| Enviro-Cycler Biomass Gassification and Power Production | Possible demonstration of low emission combined heat and power in a forestry community. Maybe using municipal solid waste, maybe combined with a district heating system, possibly in an off-grid community. |
Last Modified: Mar 25, 2010
