Photo: CTV News
BC Hydro is already seeing an increase in electricity demand in 2022 as British Colombians try to stay cool as mercury rises. This trend is expected to continue as climate change affects the province.
According to a report released on June 24, this lawsuit has led to a shift from BC as a winter energy user to a summer one.
“As global warming accelerates, BC Hydro has seen an increase in electricity demand during the summer months as more British Colombians turn to AC for longer periods to cool down during events of heat, ”the report said.
Data from 2017 indicate that demand for residential electricity has increased by 12% from June to August, mainly due to increased use of residential air conditioning (AC).
“Climate change has made access to air conditioning increasingly vital as summer temperatures rise,” said utility spokeswoman Susie Rieder. “BC Hydro data show that AC use has increased by around 50 per cent over the last decade, from a quarter of British Colombians who use it at home to almost 40 per cent , but we still see a much higher demand for electricity in the winter months. “
BC broke 19 of the 25 daily maximum heat records in the summer of 2021, a summer that saw the city of Lytton burn, multiple forest fires and more than 600 heat-related deaths.
“This includes breaking its record for maximum summer time demand on June 28, 2021, when demand reached 8,568 megawatts, breaking the previous record by more than 600 megawatts, the equivalent of turning on 600,000 aircraft portable conditioners, ”the report said.
In a recent survey, BC Hydro found that 62 per cent of British Colombians with AC said their use has increased at home in recent years, and 63 per cent used their AC for more than five hours in the day last summer.
A quarter of British Colombians have bought or upgraded an AC this year, and 72 per cent of them cite an increasingly severe and frequent summer heat as their main motivation.
This summer, BC Hydro recommends several measures to combat heat, save energy, and stay safe:
• Heat Pump Cooling: As BC Hydro generates 98 percent of its electricity from clean, renewable resources that feed primarily on water, use a heat pump to cool in the summer and heat it up. winter is more environmentally friendly than a system. gas powered;
• Ductless: If a central heat pump system is not an option for your home, ductless units are a great option while offering the same benefits as a central system;
• Smart shopping: if you are buying an air conditioner, opt for a window air conditioning unit instead of portable units, as they are twice as energy efficient;
• Temperature optimization: cool houses to 25 degrees Celsius during the summer months when they are busy, and the air conditioning should be turned off when not busy;
• Closing curtains and blinds: Shade windows can block up to 65 percent of heat;
• Using a fan: Running a fan nine hours a day during the summer costs only $ 7;
• Usage Tracking: Use MyHydro to track power consumption and see how air conditioning use can affect costs.
The company said it offers up to $ 3,000 in discounts for switching from a fossil fuel-based system, which can be combined with provincial and federal discounts for total savings of up to $ 11,000 in costs and installation, with some municipalities that add additional discounts on top of that.
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