Energy minister says wind turbines should be called ‘wind pipelines’ as province announces 4 new projects

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The minister responsible for energy and climate change solutions in British Columbia says four new windfarms will strengthen the province’s energy sovereignty at a time of rising costs and uncertainty.

Adrian Dix says three projects in the province’s northern region and one near West Kelowna, B.C., will not only generate enough electricity to power 350,000 more homes but also keep energy affordable, while also drawing $4.3 billion in private investment. 

Dix says he feels the wind projects deserve more time in the spotlight.

“Perhaps we should rename the wind turbines, wind pipelines and get more attention,” he said.

The minister says the current conflicts in the world, including Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the war between the United States, Israel and Iran, have profoundly impacted energy markets.

Dix says the conflict in the Middle East, for example, has disrupted oil and gas supplies, forcing countries to save electricity because of rising energy costs. 

These conditions, he says, demand that B.C. become more independent when it comes to energy and lean into renewable sources such as wind and solar.

Current trade tensions with the United States, he says, also require B.C. to diversify its natural gas exports toward other markets in the world.

“We have got to lean in, because the conditions in the world are telling us that we, here in B.C., need to be more sovereign, and we are doing just that,” he says.