12 September 2022

River District Energy has applied to the BC Utilities Commission for approval to upgrade its district energy system serving the River District development. The application is for a new permanent Community Energy Centre that will use thermal energy produced from waste heat generated at Metro Vancouver’s Waste-to-Energy facility in Burnaby (aka the Burnaby Incinerator). River District Energy says this will displace almost all natural gas use, reduce GHG emissions by 90%, and meet City of Vancouver carbon intensity targets.

River District Energy provides space and water heating to customers in the River District development via a piped hot-water district energy system. River District is a 128 acre residential and commercial development in southeast Vancouver, between Marine Drive and the Fraser River.

Back in 2011, the BCUC approved River District Energy’s current configuration, which uses natural gas-fired boilers for thermal energy. BCSEA intervened in support, based on the developer’s commitment to switch to a less carbon intensive energy source when feasible. That time has apparently arrived.

BCSEA is intervening in the BCUC’s current proceeding.

by Tom Hackney, BCSE Policy Advisor, and Bill Andrews, BCSEA’s lawyer for BCUC proceedings