I haven’t noticed any shining examples of renewable energy activities in Victoria, but am aware that the opportunities for such energy are plentiful. Indeed, some of these opportunities lie in future commercial/residential developments. One example is the Dockside Green mixed use development. For those unfamiliar with Dockside Green, it is a proposed development just west of Victoria’s downtown that will provide mixed-income housing for 2,500 residents. With construction expected to begin this year, the development will feature a suite of innovative technologies including an on-site wastewater treatment and biogasification facility that will provide heat to a district heating system. The plant is expected to process over 3,000 tonnes of wood waste each year, converting such waste into synthetic gas that will be used as the primary heating source for the district heating system.
More information about this development — and its GHG reduction benefits — can be found at the link I’ve included below. This is perhaps one of the most promising renewable energy opportunities in Victoria that has stimulated several conversations about sustainable energy in the academic, business, and not-for-profit communities, not to mention garnering much attention from residents around the region. While the project has not yet been constructed, it is expected that the gasification plant alone will cut GHG emissions by 3,400 tonnes annually.
http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/library/IRR_Dockside_Green_Case_Study.pdf
