As Canada transitions to net zero emissions and alternative sources of energy, geothermal, hydrogen and lower carbon intensity natural gas could all play an important role in BC’s future energy mix. Geoscience BC’s public geothermal energy research is being used by geothermal explorers and developers, communities, Indigenous groups and governments to make investment decisions about potential development projects. Combined with Geoscience BC’s geological CCS projects, geothermal research also supports the development of a hydrogen sector in BC, and aligns with federal and provincial hydrogen strategies.

BC’s natural gas sector produces some of the cleanest and lowest emission intensity natural gas in the world. Aligning with federal and provincial net-zero transition strategies, Geoscience BC’s publicly-available research provides key data on emissions, seismicity and water use that enables more informed decision-making by governments, communities, Indigenous groups and the natural gas industry.

Geoscience BC and its partners are adapting to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world. Commitments to a lower carbon economy are creating an increased demand for independent public geoscience to identify and assess potential for geological carbon capture and storage (CCS) in BC. Meeting this demand requires new geoscience research that attracts investment, de-risks emerging opportunities and positions BC at the forefront by providing quality technical data and information needed for industry, governments, academia, communities and Indigenous groups to make evidence-based decisions. Geoscience BC is supporting two methods of geological CCS research in BC: carbon sequestration in sedimentary basins; and carbon mineralization.

Accurate monitoring and measurement of the atmosphere, hydrogeological conditions and geohazards increases our technical knowledge that leads to more effective planning and mitigation and improves best practices and regulation. For example, Geoscience BC’s GHGMap project has developed a tool to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions quickly and effectively. The project has seen significant interest from BC’s natural gas sector as it seeks to minimize GHG emissions. In another example, Geoscience BC has an agreement in place with Fort Nelson First Nation, which manages a network of hydrometric monitoring stations in its territory.