By Daryl Major

BC Ferries’ green initiative shows promise

Dec 8, 2016 | 10:47 AM

NANAIMO – A BC Ferries pilot project has helped them reduce their carbon footprint, but not enough to reduce fares.

Back in 2013, the Corporation conducted an audit of their electrical energy use and last year installed some new software which has helped them cut costs.

BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall says they chose the Queen of Oak Bay on the Departure Bay-Horseshoe Bay route. She says the old vessel has undergone a number of major upgrades in recent years.

“We’ve been reducing energy in a variety of ways,” said Marshall. “We’ve been able to reduce our fuel consumption, our costs and associated carbon emissions as well as improve the asset life and some of our maintenance costs.”

The reduction in their CO2 emissions is equal to taking 57 passenger vehicles off the road every year, according to Marshall. She says they haven’t ruled out installing the software on all of their older vessels.

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“Obviously with new builds it’s much easier to be designing vessels to be more efficient,” said Marshall. “But certainly we want to be able to reduce our environmental footprint wherever we can. And we’re really pleased with this initiative on the Queen of Oak Bay.”

A number of initiatives from the initial energy audit has been implemented, including replacement of deck lighting with more efficient LEDs, air conditioning plant upgrades and solar film coating for windows.