Earlier this month, BC TIA announced the development of the Power Technology Alliance. An industry-supported initiative, The Power Technology Alliance, aims to promote, support, brand and develop the Power Technology Cluster of BC. The idea that British Columbia can be a world leader in generating smart energy solutions and exporting those solutions is not a new one. Forming the alliance, however, was the first pivotal step in creating an encompassing vision and a bold plan to move forward by means of a strong collaborative effort.

Many are not aware of what a burgeoning sector this is in BC even though power technology employs over 3000 people and has generated revenues in excess of CDN $ 700 million.

A report entitled "A Vision for Growing a World-Class Power Technology Cluster in a Sustainable British Columbia" presented to the Government of BC clearly supports the establishment of an alliance to foster the growth and development of this industry. The report validates results of an industry-based cluster study led by the BC TIA named the Integrated Technology Initiative (ITI) and a benchmarking study sponsored by KPMG and CIMI. The report identified not only the path to growth through an industry-government partnership but also identified the distinct sectors that constitute Power Technology as being:

. Sustainable Power generation ( e.g. wind, solar, geothermal, fuel cells etc) . Alternative fuels ( e.g. biomass, hydrogen, natural gas) . Enabling Technologies (e.g. smart grid, power measurement, power electronics) . Storage (e.g. batteries) . Demand Side management ( e.g. efficient lighting, urban and building design)

It is estimated that over the next twenty years worldwide demand for clean energy products and services will be in the range of U.S $ 3.5 Trillion (Source: Climate Solutions). British Columbia is already well poised to capitalize on this owing to our reputation as an environmentally conscious province with leading research facilities and key renewable power resources.

Making this conscious and concerted effort will enable the alliance to successfully showcase BC's Power Technology cluster and its innovative technologies through major global events such as the 2006 World Urban Forum and the 2010 Winter Olympics.

By bringing the sector together as one coordinated voice, the Power Technology Alliance will help to establish the momentum needed to grow the sector, retain companies, accelerate commercialization and attract investment. Ultimately this activity will create valuable jobs and greater economic returns for the province.

For more information about the Power Technology Alliance, contact the BC TIA at 604-683-6159.