https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/01/25/news/close-half-canadian-program-touted-electric-cars-funding-natural-gas-stations
[There's a reason Natural Resources Canada has earned the nickname 'Oil
and Gas Canada'. So, in reality, NRCan's EV infrastructure program is
actually cover for yet another oil and gas industry subsidy from the
Canadian federal government. (Hydrogen produced in Canada comes
primarily from cracking natural gas. Natural gas's claim to being a
cleaner fuel does not stack up against the impact of fugitive leaks of
methane, which is 86 times more potent greenhouse gas than carbon
dioxide over a 20 year period.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_potential)]
Close to half of Canadian program touted for electric cars is funding
natural gas stations
By Carl Meyer in News, Energy, Politics | January 25th 2019
Almost half of the funding in a federal program Canada has promoted as a
boon for electric vehicles is being used for natural gas refueling.
The Trudeau government has funded a nationwide rollout of 102 electric
vehicle (EV) chargers, as part of a Natural Resources Canada program
called the “Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure
Deployment Initiative.”
The program has been promoted as fulfilling a commitment to put more
zero-emission vehicles on the road. Environment and Climate Change
Minister Catherine McKenna recently touted the program as part of her
announcement on new EV chargers across Quebec.
What is less known, is that this program has also funded the
installation of seven natural gas refueling stations, and three hydrogen
refueling stations.
While there are far fewer natural gas and hydrogen stations than EV
chargers, the refueling stations cost much more to install, typically $1
million each, compared to $50,000 for an EV charger — meaning they are
sucking up much more program funding per station.
A National Observer analysis shows that, as of Jan. 25, a list of
projects being funded under the program for which contribution
agreements have been signed showed $6,502,000 had been given out for
natural gas refuelling, compared to $7,967,000 for EV charging and
hydrogen refueling. This would mean that the government has spent 44.9
per cent of the total program funding on natural gas stations.
High-polluting gasoline and diesel engines dominate Canada’s roads, and
transportation accounts for a quarter of Canada’s carbon pollution.
Replacing gas-guzzlers with compressed natural gas vehicles could lower
emissions, depending on where the gas is sourced from, what fuel sources
are being replaced, and the vehicles in question.
Natural Resources Minister Amarjeet Sohi's office says switching from
diesel to natural gas in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles can reduce
emissions by "up to 25 per cent." Compared to gasoline, compressed
natural gas emits six to 11 per cent lower levels of carbon pollution
over its life cycle, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That
figure is also cited by delivery service UPS.
Still, electric vehicle advocates feel slighted that a program they
thought was advancing the cause of electrification is also being used to
fund transportation options that still produce tailpipe emissions.
“As members of the EV community, it is distressing for us to see money
spent on compressed natural gas fuelling that will have little to no
impact on Canada's greenhouse gas emissions,” said Matthew Eglin,
director of the Electric Vehicle Council of Ottawa. “This money would
have been better spent on expanding the EV charging network across Canada.”
Sohi's office said medium- and heavy-duty vehicles represent one of the
fastest-growing emissions profiles, and using natural gas also reduces
other forms of emissions such as black carbon, which has a powerful
global warming potential. The black carbon would be a by-product of the
pollution from large commercial trucks that run on diesel fuel.
"If there are lower carbon fuel options that will make a difference, we
need to act," said Alexandre Deslongchamps, Sohi's director of
communications.
"We know that the transition to a low-carbon economy cannot happen
overnight. Canada's climate plan was built with Canadians, and is a
serious, practical and affordable approach to tackle climate change. We
will continue to take action to ensure Canadians across the country have
good jobs, a growing economy and a healthy environment."
McKenna’s press secretary Sabrina Kim declined comment, saying Sohi's
office was best suited for a response, as the funding was from an NRCan
program.
