Captain Peter Wilcox, the founding director of the Inside Passage Decarbonization Project (IPDP), wrote a letter to Port Hardy council requesting the usage of the council chambers for their first annual Solutions Summit in March.
“When my wife and I were in Port Hardy last August on our 10-year-old petroleum-free vessel, Ama Natura, I met with Heather Nelson-Smith to appraise her of the IPDP’S 20 year vision to decarbonize the Inside Passage marine fuelling and shore power systems,” wrote Wilcox, who then stated they want to encourage “the development of clean, waste-based biofuels and bio-lubricants in appropriate locations and scales in Washington, BC and Alaska, such as what Canfor is doing with renewable diesel and aviation fuel from cellulosic waste near Prince George.”
Wilcox requested he and his wife be allowed “to hold our first annual Solutions Summit in Port Hardy on an early spring Saturday, either March 3 or 10, with attendance by port and resort managers, First Nations leadership, Coast Guards officers, and others estimated at under 30 people,” adding, “We are looking into the Chamber of Commerce’s rooms, but our first choice would be at the District offices. Ms. Nelson-Smith let me know that would require Council permission and a councillor in attendance. I understand that you have a deep interest in renewable energy and was wondering if you might be interested and willing to attend the event and thereby make it possible for the event to take place in the district offices.”
“Fred, do you want to speak to this?” asked Port Hardy Mayor Hank Bood.
“I have been in brief correspondence with him, but I am not that familiar with what he is doing, Heather might be more knowledgeable, but essentially what he is asking is he would like to see more green fuels being used on the water up and down the West Coast,” said Coun. Fred Robertson.
“He hopes council will be supportive of projects like this in and around our harbour, and that’s why he’s reaching out to us,” added Nelson-Smith.
“It’s a very interesting concept — I would prefer for it to be held at the Civic Centre instead of here,” said Coun. Rick Marcotte.
Coun. John Tidbury agreed, stating, “I’m of the same opinion as Rick, I don’t believe it should be held here, then it would seem like we’re sanctioning it. For a 30 person event I’m sure a free room can be found in the Civic Centre.”
Port Hardy council agreed to let Wilcox use the Civic Centre for his solutions summit, and both Robertson and Marcotte agreed to attend the event.
To learn more about Wilcox’s project, visit their website at www.decarbthepassage.net.