Arnold Schwarzenegger, California's Incredible-Hulk Governor, breezed into Vancouver recently for an extended photo op with Premier Campbell. The Hulk's boundless, prophet-like conviction that global warming can be solved California-style, has captivated BC policy makers. Governor Schwarzenegger has imposed targets for reductions in carbon dioxide emissions and increases in renewable energy generation. But wait. What about California's black-outs, the cost of renewable energy and just how much can we do to prevent so-called global warming anyway More important, what will California-style solutions mean for taxpayers and consumers in British Columbia

Wind, tidal and solar energy -- renewable energy sources with no carbon dioxide emissions -- cost between $70 and $1,700 per megawatt hour to produce. British Columbia produces most of its electricity through large hydroelectric projects at a cost of about $45 per megawatt hour, with virtually zero carbon dioxide emissions. BC Hydro must now purchase all of its new power from zero net emission sources. That means it will cost considerably more to buy electricity in the future. Look for that on your hydro bill.

Renewable energy sources are more expensive, but more worryingly, electricity production is hit-and-miss. With wind, electricity is produced when the wind is blowing; with tidal, when the tide is running; and with solar, when the sun is shining. Traditional fossil fuel sources, such as natural gas and coal, produce energy when we need it, where we need it.

Moreover, Canada sells more natural gas to the US than any other country in the world. Natural gas is the single largest natural resource contributor to BC's provincial budget (outstripping forestry). Natural gas keeps the lights on, but also helps to keep our schools and hospitals open and our taxes in check.

California-style solutions will give us California-style problems. California's lack of investment in traditional power generation resulted in massive blackouts in 2001. Today, strict emission regulations mean few, if any, new natural gas-fired plants and the subsidization of alternative energy projects means more hit-and-miss energy. You heard here first: black-outs will become commonplace in California in the years to come.

With Premier Gordon Campbell following in the footsteps of the California's Green Hulk, BC may be headed down the same path. BC's goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33% by 2016. A very popular policy to be sure, but a policy clouded in scientific uncertainty. We will be paying more, much more, for high cost energy, but will we be doing anything real for the planet

A focus on high cost, less reliable energy will raise our electricity bills, reduce government revenues, and mean higher taxes in the future. All this to reduce global warming, a phenomena that many scientists agree is out of our control. As Dr. Henrik Svensmark, director of the Centre for Sun-Climate Research at the Danish Space Research institute has found, the sun and stars can explain most, if not all, of the warming this century. Cooling and warming of the planet didn't start with industrialization. And while we can all agree that minimizing our environmental footprint on the earth is laudable, the rush to "do something" could lead to cold dark days ahead.