Climate Change, Technology & Incentives

CIPH is working with numerous parties to help invent a new world through innovative, energy-wise technologies. Our board, committees, councils, international affiliates, strategic partners, co-op education institutes, scholarship students and nine active regions across Canada, are promoting change, new, clean technologies, education and responsible growth.

We are involved with and promote solar thermal, radiant heating, water and energy efficiency. CIPH is the industry authority on new standards, codes, research, business trends and new practices. We conduct industry forums and publish key industry resource material.

For information on government incentive programs related to conservation and climate change please CLICK HERE.

GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES
Right now the federal government, provinces and some municipalities have programs to help homeowners save money and fight climate change. Typically they’ll subsidize about 1/3 of costs, plus you’ll save each month on bills and preserve the planet for your grandchildren. Most modern environment initiatives have a 100% payback in 3-10 years. In some cases the government helps with financing costs.

ECOENERGY for Retrofits
EcoEnergy was originally Federal, but some provinces have matched the funding, thereby doubling homeowner benefit. Visit http://www.energy.gov.on.ca, under Home Energy Retrofit Program and FAQ. A table shows all the flat rate amounts. As mentioned in some regions these are now doubled.

How it works
First an EcoENERGY Advisor comes to your house and inspects your heating system, water heater, appliances, insulation, window drafts etc. They give you an estimate of a grant you’ll receive if you undertake certain initiatives. It’s broken down by initiative so to some extent you can choose which items to act on. This first visit takes a few hours and costs about $300. Some provinces rebate part of that fee as well. The next step is to buy a new appliance or add insulation or seal up your windows, and so on. Then the Energy Advisor comes back for about an hour to inspect the initiatives and finish your grant paperwork. The second visit costs about $150. Then after a waiting period that varies from place to place, you get your cheque.

Other homeowner incentives
A list and links to information on dozens of energy-related incentive programs can be found at http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/incentives.cfm. Programs are offered by federal government ministries, provinces, territories, gas companies, cities and others. They include retrofit, plumbing and heating subisidies, waived permit fees, ENERGYSTAR appliance incentives, building loan incentives and more. This list seems mostly residential, but a lot of commercial programs are emerging as well.
The Government of Canada has also created other ecoACTION funding programs to help increase the supply of renewable heat, biofuels and power.

Businesses
Incentives are now available for industrial, commercial and institutional purchasers of solar air and water heating systems, under a four year, $36 million ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program administered by Natural Resources Canada. Financial assistance with the costs of solar air and water-heating systems is provided for installations by businesses, industries and public institutions. Assistance is also being provided to ensure that the solar thermal and geo-exchange industries can meet increased demand for their products.

The federal program provides $80,000 per installation, which can represent up to 25% of the cost of approved systems. This rises to 40% in regions qualifying as ‘remote’ and to 50% for municipalities and non-profits. In Ontario and Saskatchewan the incentives have been matched by provincial governments, creating a total of $160,000 per installation, which can represent 50%, 80% and 100% of costs. Corporate maximums for multiple installations are $4 million in these two provinces, $2 million elsewhere. Complete information can be found at www.ecoaction.gc.ca/ecoenergy.

Another part of ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat is testing approaches to encourage the use of solar water-heating in the residential sector. Natural Resources Canada is funding 90% of costs for certification and testing of packaged solar water technologies. The goal is to increase, by 2011, the selection of performance-tested and CSA certified solar heating systems to at least 12 types from a few that are now approved.

A nine-year, $1.5-billion ecoENERGY for Biofuels aims to increase production of biofuels from the current 400 million litres per year to 3 billion litres. It is targeted primarily at Canada's agricultural sector. ecoENERGY for Biofuels will help meet new federal regulations that require a 5 percent average renewable content in gasoline by 2010 and a 2 percent renewable content for diesel by 2012. Incentive rates are under discussion and await final approval.

In addition the $1.48-billion ecoENERGY for Renewable Power program aims to boost Canada's renewable electricity supply up to 4000 megawatts (MW), enough clean electricity to power about one million homes.

The program, which is open to businesses, municipalities and other institutions and organizations, will provide a one cent per kilowatt hour incentive on eligible renewable electricity projects built and commissioned over the next four years.

So far, 50 projects are registered, including small- and large-scale wind farms, biomass, low-impact hydro and geothermal systems, representing a total of about 3500 MW.

For more information on these and other ecoACTION initiatives, visit http://www.ecoaction.gc.ca/

RETscreen Software Update
The Ministry of Natrual Resources also recently released the latest version of its free RETscreen energy software. The release includes financially viable clean power, heating and cooling technologies, and energy efficiency measures. The new version includes access to 22 years of NASA global climate data. It now comes in 26 languages and can be acquired at www.retscreen.net.