FortisBC offers two residential energy efficiency programs:
PowerSense Home Improvement Program (HIP) and the PowerSense New Home program.
To be eligible for the HIP program residential customers must: • be a customer of FortisBC, or one of the following municipal
utilities: Grand Forks, Kelowna, Penticton, Summerland or Nelson Hydro and;
• The home must be electrically heated (includes electric baseboard, electric forced air, electric boiler, and air source or ground source heat pumps).
Applying for rebates through both LiveSmart BC and the PowerSense Home Improvement Program is not allowed.
Table 12 FortisBC residential programs
Province Organization Sector Program
name
Program activity Type of
funding
Source of funding
British Columbia
FortisBC Residential PowerSense
Home
Improvement Program (HIP)
Energy efficient product rebates are available for energy efficient windows, insulation upgrades, compact fluorescent lighting (CFL’s), air source heat pumps (ASHP), and ground source heat pumps
(GSHP)26 Rebates; see footnote below Utility PowerSense New Home Program Provides residential rebates or loans on ENERGY STAR®
windows, air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, solar hot water systems ENERGY
STAR® appliances and
a special CFL lighting incentive27 Rebates and loans; see footnote below Utility 26 http://www.fortisbc.com/Electricity/PowerSense/IncentivesPrograms/Documents/ps_HomeImp_Rebate_Form_SF_scr.pdf 27 http://www.fortisbc.com/Electricity/PowerSense/IncentivesPrograms/Documents/ps_NH_Rebate_Form_SF_scr.pdf
Commercial Programs
FortisBC PowerSense offers six commercial programs including the
FortisBC/LiveSmart BC Lighting Installation Program (FLIP), New Construction Program, Small Business Commercial, and Partners In Efficiency.
FLIP
FLIP provides a free lighting assessment from a FortisBC approved contractor and up to $5,500 in assistance for the installation of new energy efficient lights, occupancy sensors and controls. To be eligible for the program the commercial customer must be operating within the FortisBC electricity service area or one of the municipal electric utilities of Kelowna, Summerland, Penticton, Nelson or Grand Forks and must have spent less than $20,000 on electricity over the last 12 months.
New Construction Program
The New Construction Program offers expert advice as well as rebates on energy efficient technologies and solutions for new facilities and encourages developers to meet or exceed the technical guidelines of the Model National Energy Code for Buildings (MNECB) by at least 25%.
Program assistance and financial incentives include:
• A free initial assessment of the building design’s level of energy efficiency
• 50% of an approved study cost to a maximum of $5000 if a more detailed assessment is required. If assistance is greater than $1000, it is netted from the final rebate amount
• Rebates towards the incremental cost of efficiency measures compared to standard “baseline” construction
• The rebate is based on 5¢ per estimated annual kWh savings, with the maximum rebate calculated to achieve a two-year payback on incremental cost
Small Business and Commercial Program
The Small Business and Commercial program provides qualified customers a free walk-through energy audit conducted by a qualified technical advisor to identify where conservation opportunities exist. Funding is available up to 50 percent, to a maximum of $5,000, of an approved consultant's fee to conduct a comprehensive energy study.
Rebates are based on one cent per estimated annual kWh saved times the lesser of five years or product life. The maximum rebate is 50 percent of the incremental project cost or the amount required to provide a two-year payback, whichever is less. Rebates are available for energy-efficient lighting products HVAC energy-efficient
upgrades, irrigation pumps and equipment with energy efficient features such as variable speed drives, energy efficient motors and
Partners In Efficiency Program
Partners In Efficiency is a program in which FortisBC has signed
agreements with all municipalities in their franchise area, to ensure energy efficiency is included in the annual capital improvements plan. The purpose of the agreement is to make certain FortisBC is included in a review of the municipality’s capital expenditure plan on an annual basis to identify key projects that have an impact on energy use. FortisBC will assess the key projects for possible upgrades, provide estimated costs, savings and applicable rebates. FortisBC provides the rebates on upon project completion.
Table 13 FortisBC commercial programs
Province Organization Sector Program name Program activity Type of funding Source of
funding
British Columbia
FortisBC Commercial FortisBC/LiveSmart
BC Lighting Installation Program (FLIP)
Lighting audit and up to $5000 in assistance for the installation of energy efficient lighting, occupancy sensors and controls
Audit and direct install program up to $5000 in assistance
Utility
Commercial New
Construction Program includes funding for approved energy assessment studies and rebates toward the incremental cost of efficiency measures compared to standard baseline construction FortisBC encourages developers to meet or exceed the Model National Energy Code for Buildings by at least 25% Free initial assessment; 50% funding for an approved study to a maximum of $5000; if assistance needed is greater than $10,000 this is netted from the final rebate; Rebate is based on 5¢ per estimated kWh savings with a maximum rebate calculated to achieve a two year payback
Utility
Small Business and Commercial
Program includes funding for approved energy assessment
Free walk-through audit; funding up to 50% of an approved
Province Organization Sector Program name Program activity Type of funding Source of funding
study and rebates that offered toward the incremental cost of project costs
study; rebates are based on 1% of estimated annual kWh saved times the lesser of five years or product life; maximum rebate is 50% of incremental project costs or the amount required to provide a 2 year payback Partners in
Efficiency FortisBC establishes relationships with the municipalities in their franchise area to review yearly capital spending and provide guidance on cost- effective solutions and available rebates