BC Hydro is pledging to invest $700 million in energy efficiency over the next three years, including targeted incentives for commercial and multifamily properties along with opportunities to tap into a new rebate for solar arrays and batteries. For now, there are few program details to accompany the overarching energy-saving scheme released in late June, but the provincial utility is projecting the spending commitment will deliver 2,000 gigawatt-hours of energy savings by 2030 and 400 megawatts of capacity savings through demand-response programs and the introduction of an optional time-of-use rate for residential customers.
“Energy efficiency is a resource,” states the overview of planned initiatives. “For BC Hydro, it’s the best and least expensive way to meet increasing demand for energy. Energy savings from these programs help us to defer the need for additional capital infrastructure and provide additional flexibility to our electricity system.”
For commercial customers, $120 million is promised to fund energy assessment tools and energy managers’ services, conduct energy audits and optimization studies and subsidize small to major retrofits. That’s also to include a new program for apartment buildings with an emphasis on energy advisors, whole building assessments, recommissioning and incentives for measures such as in-suite heat pumps and upgrades to common area lighting, the building envelope and windows.
Another $100 million is earmarked for the new solar rebates, which are expected to be rolled out later this summer for residential customers, small businesses, social housing and Indigenous communities enrolled in the self-generation (formerly called net metering) program. Residential rebates will top out at $10,000 for the installation of solar panels and batteries; small businesses and private apartment buildings qualify for up to $50,000; and social housing and Indigenous communities can secure up to $150,000. As well, large commercial and industrial electricity customers will be eligible for “targeted incentives” and the solar funding envelope is also expected to cover training to build the ranks of B.C.-based installers.
The new energy efficiency plan allocates $60 million specifically for residential programs, $80 million for programs targeted to low-income, social housing and Indigenous consumers and $130 million for the industrial sector. Commercial, industrial and residential customers can all participate in some form of demand response, for which the plan allocates $110 million.
The new time-of-use rate for residential customers will give them the option of differing rates over three periods of the day. Overnight rates from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. are promised at a discount of $0.05 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) over the standard rate, while energy consumption in the on-peak hours from 4 to 9 p.m. will come with a $0.05/kWh surcharge.
“BC Hydro has acknowledged that this option may not be right for everyone, which is why the choice is completely optional and customers can opt in or out without penalty,” the energy efficiency plan advises.
