FEI-FEVI 2010 EEC Report filed March 31, 2011 - FortisBC

FORTISBC ENERGY INC. AND FORTISBC ENERGY (VANCOUVER ISLAND) INC.
2010 ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION ANNUAL REPORT
Description
Goals
Administration
Communications
federal Energy Efficiency Act. These acts regulate products manufactured in or
imported to Canada and BC for domestic sale.
Current regulation generally requires boilers to have a minimum efficiency of 80%. A
proposed amendment to Canada’s energy efficiency regulations would see the
minimum required combustion efficiency of large boilers climb to 90% over the same
period. The Efficient Boiler program is helping ease implementation of this proposed
regulation by familiarizing market participants with high efficiency technology prior to
the implementation of more stringent regulation.
In operation since 2005, the Efficient Boiler program is FEI and FEVI’s flagship
Commercial Energy Efficiency program aimed at reducing gas consumption
associated with space heating.
By encouraging the use of high efficiency boilers, the Efficient Boiler program directly
targets the commercial sector’s most significant source of gas consumption (space
heating) via one of its most widely used and longest lasting gas burning appliances
(boilers). Installing such boilers today has a lasting impact by reducing gas
consumption now, while paving the way for market transformation and ultimately
more stringent regulation of commercial boilers.
• Reduce commercial sector gas consumption by encouraging the installation
and use of high as opposed to standard efficiency boilers for space heating.
• Increase year over year participation rates in view of maximizing gas
savings.
• Educate medium to large commercial customers about the advantages of
high efficiency boilers and provide an incentive to facilitate the purchase of
high efficiency technology. Support and prepare the way for any provincial or
federal regulation requiring increased boiler efficiency.
• Advance the level of skill, capacity, and understanding within
trades/mechanical contractors on the correct installation practices and
requirements of modern high efficiency commercial boilers.
• Maintain a program TRC score greater than 1.0 and optimize the proportion
of incentives over administration and marketing costs.
Implementation
Program administration is handled entirely in-house by the Companies’ EEC Staff.
Shifting program administration to an outside service provider or dedicated program
operations personnel is a requirement in 2011 in order to free up internal resources
to be redirected towards new commercial program development and roll out.
• www.fortisbc.com – All program information, application forms, and program
terms and conditions were maintained on the Efficient Boiler program webpage.
• Commercial customer outreach initiative that saw the Companies call over
80,000 commercial customers to provide information on the Efficient Boiler
program, among others.
• Advertisements in American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) newsletters and the Association of
Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia’s (“APEGBC”)
magazine.
• Stakeholder focus group/feedback session in June 2010 with suppliers,
contractors, engineers, participants and potential customers, energy managers,
and safety officials.
• Speaking engagements / presentations describing the program at events such
as: BC Apartment Owners and Managers Association semi-annual tradeshows,
Rental Owners and Managers Society of BC tradeshow, NRCan “Spot the
SECTION 4: COMMERCIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM AREA Page 55