Jesse Row is the vice-president of Energy Efficiency Alberta and was in Medicine Hat on Thursday to discuss local uptake of grant and rebate programs related to the province's climate action plan.--NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT
Hatters are doing their part to reduce energy consumption – and getting their share of money set aside to incentivize home and business upgrades – according to officials with Energy Efficiency Alberta.
That agency, which oversees programs of the provincial climate action plan, presented localized figures about an uptake of rebates during a lunch program on Wednesday sponsored by the Medicine Hat Chamber of Commerce.
Agency vice-president Jesse Row said residential programs are popular in the first year they have been available, and now local businesses and non-profit groups have accessed about $400,000 in support for their projects.
“We have programs covering residential, commercial and the small to medium industrial sectors, as well as renewable energy and financing as well,” said Row. “To date, we’ve seen really good uptake on residential … and our commercial and industrial programs are really picking up. They take a little more planning and take longer to get going.”
Row also presented figures on the 2018 year, showing that about 10,000 projects have been helped by funding across Alberta, leading to $475 million in economic activity.
Figures show one in 10 Medicine Hat homes, about 3,000 in total, took part in some facet of the program,
Most popular, said Row, is the most easily accessible in-store rebate program that led to local sales of 44,000 LED light bulbs, 1,200 power bars and the same number of low-flow shower heads.
An online rebate program for larger appliances led Hatters to buy and install 650 high efficiency appliances, such as furnaces, refrigerators and clothes washers.
Among larger renovations, local companies reported 12 installations of tankless water heaters, 450 insulation projects, and 2,000 window replacements to triple-paned glass,
The City of Medicine Hat’s HatSmart program aligned with those specific programs in 2018, offering amounts above provincial grants to home and business owners,
Officials say 40 Medicine Hat business and non profit groups shared in $400,000 in incentives towards energy efficiency upgrades for internal and external lighting.
As well, 40 local contractors have registered with the agency to be qualified to advise clients about the program. They are listed on a contractor directory at the agency’s website (www.efficiencyalberta.ca).
Row said the interest is based on a willingness to help the environment but also reduce heating and lighting costs.
Chamber president Sarah Mackenzie said businesses are always looking to find efficiency.
“We had a really diverse group of business people for lunch, and I hope there was good takeaway,” she said.
The Chamber’s next lunch speaker event will be held on March 6, when officials from the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers will discuss energy industry investment climate at the Desert Blume clubhouse. The noon-hour event is free for chamber members.
