Saint John Energy Program Evaluation Study

Saint John Energy (SJE) will conduct a study to evaluate its Consumer Products Rental Program. Under this program, utility customers can rent or finance energy-efficiency products. SJE takes responsibility for installation, maintenance and warranty of the products, and customers pay a monthly tariff on their electricity bills. The program currently offers mini-split heat pumps, hot-water heaters and high-efficiency area streetlights to residential buildings (including multi-unit buildings) and most commercial buildings. To date, 22,000 water heaters, 6,000 heat pumps and 10,000 area lights have been installed through the program. SJE is planning to expand the program but first wants to evaluate its efficiency. The study will include a discovery phase; stakeholder road mapping; market assessment; evaluation of financing options; quantification of environmental, social and economic benefits; and a recommendation report. The program is linked to the City of Saint John Community GHG & Energy Action Plan, for which SJE is a listed contributor, given its various initiatives related to renewable energy, peak energy management and energy efficiency. This study is also linked to GMF 17591, which is an accompanying design study for the next iteration of SJE’s rental program. Innovative aspect(s): The existing program is considered highly innovative as the only residential retrofit financing program in New Brunswick, and also for it its innovative rental option and development of customer services like the online home heat loss assessment. Evaluation and expansion of the program will identify new innovations in program design. Replicability: The existing program could be easily replicated by other utilities and could be applied in whole or in part in a wide range of Canadian municipalities wishing to partner with local utilities on efficiency financing programs. (Project description from original funding application)