Demand side management (DSM) programs offer rebates to eligible utility customers who are contemplating installing energy saving technologies.  Eligibility requirements are often challenging, even for the most sophisticated customer.   

Finn Projects is thoroughly conversant with the (ever-changing) rules and regulations surrounding various DSM eligibility requirements, and help clients navigate the system.

Finn Projects is familiar with, and can assist clients with their applications for the following incentive programs:

• Ontario Power Authority’s Electrical Retrofit Incentive Program (ERIP)

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) provides incentives through its Electrical Retrofit Incentive Program (ERIP) to hydro customers to conserve energy and shift their loads from periods of peak demand to lower cost times of the day. The program is managed by the Local Distribution Companies (LDCs). ERIP provides Prescriptive Incentives for predefined measures, such as compact fluorescent lamps, T-8s, LED exit signs, etc. ERIP also provides Custom Incentives for other measures at $150/kW reduction.

• City of Toronto Better Building Partnership (BBP), Electricity Conservation Incentives

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA), in cooperation with the BBP, is providing incentive payments to the existing buildings, located within the City of Toronto, in the MASH sector (Municipal, Academic, Social, Health Care) and multi-residential sector (apartments, co-ops, condominiums) where peak demand reductions have been achieved through retrofitting existing mechanical and electrical building systems. Alternatively, incentive payments can be provided for projects that do not reduce peak demand but save on energy consumption.

This program cannot be combined with ERIP above. The incentives are up to $400/peak kW reduction in the building’s energy demand as compared to the baseline/pre-retrofit performance, or, if based on consumption, the incentives are up to $0.05/kWh.

• BOMA Toronto Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) Program

Building Owners and Managers Association of the Greater Area Toronto (BOMA Toronto) CDM program is open to both members and non-members of BOMA who own commercial buildings (office, retail store, hotel, industrial building, warehouse, private institution or mixed use) in Toronto with an area of more that 25,000 square feet. The program is offered in partnership with the Ontario Power Authority (OPA).

This program cannot be combined with ERIP above. The incentives are up to $400/peak kW reduction in the building’s energy demand as compared to the baseline/pre-retrofit performance, or, if based on consumption, the incentives are up to $0.05/kWh.

• Enbridge Gas Distribution’s Energy Audit Incentives

Enbridge Gas Distribution offers financial rebates for energy auditing, based on the lesser of:

• $0.01/m3 of most recent full calendar year of natural gas consumption of the building; or
• 1/2 the cost of the audit up to $5,000
• 1/3 the cost of the audit up to $5,000 if customer receives audit incentives from other sources

Buildings must consume more than 150,000 cu.m. of natural gas to qualify for this incentive and in multi-residential buildings a minimum of 25% of savings identified must be implemented to receive the audit incentive.

Audit incentive application and audit scope must be pre-approved by Enbridge and must materially meet the requirements of Enbridge’s Report Outline.

• Enbridge Gas Distribution’s Incentives for Energy Retrofits

Enbridge Gas Distribution offers financial incentives for energy retrofits, calculated on projected first year's natural gas savings using the following rates:

• $0.05/m3 saved up to a $100,000 limit (regardless of the number of measures) OR
• $0.10/m3 saved up to a $30,000 limit (3 measures or more)

Incentives are remitted upon project completion. Enbridge pre-approval is required.

Enbridge also provides free 2.0 gpm low flow showerheads provided that the building installs low flow aerators at the same time as the showerheads.

• Water Conservation

A number of Cities and Towns provide incentives for replacement of toilets with low flow toilets, dual flush toilets and high-efficiency (HE) commercial washers.

City of Toronto offers incentives for replacement of toilets:

• $60 per low flow six-litre toilet installed.
• $75 per high efficiency toilet installed.
• $150 per rear-exit six-litre, or less, toilet installed.
• Up to $150 per six-litre or less flush-valve toilet.

The City of Toronto offers property owners and managers up to $125 cash back for each new high-efficiency (HE) commercial washer that is purchased or leased.

• NRCan’s ecoENERGY Retrofit Incentive for Buildings

Natural Resources Canada's ecoENERGY Retrofit Incentive offers financial incentives for energy efficiency retrofits. The incentives are based on $10 per gigajoule of estimated energy savings to a maximum of 25 percent of eligible project costs.

(1 GJ = 277.8 kWh, or 1 GJ = 26.9 cu.m. natural gas)

• ecoENERGY for Renewable Power

NRCan’s ecoENERGY for Renewable Power provides incentives for the supply of clean electricity from renewable sources such as wind, biomass, low-impact hydro, geothermal, solar photovoltaic and ocean energy. ecoENERGY for Renewable Power provides an incentive of one cent per kilowatt-hour for up to 10 years to eligible low-impact, renewable electricity projects constructed before March 31, 2011.

• ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat

NRCan’s ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program is also available unitl March 31, 2011. Incentives are offered to the industrial/commercial/institutional sector to install active energy-efficient solar air and/or water heating systems. ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat offers an incentive to industrial, commercial and institutional purchasers of solar heating systems. The incentive will rebate 25 percent of the purchase, installation and certain other costs of qualifying systems.

• Ontario Solar Thermal Heating Incentive (OSTHI)

Ontario’s Program is administered by the Ministry of Energy (Ontario) and is similar to the federal government’s ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat and it provides an incentive by way of a rebate to Ontario organizations in the commercial, industrial or institutional (ICI) sectors which install a qualifying solar water or solar air heating system.

OSTHI provides up to 25 per cent of eligible project costs, to a maximum incentive of $80,000 per installation. The total project funding from all levels of government is limited to 50 per cent of eligible project costs.

• City of Toronto Sustainable Energy Funds

The City of Toronto launched its new Sustainable Energy Funds -- the Toronto Energy Conservation Fund and the Toronto Green Energy Fund in April 2008.

The funds were created as part of the City's Climate Change, Clean Air and Sustainable Energy Action Plan, which was adopted by City Council in July 2007. They are designed to provide low-interest financing to projects which improve energy efficiency in buildings (existing or planned), or generate renewable energy, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Financing is available to Municipal, Academic, Social Service, Healthcare (MASH), and other not-for-profit organizations in Toronto. The funds can provide loans at 0% interest to a maximum of 49% of project costs. The maximum loan is $1,000,000 with a minimum of $50,000. Repayment terms are negotiable. The total amount of financing available in 2008 is limited.