Manitoba

Manitoba Hydro residential customers can acquire a low-interest (4.9%) Residential Earth Power Loan of up to $20,000 to offset the cost of installing a ground source heat pump. It must be paid back within 15 years.

Business customers of Manitoba Hydro can apply to the Commercial Earth Power Program for financial assistance with feasibility studies and installation of ground source heat pumps. Projects must be approved by Manitoba Hydro before commencing any work for which assistance is being sought.

Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan EnerGuide for Houses program can be combined with the federal ecoENERGY Retrofit program, and includes grants for ground, water and air source heat pumps, drain water heat recovery systems, and solar hot water systems. The maximum grant is $10,000, $5,000 from the province and $5,000 from the federal government. Amounts vary depending on the type of system installed.

The Saskatchewan Home Energy Improvement Program (SHEIP) tops up the Saskatchewan EnerGuide for Houses program for low and moderate income home owners, and owners of buildings which house low income people.

The Solar Heating Initiative for Today (SHIFT) program will match the federal ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program to support installations of solar hot water by large, non-residential consumers of hot water in Saskatchewan. The provincial and federal governments will each give rebates of 25% (40% in remote communities), up to $80,000. Applications are made through the federal program.

With Net Metering, customers who wish to generate up to 100 kW of their own electricity from renewable sources can get a credit on their electricity bill for power contributed to the grid. The amount of credit is limited to not more than the amount of power purchased over a two-year period. In addition, the province will pay a one-time fee equivalent to 25%, maximum $25,000, to offset start-up costs.

SaskPower will buy power from Small Power Producers who generate up to 100 KW. The price will be calculated annually based on SaskPower’s cost of generating electricity from all other sources, as reported in their annual report.

Alberta

Alberta will help to fund commercial bioenergy in the form of credits for producers of bio-fuels and biogas, and electric power derived from related processes (through 2011), and supports for commercialization, marketing, and infrastructure development for biorefining (through 2008-2009).

British Columbia

BC Hydro’s Bioenergy Call program has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for power generation using wood fibre. Phase I applications are currently being processed; phase II RFPs are planned for July.

Producers of wind power enjoy reduced provincial government fees.

The Net Metering program allows producers of 50 kW or less to pay only for power used over and above that which they produced, as measured by a two-way meter.

Biodiesel, either pure or as part of a blend, is exempt from provincial fuel tax.

Northwest Territories

The Community Renewable Energy Fund provides up to 50% of costs incurred by community organizations, up to a maximum of $50,000 per year on renewable energy projects.

The Small renewable Energy Fund provides up to 1/3 of the costs of renewable energy projects incurred by residences and businesses, up to a maximum of $5,000 per year. Photovoltaics, wind energy, and ground source heat pumps are the eligible technologies.