News

Investment of $2 million announced to study energy conservation in New Brunswick

2019-05-10

FREDERICTON – NB Power and Natural Resources Canada announced today a combined $2 million dollars contribution towards a research and demonstration project to test Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR) as a potential solution to help customers conserve more energy.

The project will allow NB Power to quantify the expected energy savings from CVR, while also looking at methods to increase the level of variable renewable energy integrated on the New Brunswick power grid.

“As we continue to transition to a smarter and cleaner electricity grid and to work towards lowering our greenhouse gas - emissions, we are looking at different ways to help our customers conserve energy and save money,” said NB Power’s President and CEO, Gaëtan Thomas. “Through this research and demonstration project, NB Power will be able to evaluate in real time, when voltage is reduced, the degree to which certain devices will consume less energy than at higher voltages, creating net energy conservation. The goal is to then use the results of this research to support the development and planning for future CVR deployment initiatives in the province.”

NB Power will collect and analyse data from volunteer residential and commercial customers to assess how CVR can be used to improve efficiencies, realize energy savings, and shift peak demand thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The duration of the project will be 12 months and will include the winter peak and the summer cooling peak seasons.

“These smart investments in electricity infrastructure build a stronger and more resilient grid and help build better connections between communities,” said the Member of Parliament for Fredericton, Matt DeCourcey. “Incorporating dynamic voltage control technologies and strategies will increase renewable energy penetration, reduce GHG emissions, and bring down the cost of energy for Canadians’ homes and businesses.”

DeCourcey was speaking on behalf of Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi.

The resulting collaboration is expected to demonstrate a scalable solution that can help lower GHG emissions, while potentially lowering costs for consumers. Funding for this project will be provided by Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Innovation Program.

Through Generation Energy, Canada's national energy dialogue, Canadians expressed that they want Canada to continue to be a leader in the transition to a clean growth economy. Canada will also continue to support innovative projects that create jobs, improve industry competitiveness, cut pollution and act on climate change.

This inter-provincial partnership supports the commitment by the Atlantic premiers and the Federal Government to develop a Clean Power Roadmap for Atlantic Canada.

The Smart Grid program is part of the Government of Canada’s Investing in Canada infrastructure plan.

Quick Facts:

Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
Along with the recently announced Smart Grid Atlantic Project funded by Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada, the Collaborative Grid Innovation for Atlantic Smart Energy Communities project will encourage investment and innovation to help build a smart grid hub in the region.

Associated Links:

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Sheila Lagacé, Communications, NB Power, 506-458-4375, SLagace@nbpower.com.

Media Relations, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, 343-292-6100, NRCan.media_relations-media_relations.RNCan@canada.ca

Vanessa Adams, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Natural Resources, 343-543-7645, Vanessa.Adams@canada.ca