Residents of New Brunswick Can Achieve Energy Independence and Claim Government Rebates of Up to $9,500 How New Brunswick residents can gain Independence from NB Power while earning up to $9,500 in government rebates In 2021 New Brunswick amended legislation permitting NB Power to use variance accounts which allows them to increase the price of electricity [...]

Residents of New Brunswick Can Achieve Energy Independence and Claim Government Rebates of Up to $9,500

How New Brunswick residents can gain Independence from NB Power while earning up to
$9,500 in government rebates

In 2021 New Brunswick amended legislation permitting NB Power to use variance accounts which allows them to increase the price of electricity in the event of unforeseen costs. Variance account rate increases could be triggered by power outages, fluctuations in exchange rates, fuel costs, or a host of other conditions that may affect their supply chain. While this helps NB Power manage their financial risk, it can lead to volatile price increases for the average consumer. This means if NB Power experiences cost fluctuations due to variance, those costs will be passed down to the consumer.

Last winter there were outages for over 30 days at the Point Lepreau and Bayside power plants.
Under the new rule, NB Power may use this as justification for price increases starting in 2024.

You may also know that NB Power requested a general 8.9% price hike for electricity this fiscal year starting April 2023, but they were only approved for 4.8% after the proposal was challenged aggressively.

The bottom line is that producing power for yourself by going solar is the only way to protect yourself from these unavoidable rate increases.

Introducing the Total Home Energy Savings Program

Fortunately, there is an easy path forward to help create some certainty around your own power costs by going solar. The Total Home Energy savings program delivered by NB Power makes it easy. What’s great about this program is that you both benefit – your grid tied solar panel system helps reduce variance by sending energy back into the grid with Net Metering, and your energy costs are stabilized since you will be producing that energy for yourself and covering your power bills. The Total Home Energy Savings Program allocates up to $3,000 for solar power and $1,500 to install an air source heat pump. This also stacks with Canada’s Greener Homes Initiative, which offers an additional up to $5,000 for a solar power system installation, totaling up to $8,000 in possible rebates for going solar.

Total Home Energy Savings Program Qualification Criteria

The program requires that you apply for a pre-energy audit prior to installing any home energy
retrofits, and then get a post-energy audit after the completion of their installation. This is so
they can measure the difference in efficiency after you are finished with your home upgrades.
There is a fee for the initial pre-energy audit of $99 + HST. If you plan on applying for both
rebates, that initial fee will be $249 + HST and then another $100 + HST for the post-energy
evaluation. The Canada Greener Homes Grant will pay out an additional $600 rebate to cover
the costs you incurred for your audits, once your retrofits are complete. The following terms
and conditions also apply to program recipients:

You must be the legal Property Owner in order to apply for the Total Home Energy
Savings Program.
Your home is: a residential property, no more than three stories high, smaller than 600
m² (6458 ft²)*. Single-family homes, detached, side-by-side, or row homes are eligible.
Manufactured or Mobile homes are on a permanent foundation*.
Buildings must be habitable, structurally sound and capable of receiving a home
evaluation, as determined by a Certified Energy Advisor. The home must have all
interior and exterior finishes in place (including, for example, siding and drywall) and
have a functioning automated heating system, kitchen, and bathroom.
Buildings that participated in any of Efficiency NB’s programs or NB Power’s Home
Insulation Energy Savings Program that still need upgrades.

It’s pretty simple to get the ball rolling on this. First, contact SaveEnergyNB to schedule your
pre-energy audit at this link. Their Energy Advisor will help you determine which retrofits best
fit your property as they complete your first audit. A solar proposal is then required to
determine your total rebate size. Solar is the easiest upgrade you can do to maximize your
rebate while also directly saving on your energy bill. The solar power system alone guarantees
up to $5,000 through the Greener Homes Grant, and another potential up to $3,000 with the
Total Home Energy Savings Program for a combined total of up to $8000 just for going solar.
We recommend adding a heat pump to your solar installation so you can heat your home with
free solar electricity and capture the greatest possible rebate amount of up to $9,500.

The Benefits of Adding Solar to your Home Efficiency Plan

These incentives cut the costs of going solar in the short run, and in the long run thousands are saved from the solar system installation. You get to stabilize and save money on your power bills, NB Power gets to reduce their variance, and it’s great for the environment.
It’s a win-win-win situation. Our solar specialists can do the legwork getting you set up with a tailor-made system for your property’s needs.

Schedule a consultation for our solar specialist’s expert guidance here.

For full program details, you may visit https://www.saveenergynb.ca/en/for-home/total-home/.