Low Income Programs - Hydro One Experience

1. Low Income Programs- Hydro One Experience Ian Campbell Conservation and Demand Management Hydro One Networks

2. Low Income Programs: Private Residences • Hydro One has been providing free retrofit programs for its low income customers since 2005 • Home Energy Efficiency Grant • Audits, basic measures such as CFLs, programmable thermostats, clothes racks, and extended measures such as upgraded insulation & air sealing • With CMHC / NRCan - 2005 – 2006 • With OPA 2006 • Application for funding to OPA in 2008 • First Nations • Audits, basic (as above) and extended measures such as air sealing & upgraded insulation, EE appliances • Chippewas of Georgina Island in 2006 • 6 communities in 2007 • Application for funding to OPA in 2008

3. 1. Hydro One Home Energy Efficiency Grant • Hydro One/CMHC/NRCan agreement signed in 2005 – provided model for Energuide for Low Income Households (EGLIH) • First agreement of its type in Canada • Hydro One provided up to $3,000 for EE improvements for low income households with electric space heating • Leveraged RRAP and Energuide for Houses frameworks for delivery • 24 customers that were in the process before Energuide for Houses was cancelled in 2006 received free retrofits

4. Home Energy Efficiency Grant – Low Income Customers (pre EGLIH) (cont’d) • $3,000 for energy efficiency initiatives for low income homeowners with electric space-heated homes • Forgivable loan to customers to upgrade sub-standard housing to minimum health and safety standard • Promoted Hydro One program, processed applications, screened for eligibility • Home pre-and post energy audit free to customer (value $300-$500)

5. Home Energy Efficiency Grant – Low Income Customers (pre EGLIH) (cont’d) May 2006 – Energuide for Houses cancelled 46 applications had been received 30 had completed pre-audit 24 homes were retrofitted 177,000 annual kWh saved

6. 2. Home Energy Efficiency Grant – Low Income Customers (post EGLIH) • The OPA conducted a low income pilot in 2006-2007 • Hydro One leveraged the OPA delivery structure to deliver a program to all its low income customers in areas that could be served by the OPA selected vendors • Hydro One screened customers for electric space heating for vendor marketing, provided bill messages and directed customers with payment issues to the program • The vendors screened customers for eligibility, conducted audits and coordinated installation of all basic and extended measures • 259 Hydro One low income customers received retrofits

7. Home Energy Efficiency Grant – Low Income Customers (post EGLIH) (cont’d) • Funded home audits and basic measures for all customers • Provided capped funding for extended measures for non-Hydro One customers • Provided funding for deeper extended measures than Conservation Bureau, but only for Hydro One customers • Qualified customers, and oversaw audits & retrofits within contracted service territories across Ontario.

8. 3. First Nations Pilot Provided education, basic EE measures & comprehensive retrofits Chippewas of Georgina Island 91 homes eligible Up to $3,000 per home

9. First Nations Pilot (cont’d)- Chippewas of Georgina Island • Approach involved entire community at the same time– 3 phases • Assessment, education and implementation of basic conservation measures - for all homes in the community (70) • CFLs, low flow shower heads, programmable thermostats, pipe wrap 2. Energuide for Houses energy audit & installation of extended conservation measure – for electrically heated homes (15) • furnaces & appliance replacement, weather sealing, insulation 3. Verification & Evaluation – resulted in 5% reduction in energy usage

10. 4. First Nations and Energuide for Houses Pursued retrofits (similar to Georgina Island) of houses in FN communities, where A audits had been conducted before EnerGuide First Nations program was cancelled. • 6 communities were identified with a significant number electrically heated homes, with previously completed A audits (indicating retrofits that could be justified by the TRC test, but on which the work had not been undertaken) • Each community visited to complete the targeted retrofits • While in the each community, other houses were identified that required basic and/or extended retrofit measures and they were completed while in the community • 125 homes received basic and/or extended measures

11. 5.Social Housing Program • Partnership with Social Housing Services Corporation (SHSC) • Other funding partners – NRCAN, OPA, Gas Companies • $2.5 M funding from Hydro One • Pilot stage in 2005 • 2 year program 2006-2007 • 5,040 homes participating in 112 buildings within Hydro One territory • 22,000 measures installed • Funded by Hydro One Dx Rates (MARR)

12. Social Housing Program (cont’d) What was retrofitted and upgraded? In Suite • Lighting • Smart thermostats for in-suite heating/cooling • (with instruction for residents) • Upgrade of window AC • Energy efficient refrigerators In Common areas • Lighting • HVAC upgrades and control • Air Sealing and insulation upgrades • Domestic hot water upgrades

13. Social Housing Program (cont’d) • Incentive – • $400 average per home + • $50 for Training + • $50 for Pre-audit • = $500 per home • Results – • 1,400 kWh savings per home (15%) • 83 million kWh lifecycle • 722 kW

14. Lessons Learned Leverage existing channels Partnering with other organizations brings existing skills and knowledge to bear also avoids duplicate or counter-productive activities Utilize existing low income definitions used by social or govt. agencies Identifying, and thus marketing, to low income customers is difficult