Energy Conservation
ENMAX launched its pilot Employee EcoRebate program to all employees in December 2008. This pilot program provides rebates to employees when they purchase specific energy-efficient products for their own personal use. In addition to rebates on large appliances, rebates are also available to employees who want to purchase or rent eligible alternative energy technologies to install in their homes. The EcoRebate program was designed to help employees make their homes more energy-efficient by subsidizing the costs associated with these products.
“We are walking the talk," said ENMAX President and CEO Gary Holden, adding, “This program is a great opportunity for ENMAX employees to lead the way in energy conservation. We’re making it easier for employees to make smarter energy decisions."
In the 2009 program year, 139 ENMAX employees took advantage of the EcoRebate program, purchasing a total of 234 energy efficient products. A participation rate of 8% was achieved in the first year of the program. The average value of rebates provided to employees was approximately $450, which is well above the average rebate value seen in similar corporate programs.
In most rebate programs, clothes washers are typically the most popular product choice with compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) light bulbs and light emitting diode (LED) seasonal lights the next most popular. As shown in the table below, CFLs and LEDs are amongst the least purchased products in the ENMAX program and furnace purchases were among the most popular. In aggregate, micro-generation technologies that were installed through the EcoRebate program included eight solar domestic hot water systems, 12 solar photo-voltaic panels, and no micro-wind turbines. The ENMAX Employee EcoRebate program continues in 2010 with a target of 10% employee participation.
| |
Count |
Rebate Value |
Total |
| Clothes Washer |
64 |
250 |
16000 |
| Dishwasher |
45 |
100 |
4500 |
| Refrigerator |
32 |
200 |
6400 |
| Furnace (1) |
1 |
800 |
800 |
| Furnace (2) |
25 |
1000 |
25000 |
| Ceiling Fan |
3 |
50 |
150 |
| Programmable Thermostat |
25 |
up to 50 |
1236.31 |
| Hot Water Heating |
4 |
500 |
2000 |
| CFLs |
7 |
Up to $100 |
268.83 |
| LED Seasonal Lights |
8 |
Up to $100 |
419.87 |
| Solar Domestic Hot Water |
8 |
1000 |
8000 |
| Micro-wind Turbine |
0 |
2500 |
0 |
| |
|
|
|
| Total |
234 |
|
82,775.01 |
Further program results are detailed below:
ECORebate Energy Savings
[1] Not accounting for the impact of income tax.
ENMAX is working towards extending this program beyond employees to make the renewable micro-generation options available to residential and commercial customers.