Are you a small to medium sized greenhouse (<500 employees) looking to improve your energy efficiency and bring down energy costs? Then this funding program from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) might be for you.
Apply now, as funds are available on a first-come, first-serve basis!
Program Background
Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) published a study in October 2019 demonstrating the huge potential for greenhouses to reduce their energy demand and reduce costs in the province.
The Energy Manager Program for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) can increase capacity for SMEs to identify and adopt energy-efficiency opportunities in their business through the hiring of energy managers or covering the costs of energy assessments. Energy Managers in the program provide the tools and expertise required for developing and implementing energy strategies in the facilities where they are embedded. The program helps overcome barriers associated with implementing and executing energy-savings projects by providing detailed energy assessments and energy saving plans to participants.
Calculating Your Current Energy Costs
Want to better understand your energy costs, and how simple changes in your greenhouse can save you money BEFORE you enroll in a program like this? Then check out the Virtual Grower Model developed by the USDA. This model lets you experiment with “what if” scenarios in a risk-free setting.
What Incentives are Available?
There are two options in the Energy Manager Program from NRCan:
- ENERGY MANAGER INCENTIVE: Hire an energy manager and receive funding up to 75% of the cost toward their salary and benefits, to a maximum of $80,000.
- ENERGY ASSESSMENT INCENTIVE: Conduct an energy assessment of a building or building system and be reimbursed for 75% of the cost, up to $5,000 per assessment.
Who Can Participate?
To participate, companies must meet the following criteria:
- Be a small or medium-sized enterprise with fewer than 500 employees;
- Own/manage facilities connected directly or indirectly to the grid in Ontario;
- Commit to reducing total annual facility consumption by 3% through a combination of electricity and natural gas reduction measures1;
- Have a total annual electricity consumption greater than 2,500,000 kWh and total annual natural gas consumption of 200,000 m3, or a combined annual energy consumption of 16,500 GJ2;
- Businesses registered in the Output-Based Pricing System in the federal Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act are not eligible;
- Participants in the program may not opt into the Output-Based Pricing System for the duration of the their participation in this offering.
How to apply
To apply for the Energy Manager Program for SMEs, complete and submit the Application to EnergyManagers@ieso.ca. For more information on the program, go to: