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Archived Program Updates (For Alliance)

Important information about BC Hydro program updates (2018)

In general, projects already in the BC Hydro operational queue that meet program criteria are still eligible. If you don't have a project in the queue, you will have the opportunity to apply again starting in January 2017.

Also starting in fiscal 2018, annual customer incentive caps will apply to all new Project Implementation Funding and Business Energy Saving Incentives projects.  

  • Energy Study funding: Applications will continue to be accepted for Key Account customers with BC Hydro-funded Energy Managers through this fiscal year, ending March 31, 2017. Keep in mind that funding may become fully subscribed.
    Beginning April 2017, Energy Study funding will be available to Key Account customers with a BC Hydro-funded Energy Manager involved with strategic energy management.
  • Project Implementation Funding & Business Energy Saving Incentives, Key Account customers: For Key Account customers, projects in BC Hydro’s operational queue will continue and must still meet program eligibility criteria to receive an incentive. If you have a project that hasn't yet been submitted, you will have the opportunity to apply again starting in January 2017 for project completion in fiscal 2018.
    Starting in fiscal 2018, Project Implementation Funding, Business Energy Saving Incentives, and Energy Study offers will be available to those Key Account customers with BC Hydro-funded Energy Managers. Also starting in fiscal 2018, annual customer incentive caps will apply to all new Project Implementation Funding and Business Energy Saving Incentives projects, for all customers.
    Starting in January 2017, Key Account customers without Energy Managers will be able to access Business Energy Saving Incentives for projects completing in fiscal 2018.
  • Business Energy Saving Incentives, customers without a Key Account Manager: Customers without a Key Account Manager can still access incentives through this fiscal year, ending March 31, 2017 while funding is available.
  • LED Street Lighting: We've hit the budget target for fiscal 2017 for this popular program. Municipalities who aren’t Key Account customers will still have access to some funding for this fiscal year.
    The LED street lighting market has advanced significantly. Given these advancements and the successful efforts of the LED Street Lights Across BC consortium, the market has evolved considerably and no further incentive funding will be made available.

Please contact us if you're looking for further clarification on these important program changes. You can reach us at alliance@bchydro.com, 604 522 4713 (Lower Mainland) or 1 866 522 4713.

See our programs main page for important details about Energy Study Funding, Project Implementation Funding, Business Energy Saving Incentives and LED Street Lighting incentives.

General service lighting legislation - impacts to lighting incentives:

The passing of the General Service Lighting (GSL) legislation at the end of December 2014 impacts BC Hydro incentive levels for retrofits of existing screw-in incandescent 60W and 40W A lamps, in that the accepted wattages for each lamp will be reduced. 60W incandescent lamps will use a baseline consumption of 48W and 40W lamps will use a baseline consumption of 28W.

The commercial product incentives program has automatically updated these wattages within the application system.

For other programs, including the energy-saving leaders' custom incentives and industrial incentives, Alliance members are reminded to use the new lighting calculator [MS Excel, 793 KB] for projects. The calculator incorporates the new lower baselines within the spreadsheet.

Commercial product incentives updates, October 31, 2014

Effective October 31, 2014 at 5 p.m., the transition period for small and medium business customers will end. All commercial incentives applications (formerly Power Smart Express) require pre-approval from BC Hydro prior to the purchase and installation of products.

Incentives will only be confirmed once a project application has been submitted (Step 4).

Incentives for LED technologies, as of July 16, 2014

To better align with current market pricing, LED technology incentives will no longer be calculated at a flat rate. This applies to energy-saving leaders custom, commercial product incentives, and industrial lighting and compressed air projects submitted on or after July 16, 2014.

Commercial product incentives, effective June 2, 2014

Incentives are now open to all BC Hydro commercial business customers. Confirm your eligibility by entering your account number into the business program eligibility tool.

Program participants can continue to access their account to view their previous projects until March 31, 2015. Login to the product incentives tool.