BC offers $25 million for public energy savings

June 17,
2010, Vancouver – Schools, universities, colleges, hospitals, and Crown
corporations in British Columbia will receive $25 million this year in energy
retrofit and other energy investments to cut carbon emissions. In 2008, $75 million over three
years was committed for this purpose under the 2007 Public Sector Energy
Conservation Agreement in partnership with BC Hydro. To date, achievements
include annual energy cost savings of nearly $7.4 million, greenhouse gas
reductions of more than 18,700 tonnes, and conservation of 38.6 GWh of
electricity.

This
year’s $25 investment will be spread across four categories:

• $12
  million for district energy systems,
• $6
  million for K–12 schools throughout the province for heating, ventilation, and
  air-conditioning retrofits,
• $2 million
  for solar thermal projects to fund solar hot water and air systems, also
  supporting the 100,000 solar roof initiative, and
• $5
  million for an open call for proposals to all provincial public sector
  organizations, similar to those in the first two years of the program.

For more
information about the Public Sector Energy Conservation Agreement, visit: www.env.gov.bc.ca/cas/mitigation/pseca.html.