New Brunswick Power - Shediac Smart Energy Community Project

Lead Proponent

New Brunswick Power

Project Background

In 2018, New Brunswick Power launched a major research project with partners Siemens, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), and the Town of Shediac to understand how customers can use technology to save energy and bring more renewable energy to the electricity grid. The idea for the project originated with community leaders in Shediac, and the Shediac Community Energy Community Project had three parts:

• The Residential Energy Study included more than 500 Shediac homeowners, the majority of whom received and tested various types of energy technologies including smart meters, solar and battery storage, cold climate heat pumps, smart thermostats, and smart water heaters, and also tested time-of-day rates. Approximately 100 households participated in the study without smart energy technology as a baseline.
• The project converted two commercial buildings to net zero, adding solar panels, battery storage and energy efficiency upgrades to the Shediac Multipurpose Building and the Government of Canada Pension Centre. The buildings tested technology developed by Siemens to send solar energy to the grid at peak times, while shifting heating and cooling to reduce energy use without affecting comfort.
• The project built a Community Solar Farm, NB Power’s first grid-connected 1.63 MW solar farm, providing clean energy to the retrofitted buildings and the Town of Shediac.

The project is also part of Smart Grid Atlantic, a four-year, federally funded initiative supporting energy technology projects in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Results

Between 2018 and 2024, customers took part in an innovative research project using smart technology to learn how to save energy at home and bring more renewable energy to the electricity grid. Energy use data was collected until March 2024, with customers providing additional feedback through regular surveys and in-person workshops. The research is now complete, and key findings are outlined below:

Customer behaviour and technology:

• Set it and forget it: The best and easiest way for New Brunswickers to save money and energy at home is by installing cold climate, high-efficiency heat pumps (rated to -25 C) set at consistent temperatures all day.
• Knowledge saves energy and money: When New Brunswickers know how to save using technology and time-of-day rates, they change their habits to reduce their bill and their energy use.
• Solar and battery can provide multiple benefits: In compatible homes, solar panels and battery storage can provide bill savings and reliable, essential backup power during outages.

Impacts for the grid:

• Simple solutions have the biggest impact on peak demand: Cold climate, high-efficiency heat pumps (rated to -25 C) are an easy low-cost option to reduce demand on the grid during daily peaks (morning and evening).
• Large energy users can help reduce peak demand with complex technology: Commercial customers can successfully save energy, contribute renewable energy to the grid and reduce peak demand using energy management technology in collaboration with the utility.
• Customer insights and project data supports evidence-based decisions: The project tested energy technology, rates and customer perceptions, producing a wealth of data to help NB Power make evidence-based decisions to meet climate and affordability goals, and secure our energy supply for generations.

At the end of the study, customers gave high satisfaction marks to NB Power for project communications, customer service and technology support. Customers said they would be willing to adopt new technology and behaviors to save energy and money, with cost, incentives and energy education factoring in their decision-making.

Benefits to Canada

The Shediac Community Energy Project is the largest and most detailed energy research project of its kind in Atlantic Canada. It demonstrates how NB Power is working with partners and customers to ensure New Brunswick’s electricity grid will be cleaner, more cost-effective and secure for generations to come.

The Shediac Multipurpose Building and the Pension Centre have both received their net-zero performance certification by the Canadian Green Building Council.

This project shows how NB Power is making careful investments with customers and technology to advance on a path to net zero energy supply. The project is already providing important benefits to customers and the utility.

NB Power will apply learnings from this project to improve its operations, investments and programs to be sustainable now and into the future.

The results will also be shared with other energy utilities and stakeholders in the energy sector to develop best practices and support the world’s path to net zero energy.

Next Steps

The insights from this research will enable NB Power to offer better tools and programs, helping customers understand their consumption and make informed choices to save energy and lower their bills.

• Time-of-day rates will be introduced after Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is fully rolled out. Insights from the research will inform the design to make sure it works well for New Brunswickers.
• NB Power has gained a better understanding of how heat pumps operate in New Brunswick’s climate, including how people use them in their homes. This knowledge will help NB Power improve its efficiency programs and support heating contractors and customers in choosing heat pumps that perform well and maximize savings, especially on the coldest days of the year.
• NB Power will use data from the project to shape demand response programs, with a focus on large commercial customers with high electricity demand.
• This research gives NB Power deeper insight into how people think about energy and what motivates them to take action. These learnings will help NB Power create better tools and programs that make it easier for people to reduce their energy use and lower their bills through simple, everyday changes.