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Park Power’s 6th Birthday!

· · Leave a Comment Community Building, Consumer Info, Interesting, Solar Power

November 1, 2019 marked 6 years since Park Power launched onto the Alberta utilities markets and I wanted to share some thoughts about how we have been able to compete and grow steadily over that time.

Our size matters. The fact that Park Power is smaller than the large, integrated incumbents gives us some competitive advantages. When you need us, you’ll be dealing with our wonderful and friendly Alberta based Customer Care Team over the phone or conveniently via email. We do not have the high overhead costs that the traditional utilities do and as such we are able to offer low rates, with awesome service, while still sharing profits with charities.

We care about our community. From the start, I believed in Park Power’s ability to be a positive presence in the community. Profit sharing was built into the business model from the beginning. Plus, we have chosen to support a variety of other community initiatives and events through sponsorship because we believe in community building and I want Park Power to be a brand know for that.

My experience with and affinity for solar power is benefiting Albertans with solar pv systems. Before Park Power, I spent some years in the solar industry and still consider myself a solar advocate. With Park Power, I have always tried to provide some extra value for our Micro-Generator customers but the past few years of offering our Solar Club Loyalty program has proved to be of great value for Albertans with solar pv systems. I hope that Park Power’s reputation as a positive and solar friendly energy provider will continue to grow.

Consumer education matters. There are many Albertans who do not understand the choices they have for their electricity and natural gas service. I have had many conversations educating consumers about the structure of the Alberta utilities markets and the energy options available to them. We often talk about how switching providers will not affect the delivery of power and gas to their homes or businesses. These efforts are bolstered by the Utilities Consumer Advocate who is trying their best to educate more consumers in Alberta and I am glad for the work they do. We just want consumers to understand there are many retail options available and Park Power offers an awesome choice.

It is amazing how fast these 6 years in business have gone by. I have learned many lessons along the way but have still enjoyed the process to get me here. I am so thankful to all of the customers who have chosen Park Power over the years for their electricity and natural gas supply. Your support means that we can continue to compete against the big utilities while still giving back to our community in meaningful ways.

Alberta Electricity Consumers Paid over 17% too Much for Electricity

· · Leave a Comment Consumer Info, Electricity, Interesting

What would you rather pay for electricity? 6.8 ¢/kWh or 5.79 ¢/kWh?  

Seems like a simple question, but about half of Albertans paid over 17% too much for their electricity during July. If you are on the government’s Regulated Rate Option (RRO) and paid 6.8 ¢/kWh, that includes you!

The concept of buying electricity on a Variable Rate is something that many of Alberta’s large businesses discovered 20 years ago when the utilities market deregulated. The first customers in the province to jump off the Regulated Rate were the major players in the Oil & Gas and Industrial sectors.

Yes, with at Variable Rate, there are price spikes once in a while, but there are also low valleys when generation prices fall.  Averaged out over time, the Variable Rate indexed to the actual cost of electricity supplied by generators to the grid has proven to be a smart move in saving money.   

At Park Power, all we have done is copied the same methodology that the biggest industrial companies in Alberta’s have been following for years and made the Floating Rate available to residential and small business owners. In July the differential was 17% more money in consumers’ pockets. 

A lot has been happening in Alberta’s electricity market recently, so it’s not uncommon for the everyday consumer to feel a little confused about it all. First, it is important to understand that since Alberta’s electricity market deregulated in 2000, consumers now have upwards of 30 competitive retailers vying for their business. Each company has a different set of goals, values, programs, services, and most importantly, rates. Albertans have a choice when it comes to energy providers. That choice only affects the price they pay to use the product, it does not affect the delivery of power and gas to your home or business nor does it affect the price of delivering those products.  If you want to be an informed consumer and save some money, just like the large industrials have been doing over the last couple of decades, then consider a simple switch in energy providers.

As mentioned above, there are also government regulated utility providers in the market, offering what is called the Regulated Rate Option (RRO) to consumers. About half of Albertans are still signed up on the RRO. Currently, the RRO is being subsidized by the government through the price cap that was installed by the Alberta NDP.  This price cap was said to be a form of protection for Alberta electricity consumers. It may have been that, but it also came with an actual cost to the government and a more figurative cost to the marketplace.    

The previous government actively promoted the regulated utilities and created this subsidy program which they called the RRO Cap. This artificially sets the RRO at 6.8 cents per kWh. 

How does the subsidy work? Since it has been referred to as a “cap”, many assume that generators of electricity are being forced to lower their prices, reducing the cost of electricity overall. This is not how it works.

What is actually happening, is that generators and regulated providers are still charging full price for the electricity they sell as the RRO. The difference between the actual rate and the 6.8 ¢/kWh charged to customers is paid back to the regulated utility through a subsidy. This is the actual cost to the government.

The more figurative cost to the marketplace is the unfair advantage that the price cap gives to the government regulated utilities. It’s like the government choosing favourites in what is supposed to be a competitive marketplace.

How is the subsidy for government regulated utilities funded? Under the NDP’s Bill 16, initially this was paid out of the Carbon Levy. Today, since the provincial Carbon Levy has been cancelled, the subsidy is funded through your taxes. Over the life of Bill 16 it will cost taxpayers upwards of $500 million dollars. A few cents per kWh adds up, and in July this year alone the subsidy took $20 million out of taxes and gifted it to the regulated utilities.   

Understanding the Regulated Rate Option (RRO)

In August, Direct Energy is charging 8.683 ¢/kWh, ENMAX is charging 8.805 ¢/kWh, and EPCOR is charging 10.191 ¢/kWh. You can view the RRO rates for 2019 for each regulated provider here.

We compared the prices for EPCOR (Regulated Rate Provider) and Park Power (Competitive Market Provider) during July and August 2019 to give a good idea of the price differential.

 JulyPrice/kWhAugustPrice/kWh
Park Power)  
Actual retail price charged:5.79 cents5.9 cents*
Gov’t Subsidy Paid to Park Power :$0$0
   
EPCOR Energy RRO  
Actual posted RRO price:9.5 cents10.2 cents
Gov’t capped retail price set at:6.8 cents6.8 cents
Gov’t subsidy paid to EPCOR:2.7 cents3.4 cents
 
* 30-day current moving cost and retail price of electricity (as of Aug 15, 2019)

How can Park Power’s price be so much lower? We work in collaboration with the UtilityNet Group, an Alberta based Calgary company, founded in 1978. The focus of UtilityNet during the first 30 years was providing energy management services to the Oil & Gas sector. During the last decade it introduced a retailing option to residential consumers and today the network has customers in over 400 communities all over Alberta.

Park Power, together with 20 other Energy Marketers, is part of a dynamic, innovative, collaborative group, whereby all overhead is minimized and shared. We do not have highly paid executives and we didn’t ship jobs out of the country.  Our efficient, automated data processing and billing centre as well as our friendly Customer Care centre are based right here in Alberta.

If you are on the government Regulated Rate the smart move is to switch over. Not only will you be saving yourself and other taxpayers money, you will be supporting a 100% local Alberta energy company!

The bottom line is easy to understand. Why pay 6.8 ¢/kWh when you could have paid 5.79¢/kWh?  

Make the switch today.

The Alberta Home That Can (Almost) Be Heated With A Hair Dryer

· · Leave a Comment Consumer Info, Electricity, Interesting, Solar Power


By: Deanna McArthur

At first glance, Chelsah Thomas seems like your everyday Albertan. The 34-year-old new mother lives in Red Deer with her husband Jesse, who has a background in construction. 

Together, they built the home of their dreams, set against the river valley and surrounded by a thick patch of deciduous trees. 

It only takes about five minutes with Chelsah before you get a feel for the passion, and depth of knowledge she has about energy efficiency and passive home construction. 

Chelsah has a masters in Environmental Management with a focus on solar energy from Western State Colorado University. Today, together with her husband, she runs Sol Invictus Energy Services Ltd. (SIES), a socially responsible energy solution company.

That dream home she and her husband built together (The Thomas House) was Central Alberta’s first contemporary Passive, Net Zero (NZE) home.

Passive homes follow a German design standard that utilizes design materials and orientation in order to reduce a buildings ecological footprint. These ultra low energy buildings require little energy for space heating or cooling.  

The Thomas House was what led Chelsah to build SIES into the company that it is today. 

“The initial vision was to build a solar company with a social aspect to it,” said Chelsah. “But when we started thinking about building a Net Zero/Passive house, we couldn’t find any local consultants to help us with the process.”

Chelsah took matters into her own hands and completed a passive house design course. She is now a certified Energy Adviser through Natural Resources Canada. Together with the help of another consultant with passive house design experience, Bow Crow Design, they designed and built their home themselves. 

“Working on our own home made me realize how much I enjoyed working with residential energy and high-performance homes,” said Chelsah. “So, I decided to transfer the foundation of my company from solar to residential energy efficiency.”

The “Damn Near Passive” House

It took three years from concept to completion. The finishing touches on the Thomas House were completed in May of 2018 and Chelsah says they hope it can be used as an example for others looking to go the same route.

“We are hoping to use our house as a demo site for Albertans to see that a high-performance home is logistically and economically feasible in Central Alberta.”

Built into a hill, and with a walkout basement, the home is surrounded by deciduous trees, which allows for passive solar energy gain to be maximized during the winter, and be shaded from the sun during the summer. 

Some of the features of the home include:

  • Two separate solar systems, a 12-kWh grid tied solar photovoltaic system and a 6 kWh off-grid battery backup solar PV system.
  • High performance heat recovery ventilator that meets Passive House standards. This brings in pre-warmed fresh air with a high MERV filter to filter out pollen, dust, smoke, exhaust allergens, and more, which increases the indoor air quality.
  • High efficiency heat pump hot water tank which is 350% efficient and uses indoor air to heat the water. With WIFI connection and a built in application, it can be controlled wirelessly and it is easy to monitor its energy consumption.
  • Powerpipe drain water heat recovery system installed to recover 53% of heat energy from shower and appliance wastewater, transferring the energy back into the hot water tank, reducing energy requirements and saving on energy costs. 
  • LED lights.
  • High efficiency “smart” appliances that can be managed remotely through apps. Appliances can be set to turn on during high solar times, rather than using grid electricity.
  • Smappee Energy Monitoring system which shows in real time, the homes consumption and generation, including utility costs associated with consumption.
  • High efficiency windows that meet Passive House standards 
  • Recycled rubber roofing.
  • High efficiency toilets offering 20% water savings.
  • Passive house cat door with a magnetic airtight and weatherproof seal. 

Now that construction has been completed and winter has passed, Chelsah says they are now focusing on completing some exterior work. The landscaping will include a holistic permaculture approach to sustainability where they can maximize ecosystem services provided by the landscape.

“We are planning to utilize xeriscaping, which is a landscaping philosophy that uses as many native, drought-resistant plants as possible to help limit our water use. We also have plans to utilize vermiculture, grow fruits and veggies on site, and a little further in the future, raise chickens.”

Although it doesn’t quite make the cut to be fully certified as a passive house, Chelsah is proud of their “damn near passive home” which has a total energy load that is about 64% less than a conventional home and a heating load 77% less. The house is so energy efficient, you could almost heat it with a blow dryer. 

Plus, with the added solar systems, Chelsah expects that their home will actually be net positive, meaning it is so efficient it produces more energy than it consumes.

Chelsah has joined the Solar Club, like the one offered by Park Power. This electricity rate plan and loyalty program helps her maximize the benefits she receives from her solar system.

“It is important to find a way to maximize the benefits of solar energy financially, both for ourselves and our clients, so that the cost of building a net zero home is offset by lower energy costs,” she said. 

“We were looking to make more money on energy exported to the grid, and we found Spot Power’s 18.75 cent/kWh rate. Utilizing this rate in the summer and then switching to the lower rate at the end of October just makes financial sense. I have estimated that the Solar Club could save the clients of one of our projects hundreds of dollars a year.”

The Thomas House vs the Alberta Winter

How does a home like this hold up against the harsh Alberta winters? This years bitingly cold February was a perfect opportunity to test the performance of the design. 

“I have to be honest, the motherly instinct in me was a little apprehensive when the cold winter weather started rolling in,” said Chelsah. “The home has no furnace, and I had a new baby. Were we going to be able to stay warm?” 

“It can be scary in Alberta to not be on the grid as far as natural gas, because that does feel like a constant secure access to energy,” she added. “But we made it! We were comfortable and we were warm.”

Normal winter conditions in Central Alberta have an average temperature that ranges between -2⁰ to -16⁰ Celsius. During these regular days, the home maintained a very comfortable living temperature with little effort. 

The high levels of insulation, with limited heat loss through air leakage, and passive solar heat gains, all contributed to the minimal temperature fluctuations in the home. Although, additional heat in the form of a small radiant electric heater was required in order to “top up” the heat, especially at night, while some days they used a wood stove for heat. 

Benefits of Passive House Design

The benefits of a green home go far beyond just energy savings, according to Chelsah. These types of homes also:

  • Have cleaner indoor air quality because of their use of heat recovery ventilators. These filter air as it comes into the house, which removes allergens, toxins and pollution.

  • Use low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) paint and adhesives. VOCs are found in many building materials. These chemicals let off gasses that are harmful to people and the environment and can contribute to health problems.

  • Are more comfortable. Since they are well insulated and practically airtight, they maintain indoor air temperature more regularly and you don’t feel the drafts you would in a typical home.

  • Have higher resale value. Net Zero homes receive a 4-10% premium when they are resold. Buyers recognize that these homes have higher construction quality, and come with other added benefits such as continuous energy production.

  • Are more resilient. The environment in the home is regulated so well you don’t feel the effects of day to day weather fluctuations as much as you would in other homes. 

“Even our solar panels are resilient,” said Chelsah. “We have had some major hail storms, and our solar system remains damage free, while our family wrote off four vehicles.”

Engaging More Homeowners in Alberta

According to Chelsah, passive home design is not well known in Alberta. 

“Most people assume that how homes are constructed in Alberta is the best way it can be done,” she said. “But that is not necessarily the case. Most are building to a minimum code standard, which is not doing anyone any favours in relation to efficiency.” 

With any new technology, it takes time to catch on with consumers. 

Chelsah hopes that SIES will not only be able to help spread the word and guide Albertans through the journey of building a high-performance home, but will also develop a network of like-minded professionals in Alberta to create a hub for high-performance home design and solar professionals in Alberta. 

“Building a community of professionals will allow us to share information and best practices with each other, benefiting the industry and consumers overall. It is also essential that the professional community is educating people on energy consumption and increase the overall energy literacy of Alberta.”

To learn more about Sol Invictus Energy Services Ltd. and eco-homes visit solinvictusenergyservices.com. 

Oil, gas, wind, and solar together are the next generation Alberta energy equation, says solar installer

· · Leave a Comment Consumer Info, Electricity, Solar Power

By: Deanna McArthur

The fate of solar rebate programs in Alberta are still undecided as the new UCP government continues to review and assess programs funded by the now defunct carbon tax. 

A local solar installer says there’s no reason why the solar industry shouldn’t continue to grow and receive support. 

“If you look at what the new government identified as their key priorities – economy and jobs – the good news is that solar is a great contributor to each one,” said Geoff Domenico, President of KCP Energy. 

Based on discussions with his fellow Alberta installers and those knowledgeable in the industry, Domenico estimates that there are close to $150 million worth of solar projects that are currently on hold. This is because the government is currently in the process of deciding if it wants to continue funding programs that were previously offered under the banner of Energy Efficiency Alberta (EEA). 

“In our case, we have signed contracts or at minimum, letters of intent, for 100% of our projects that are currently being held up,” said Domenico. “These are contracts between our company and farmers, homeowners, and businesses.” 

“Let’s not forget contracts that are in place throughout the solar supply chain which could include everyone from solar equipment distributors all the way to manufacturers. Allowing these projects to move forward ensures high value Alberta energy jobs for electricians, engineers, marketing, sales people, and many others are secured into the future.”

Room for Even More Growth

Recently, the US passed 2 million solar installations. The 2 million mark comes three years after installations hit 1 million, a figure it took the industry 40 years to reach. Wood Mackenzie, a world-renowned data collection consultant, is forecasting that installations will reach 3 million in 2021 and 4 million in 2023.

Alberta has seen huge growth in the solar sector over the last couple of years. According to the Alberta Electric Systems Operator microgeneration reports, the number of solar micro-generation sites in Alberta have grown from 1,870 in June 2017, to 3,689 in March 2019. 

Based on numbers provided by EEA, Domenico estimates that Alberta is installing about 1,200 systems per year. Although the province has seen impressive growth since 2017, it is not even close to matching the pace of our southern neighbour.

“Alberta would have to expand its growth by about six times to catch up with and be installing at the same pace as what is happening in the States,” said Domenico. “There should be no discussion on reducing or slowing down the solar installations in Alberta. We don’t have time to pause, we are behind and we have a lot of catching up to do.”

Alberta’s solar industry should be focusing on how to grow to meet this huge growth target, and on creating more jobs, while growing Alberta’s economy. We should not be worrying about the impact of paused programs, adds Domenico. 

“This is completely in line with the goals of the new government,” said Domenico. “The government is pro business and the solar industry is pro business. It all fits together.”

Finding Synergies in Alberta’s Energy Landscape

It’s not just the solar industry alone that Domenico believes will play an important roll in Alberta’s future; oil, gas, and wind all do their part.

“The new government has the opportunity to highlight and identify all of these great energy sources we have in this province,” he said. “We have oil and gas and we should be doing everything we can to make those energy sources as successful as possible. Additionally, we have great wind and solar resources, and we should be looking at every opportunity to grow these Alberta energy sources as well.”

On the tails of a new report by the Conference Board of Canada that says Alberta could fall back into a recession this year, focusing on how all energy sectors in Alberta can help the province will be more important than ever.

Domenico believes that the four different energy sources, working in tandem, are the next generation Alberta energy equation.

“Oil and solar are not mutually exclusive. We have to move forward by finding a way for all of these different energy technologies to work together,” he said. “Albertans are keen to be a part of all of Alberta’s different energy industries. We need everything firing on all cylinders, in every segment that we have been blessed with in this province. Why are we not doing that?”

Additional Money-Making Opportunities

One of the reasons the solar programs launched under Energy Efficiency Alberta rubbed some Albertans the wrong way is because many believed the government was just doling out free money to those that wanted to put solar on their home, says Domenico. 

“In actuality, for a good portion of the programs, the Government retained the rights to the future environmental attributes of the systems,” he said. “Instead of giving away money, the Government was actually buying and now owns these attributes.”

Environmental attributes are renewable energy credits, benefits, or emissions avoided by the installation or implementation of technology. In this case, the technology was PV solar. When micro-generators are generating electricity, this reduces the amount of electricity needed to be generated and shipped to the grid by conventional sources such as coal or natural gas. 

According to Domenico, based on the tonnes of emissions avoided through the solar program, environmental attributes now owned by the government are potentially worth millions of dollars in the Alberta carbon market.

Unfortunately, we do not believe the government currently has a system in place to certify or monetize these environmental attributes. This seems like an untapped money-making opportunity for the new government, says Domenico.

“It was pretty exciting when we realized the incentive was not in fact an incentive, but the government purchasing something real and tangible,” said Domenico. “If the government could find an effective way to bundle the small carbon offsets and sell them to high emitters there would be a real income potential there.”

Growing Solar Sector Helping Province Meet its Goals

As part of Alberta’s current Climate Leadership Plan, a goal of having 30% of Alberta’s electricity generation come from renewable energy by 2030 was set. In order to achieve this goal, the Alberta Electric Systems Operator (AESO) held a series of competitive procurements (REP) to encourage the development of new renewable electricity generation in Alberta.

Round 1 of REP was held in 2017 and resulted in four proposed renewable electricity projects, with an aggregate generating capacity of 595.6 MW. These projects will be built and come in service by December 2019.

Rounds 2 and 3 of REP were held in 2018 for projects that will be built and come in service by June 30, 2021. The last two rounds resulted in an aggregate generating capacity of 763 MW.

Taken together, the REP results mean that 1,358.6 MW of new renewable generation will be built in Alberta by June 30, 2021.

But it’s not just large renewable energy companies that are helping with the electricity transition in Alberta, its everyday Albertans as well.

According to Domenico, his clients typically install solar systems which will produce between 70% and 100% of their home’s annual electricity usage. According to Alberta’s micro-generation regulation, any electricity that is generated above and beyond the home’s needs can be sold back to the electricity grid. 

The increase in solar installations over the last few years means more green energy being produced overall, further helping to green Alberta’s electricity grid. 
Thanks to the introduction of innovative products and services by local companies, those solar installations are having an even larger impact. 

The Solar Club, a unique program created with Alberta PV Solar Micro-Generators in mind and offered by a number of local Energy Marketers in Alberta, hopes to encourage even more micro-generation investment in the province. 

The Solar Club offers members exclusive electricity retail rates, which are designed to help maximize the profit earned from the excess solar electricity being generated by micro-generators and shipped back into the grid. The Club is a private initiative promoted by Park Power and others – not funded by government taxes.

Club benefits include an annual “cash back” cheque as a customer loyalty benefit. Additionally, 30% of the electricity a Micro-Generator member buys from the grid to supplement what his own solar system falls short in producing is offset with Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) purchased from Green Alberta Energy; absolutely free. Added on top of this the Club member can also pre-pay their monthly utility in voice using Mastercard and earn points. Joining the club comes at a small cost, members are asked to make a donation to their local food bank.

“Membership has its benefits. This is an innovative program for PV Solar Micro-Generators,” said Nick Clark, Director of Green Alberta Energy. “Earn more, get cash back, help green the grid and lower your monthly utility invoice. Plus if you install solar you are helping employ local installers in Alberta.”

Solar Knowledge is Power

· · Leave a Comment Consumer Info, Electricity, Interesting, Solar Power

On Saturday April 6, 2019, join Park Power at the 2019 Solar Trade Show presented by the Solar Energy Society of Alberta. in Edmonton at NAIT.

Park Power is proud to be an Equinox Sponsor of this FREE Solar Trade Show and we will be 1 of 50 interactive booths exhibiting at the show. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from leading pros about renewable and energy efficient practices at the 14 workshops being held. As well there will be an Electric Vehicle Showcase, Food Trucks and Family Friendly Activities.

As it is provincial election campaign time, there will be an All Party Forum on Renewable Energy to kick off the event (10:30am-12pm). Hosted by Graham Thomson this should prove to be an enlightening event showcasing each party’s stance on renewable energy.

At Park Power we have always been “Solar Friendly” and at the 2019 Solar Trade Show we will be promoting our new Solar Club Loyalty Program. Come on down and talk to Kris about why switching to Park Power offers a tonnes of value for any grid tied Micro Gen consumer with solar pv on their roof.

Below is a schedule of the days events. See you there!