New Brunswick policy doomed to fail: group


CSA Z462 Arc Flash Training – Electrical Safety Compliance Course

Our customized live online or in‑person group training can be delivered to your staff at your location.

  • Live Online
  • 6 hours Instructor-led
  • Group Training Available
Regular Price:
$249
Coupon Price:
$199
Reserve Your Seat Today

New Brunswick community energy policy reserves 75 MW for local renewables, offers a 10 cents/kWh feed-in tariff, CPI indexing after five years, and supports wind, solar, small hydro, biomass, tidal projects via RFPs and workshops.

 

Breaking Down the Details

A policy reserving 75 MW and a 10 cents/kWh feed-in tariff to grow community renewable energy across New Brunswick.

  • 75 MW reserved for community renewable projects
  • 10 cents/kWh fixed for 5 years; then indexed to CPI
  • Eligible: wind, solar, small hydro, biomass, tidal
  • RFPs by end of May; 11 workshops in March
  • Critics say tariff is below levelized cost; seek support

 

The province's new Community Energy Policy is a recipe for failure because the government isn't providing enough funding for new projects to get off the ground, says the Conservation Council of New Brunswick.

 

Under the initiative, unveiled in Beresford, 75 megawatts of power from the province's energy portfolio — enough to power up to 15,000 homes — will be reserved for renewable community energy projects, such as wind farms, small wind projects and small hydro dams.

Selected projects will receive 10 cents/ kWh hour for the renewable energy they produce.

But the environmental group contends that's not enough to start new projects, underscoring a fork in the road to renewables for the province.

"They've set their feed-in tariff — the price they'll pay for electricity — below the cost of producing that electricity," said spokesman David Coon.

"So it's not going to drive the development of any community-based renewable energy," he said.

The feed-in tariff, similar to Ontario's clean power push in concept, will be frozen for the first five years and then escalate with the Consumer Price Index, the province has said.

The community energy policy also drew criticism from Yves Gagnon, one of the people hired to advise the government on community energy during the past three years of consultations.

He said some of his recommendations were adopted, but other crucial elements were left out, such as providing financial and technical support to communities that want to develop a community energy program.

The province plans to hold 11 workshops across the province to educate interested communities about the policy between March 8 and 24.

A request for proposals is scheduled to go out by the end of May. Projects may be based on biomass resources, wind, solar, small hydro or tidal power, as demonstrated by PEI farms in recent years.

Premier Shawn Graham has said the policy will will help build the energy hub, meet climate change action plan objectives and build expertise in renewable energy in New Brunswick within communities across the province.

 

Related News

Related News

Altmaier's new electricity forecast: the main driver is e-mobility

Germany 2030 Electricity Demand Forecast projects 658 TWh, driven by e-mobility, heat pumps, and green…
View more

Hydro-Quebec shocks cottage owner with $5,300 in retroactive charges

Hydro-Quebec back-billing arises from analogue meter errors and estimated consumption, leading to arrears for electricity…
View more

Smart grid and system improvements help avoid more than 500,000 outages over the summer

ComEd Smart Grid Reliability drives outage reduction across Illinois, leveraging smart switches, grid modernization, and…
View more

New Texas will bill electric vehicle drivers an extra $200 a year

Texas EV Registration Fee adds a $200 annual charge under Senate Bill 505, offsetting lost…
View more

Ottawa won't oppose halt to Site C work pending treaty rights challenge

Site C Dam Injunction signals Ottawa's neutrality while B.C. reviews a hydroelectric dam project on…
View more

Why Canada should invest in "macrogrids" for greener, more reliable electricity

Canadian electricity transmission enables grid resilience, long-distance power trade, and decarbonization by integrating renewables, hydroelectric…
View more

Sign Up for Electricity Forum’s Newsletter

Stay informed with our FREE Newsletter — get the latest news, breakthrough technologies, and expert insights, delivered straight to your inbox.

Electricity Today T&D Magazine Subscribe for FREE

Stay informed with the latest T&D policies and technologies.
  • Timely insights from industry experts
  • Practical solutions T&D engineers
  • Free access to every issue

Download the 2026 Electrical Training Catalog

Explore 50+ live, expert-led electrical training courses –

  • Interactive
  • Flexible
  • CEU-cerified