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Hydro-Québec is preparing to launch an energy efficiency subsidy program for the residential sector. LogisVert will officially start a little later this summer, but the state-owned company has already announced the main lines. With this program, all its grants will be grouped under the same umbrella.
Homes will be eligible for all proposed measures. Condos, multiplexes and apartment towers will be able to benefit from a slightly narrower range of subsidies. The work must be carried out by professionals. Projects completed after 1er January 2023 will be admissible.
Roof insulation and caulking work: assistance of $1,500
The work must consist of the insulation of the entire surface of the roof. Caulking, for its part, can target windows, doors, fans, fireplaces, etc.
Induction cooker: assistance of $250
New appliances with at least four induction elements and a forced convection oven are eligible.
Heat pump dryer: assistance of $250
These dryer models operate at half the temperature of traditional models. They recover the hot air before expelling it outside the house.
Efficient heat pump: assistance of $50 per 1,000 BTU/h increment
The unit must be on the list of eligible heat pumps. The LogisVert program takes over from a program that already existed. For a typical house, we are talking about a subsidy of approximately $1,500. In winter, heat pumps are three times more efficient than electric baseboard heaters because they manage to capture the little heat present in the outside air. In summer, they can be used as an air conditioner.
Solar thermal collectors for the swimming pool: assistance of $300
The pump connected to this system must be a low-energy model.
Geothermal heat pump: assistance of $750 per 1,000 BTU/h portion
This grant is equivalent to approximately $25,000 for the installation of a geothermal system (well and heat pump) capable of heating an average Quebec home.
Heat accumulator: assistance of $15,000
These devices, installed in the basement, make it possible to accumulate heat in a thermal mass and to restore it at the appropriate time. Their main purpose is to reduce the need for electrical power during peak periods, when the Hydro-Québec network is very busy.
For the moment, Hydro-Québec has not quantified the energy savings or the power reduction that it intends to achieve across the province thanks to the LogisVert program, said spokesperson Cendrix Bouchard. Nor does it have any forecast as to the sums it will have to inject to meet the citizens’ demand. These details should be clarified by the official launch of the program, towards the end of the summer.
Energy efficiency is at the heart of Hydro-Québec’s strategy to meet demand and decarbonize the economy by 2050. In April, the Crown corporation announced its intention to raise its energy targets. efficiency, given that those set for 2020 to 2022 had been exceeded. In the long term, it estimates the full potential for energy efficiency at 25 terawatt hours per year.