Calgary,
03
May
2023
|
09:30
America/Denver

Apply in July: Clean Energy Improvement Program will reopen for two more rounds of applications in 2023

Calgary homeowners showed their enthusiasm for the Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) at the January 2023 launch, which drew a volume of applications far exceeding all other CEIP programs in Alberta. The City temporarily closed the intake of new pre-qualification applications and now plans to reopen with staggered application rounds.

“We know many homeowners are waiting for CEIP to reopen. To give CEIP participants the best possible experience, we have decided to stagger our application intake by offering several smaller application rounds,” says CEIP program manager, Carlee Beaver. “This provides greater certainty to CEIP-qualified contractors on when they can expect increased demand for their services; and homeowners can apply in the round that best suits their renovation plan.”

Two more application rounds will be offered this year: the first round will open at 9 a.m. July 26; another round will be offered in November with the exact date announced approximately 30 days in advance. Each round will close once 150 pre-qualification applications have been received.

“We expect to receive 150 applications within 48 hours of reopening,” says Carlee Beaver. “We encourage applicants to prepare for their application in advance, and apply the morning that their desired round opens.” 

Interested applicants are encouraged to visit calgary.ca/ceip to sign up for email updates and learn how to prepare for their application.

Intake Round

Opening Date

Pre-qualification Applications

1

January 31, 2023*

240

2

July 26, 2023

150

3

November 2023

150

4

Winter/Spring 2024**

150

5

Spring/Summer 2024**

150

Total

 

840

* Complete
** Dependent on availability of funds after actual financing dollars are committed through the first three rounds.

CEIP offers financing that covers up to 100 per cent of project costs associated with energy efficiency or renewable energy home improvements, up to a maximum of $50,000 per property. Repayment is collected through the property tax bill. The City is offering competitive interest rates, long repayment terms (up to 20 years) and the option to repay in full at any time, penalty-free.

240 pre-qualifications were received in the first intake round, and an estimated $370,000 of financing has been committed to participants so far. Currently under construction are 9 solar PV projects, 11 HVAC and water heating improvements, 8 window, door, or insulation improvements, and the program’s first air source heat pump. The average financing requested per home through the program is just over $21,500.

CEIP helps residential property owners act sooner to expand Calgary’s effort on climate action toward net-zero emissions by 2050.

“In an energy retrofit it’s much more efficient if you can do it all at once, but sometimes that’s limited by budget,” says CEIP participant and homeowner, Steve Norris. “CEIP has allowed me to have my solar install go on at the same time as the electrification of the home.”

Programs like CEIP also support our local economy. Local contractors, who include energy efficiency and renewable energy in their services, are encouraged to apply to be listed as eligible to provide services for CEIP projects.

“The CEIP program [and others] are all super important for our business, they just fundamentally open up the market and access to individuals and homeowners that previously thought that solar panels and projects were unattainable,” says Greg Sauer of SkyFire Energy Inc. ”The industry has been looking forward to this program for a long time and to see it come to fruition is really quite monumental.”

 

Quick Facts:

  • CEIP is offered by The City of Calgary in partnership with Alberta Municipalities.
  • CEIP does not apply retroactively; an application needs to be submitted and approved before any work begins on a project.
  • CEIP can be stacked with other financing and rebate programs, such as Canada Greener Homes.
  • The City is launching CEIP first to residential properties and expansion of the program to a commercial offering is expected in the next few years.
  • Up to $15 million in financing is available for Calgary homeowners in this initial launch of CEIP.
  • Alberta Municipalities has successfully launched CEIP in a total of nine municipalities: Calgary, Edmonton, Canmore, Lethbridge, Athabasca, Devon, Leduc, Rocky Mountain House and St. Albert.
  • This project is being carried out with assistance from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund, an endowment created by the Government of Canada. The City of Calgary received $15M to support the implementation of CEIP for residential properties.