Manitoba offers thousands to homeowners who use geothermal energy
19.08.2008 19:00
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- Source: cbc.ca
The Manitoba government unveiled new incentives Monday to encourage residents and business owners to switch to geothermal technology for heating and cooling. Under the new program, new home builders can receive $3,000 to install a geothermal heating system: $2,000 in a refundable Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit and $1,000 in grants. Existing homeowners can receive a $2,100 grant from the province to retrofit their homes. Commercial building owners are eligible to receive up to 10 per cent of the value of their installed systems, while building owners who install district geothermal service systems are eligible to up to $150,000. "As a Canadian leader in geothermal installations, Manitoba is well-positioned to launch a provincewide market-assisted approach," Science, Technology and Energy Minister Jim Rondeau said in a release. "These incentives will help reduce upfront costs with this technology while complementing existing financial support available from the federal government and/or Manitoba Hydro." As an example, Rondeau noted that a homeowner who installs a $22,000 high-efficiency geothermal system into their existing home and receives $5,600 in incentives and a 4.9 per cent loan from Manitoba Hydro could see the investment returned in just seven years. Rondeau, who had a $24,000 geothermal heat pump installed in his own home, hoped the incentives will encourage more Manitobans to make the switch, which would in turn help the province meet its Kyoto targets. Maintenance of geothermal installations will be up to the industry, officials said, noting that the Manitoba Geothermal Energy Alliance maintains standards for the industry. In March, the province announced it would spend more than $300,000 over the next three years to help train installers and to inspect and monitor completed projects. Geothermal systems use underground pipes to moderate the existing heating and cooling systems in buildings. While they can be pricey to install compared with natural gas or electric furnaces, they produce virtually no greenhouse gases and can cut annual heating costs by 50 to 70 per cent. Manitoba leads the country in geothermal installations: more than 5,000 geothermal heat pumps are at work in the province, with nearly 1,000 installed in the past year. RelatedInternal LinksIN DEPTH: The emerging green economyGeothermal industry boosted by provincial initiative, new projectsGeothermal dealt 'black eye' by Waverley West decisionConsumer HeadlinesHome Depot profit slips on weak housing market The Home Depot Inc., the largest home improvement retailer in the United States, reported a 24 per cent drop in second-quarter profit but beat Wall Street expectations.London, Ont., to ban bottled water on city premises despite beverage industry protestsCity councillors in London, Ont., have voted to ban the sale of bottled water on city premises despite protests from the beverage industry. Mexican peppers posed problem long before salmonella outbreakFederal inspectors at U.S. border crossings repeatedly turned back filthy, disease-ridden shipments of peppers from Mexico in the months before a salmonella outbreak that made 1,400 people ill was finally traced to Mexican chilies.Nike changes its ads after Chinese hurdler pulls out of raceNike quickly changed its advertising campaign around Chinese athlete Liu Xiang after he pulled out of the 110-metre hurdles in Beijing on Monday and disappointed millions of fans expecting him to defend his Olympic title on home territory.Car buyers more satisfied with Asian, European vehicles than U.S. ones: surveyA recent survey shows American cars are losing ground to Asian and European rivals when it comes to customer satisfaction. Consumer Life FeaturesIN DEPTHEnvironmentHealth Canada to evaluate pigments, solventsECONOMYGlobal consumerismHow the world spends its moneySAFETYRecalls and AdvisoriesYOUR VOICEFound your calling?Tell us why your job is a dream job!BLOGFood BytesIn praise of old kitchen gadgetsBLOGComm-OdditiesBillionaire breaks real-estate record with $793M bidPeople who read this also read …
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