What is Solar Heating Initiative for Today (SHIFT)?

SHIFT is a Saskatchewan Government program that provides an incentive in the form of a rebate to organizations in the commercial, industrial or institutional sectors which install a solar water or solar air heating system.

Who funds the SHIFT incentive?

SHIFT is funded by the Government of Saskatchewan and it is delivered by the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC), in cooperation with Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan's) ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program, which offers a similar federal government incentive. This collaboration provides a one-stop service to Saskatchewan commercial applicants who plan to install a solar water or solar air heating system at their business property.

When did the SHIFT start and when does it end?

SHIFT complements NRCan's ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat incentive and runs from April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2011.

Who qualifies for the SHIFT incentive?

Businesses, industries and institutions residing and doing business in Saskatchewan which qualify for a financial incentive for the installation of a solar water or solar air heating system under the federal ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program qualify for the SHIFT incentive.

How much is the SHIFT incentive?

• The SHIFT incentive matches the ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat incentive.
  
  The incentive is calculated as follows:
  
  Performance Factor x Incentive Rate x collector area = anticipated incentive amount
  
  
  • Performance Factor is the predetermined factor for the collector installed. This factor can be found on the List of Accepted Collectors. The performance factor attributed to the collector that you have selected will be valid as of the date of reception of your CDI-2008 application.
  • Incentive Rate is the incentive per m² for each collector type. Find the collector rate on the Incentive Rate table.
  • Area is the total installed collector area in square meters
• The maximum incentive is $80,000 per solar air or solar water installation.
• The corporate maximum incentive for multiple installations is $2 million.

How do I apply to the SHIFT program?

An applicant must submit three forms to NRCan:

• a signed ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat Application Form:
  Solar Water Application Form PDF (110 KB)
  
  
• Solar Air Application Form PDF (105 KB)
  
  
• a signed SHIFT Natural Gas Consent Form; and
  
  
• a signed SHIFT Electricity Consent Form.

N.B.: An applicant does not have to submit any information to SRC.

NRCan will review these forms and will inform SRC of its decision as to whether or not to fund the project. Once it receives confirmation that the project will be funded by NRCan, SRC will then issue a SHIFT program acceptance letter to the applicant.

When do I receive my SHIFT incentive from SRC?

Once the project is commissioned, NRCan will receive and review the applicant's ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat Payment Request Form.

If all of the requirements of the federal ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat Contribution Agreement have been met, NRCan will inform SRC of the approved amount payable. The NRCan incentive and a matching SHIFT program payment will then be released to the applicant.

As the applicant, what are my obligations toward the SRC?

In order to qualify for the SHIFT incentive, an applicant is obliged to sign and submit to NRCan both consent forms authorizing SRC to access their energy consumption records for 18 months prior to the installation of the solar water heating system and for up to 10 years after the installation is complete.

What is the purpose of SRC accessing my energy consumption information?

SRC wishes to perform non-commercial analyses of energy, economic and environmental impacts related to the SHIFT program.

Will information from my application to the ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program be kept private?

Yes. Signed SHIFT Consent Forms authorize NRCan and SRC to share information. It will be managed in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act in Saskatchewan and the federal Access to Information Act and Privacy Act.

As public funds are used to support these programs, under the ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program, all projects that have signed Contribution Agreements may be posted on NRCan's web site. The information posted may include the name of the recipient, type of system installed, location of installation, projected system output, government contribution amounts and expected or actual date of commissioning of the system.

Whom can I contact with my questions?

For SHIFT:

Saskatchewan Research Council
220 - 6 Research Drive
Regina, Saskatchewan
Canada S4S 7J7
E-mail: mcvicar@src.sk.ca
Web site: http://municipalities.src.sk.ca/html/municipalities/project_info/

For Program Eligibility and Qualifying Products:

ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat
Renewable and Electrical Energy Division
Natural Resources Canada
615 Booth Street, Room 150
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E9
Fax: 613-943-6517
E-mail: ecoenergyrhp@nrcan.gc.ca
Web site: ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat