Energy Strategies - New Brunswick

Ministry of Energy

Department of Energy


Minister

The Honourable Jack Keir


Documents


New Brunswick Overview

While New Brunswick did release a white paper in 2001, the current government is in the process of compiling an updated version to reflect its new priorities. The province’s climate change strategy remains current, however, and features several areas related directly to provincial energy use.

Primarily focused on greenhouse gas emission reduction, New Brunswick’s Climate Change Action Plan: 2007 – 2012 (released in June 2007) features a number of efficiency measures focused on buildings, transportation and government leadership, common efficiency areas in other provincial and territorial policies. Other actions would include diversifying the province’s energy mix, such as the plan’s support for natural gas exploration in southeastern New Brunswick and for studying of the feasibility of constructing new small-scale hydroelectricity generation projects. Tangible efforts toward diversification include an overriding goal of energy self-sufficiency by 2026 and the more immediate target of 10 per cent of the province’s electricity sales to come from new renewable sources, and the plan notes that NB Power has committed to the refurbishment and life extension of the Point Lepreau nuclear station. The planned sale of NB Power to Hydro-Québec was halted in March 2010.

Another energy strategy document is planned, with stakeholder consultation having begun in the fall of 2009.

The province’s energy efficiency programs, which include residential, commercial and industrial applications, are coordinated through Efficiency NB.


Principle Areas for Action

  • Communities
  • Energy Management
  • Diversification
  • Industry
  • Emissions, Efficiency
  • Transportation
  • Buildings
  • Waste Reduction and Diversion
  • Natural Resource Management – Sequestration
  • Partnerships and Communication
  • Awareness
  • Implementation and Accountability

Major Energy Players


Timeline

2009
  • Adopt an energy performance standard that goes beyond the federal Canadian model building energy code, for both new and renovated buildings in the residential and commercial markets, to be implemented in increments
2012
  • New Brunswick-led initiatives will result in greenhouse gas emission reductions of 5.5 Mt annually
  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from public operations by 25 per cent, as measured from 2001 levels
2016
  • 10 per cent of electricity sales must come from new renewable sources
2020
  • NB Power could realize a reduction of up to 2 Mt below 2003 greenhouse gas levels by 2020, through the provincewide application of demand-side management measures in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the implementation of the Province’s Renewable Portfolio Standard
2026
  • Position New Brunswick for self-sufficiency by this time