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Strategic energy management cohort program

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Work with energy experts and industry peers

With the support of energy experts and your industry colleagues, the industrial cohort program will guide you and your team to learn about and put into practice energy-saving measures to manage your facility more efficiently for the long term.

The offer

In this fully funded, two-year program, an energy expert leads a group of about 12 industrial customers to implement a holistic approach to energy management. Through individual coaching and group workshops, you’ll learn how to save energy at your business immediately and develop a strong foundation for continuous energy improvement.  

Our experts will guide you, your staff, and your peers to:

  • Set your organization's energy efficiency goals and priorities.
  • Prepare individuals to lead energy efficiency efforts at your organization.
  • Train staff to identify energy waste at your facility.
  • Use diagnostic tools to identify energy waste.
  • Measure, track and report on energy efficiency improvements and savings over time.

We’ll provide training, technical services and assessments at no cost to you.

Industrial customers and program facilitators share their thoughts on the benefits and value of the strategic energy management cohort program.

Eligibility

  • Your business uses between 3 and 15 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year.
  • You have access to your facility's electricity use and production data.

How it works

Each two-year cohort is run by an external team of energy experts. Once you’ve been approved for the program and your cohort has begun, expect to attend eight group workshops – about one every quarter – and dedicate time outside of these sessions for one-on-one coaching with your energy experts to complete energy management activities.

With the guidance of the energy expert, you will:

  • Designate an energy champion, energy data manager, and an energy team for your business.
  • Get your executive team or upper management on board. They'll need to support the idea of your team spending time on strategic energy management.
  • Share your energy and production data to develop an energy model for your facility.
  • Identify opportunities for energy efficiency improvements based on what you've learned from various customer models.
  • Make changes to the way you operate to deliver on and maintain energy savings.

A minimum of two members from your energy team must attend the group workshops.

While the curriculum can vary for each cohort, the first two workshops are typically eight hours each, and the remaining six are typically four hours each. Workshops may be virtual or held at varying customer, BC Hydro or external sites.

You may be asked to host one of the group workshops at your site, otherwise the only cost is the time commitment for staff to participate.

There are also other events at your site in which broader employee participation – beyond the energy team – is encouraged. These on-site events each range from two to five hours.

The long-term benefits of strategic energy management are the big reward. But we're also offering the opportunity to earn up to $7,000 in bonus funding per business.

  • We'll provide a performance payment of $0.02 per kilowatt-hour based on your verified energy savings at the end of the program (to a maximum of $5,000).
  • An additional $2,000 will be available for achieving specific milestone targets.

How to apply

Applications are submitted by your Key Account Manager or Regional Energy Manager. Contact them to apply.

New cohorts are offered about once per year, typically beginning in the fall.

If you’re not sure who to talk to, contact our business help desk at 1 866 522 4713.