Progress report 2010
the year in review Programs 3 Partners 19 Plans 21
C3 in 2010 We turned 10 in 2010. Reaching the ten-year organizational milestone prompted us to spend much of the year re-evaluating our strategy so that we’re effective in reaching our goals. In the end, we re-articulated a new vision: At C3, we believe in a world powered by efficiency and clean energy. It’s really that simple. This is our vision for the future and we’re now more focused than ever on removing the barriers preventing this vision. You might have noticed the words “climate change” don’t appear in this vision. That was intentional. We want to keep the conversation focused on the sensible actions that most people can support - conserving our finite fossil fuels through efficiency and tapping into other cleaner sources of energy. Now, while the planners at C3 were busy with their visioning work, the do-ers were busy delivering the second year of the provincial energy efficiency rebate program and launching two new commercial programs for trucking and lighting (details inside). At the end of this busy year, this ten year old decided it was time to party. Many of our partners and supporters celebrated with us in our new digs – oh, did we mention we moved to one of Calgary’s greenest downtown buildings? Last but not least – our big change is to our name. To reflect our new vision, we removed the topic of climate change from the corporate name and have adopted our nickname – C3. Our new tagline: Energy. Ideas. Change.
To us it’s a formula:
energy + ideas = change. Energy. Ideas. Change. This is the inspiration for our 2010 story. And so we begin‌
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C3 10t
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Energy. Ideas. Change.
ENERGY CREATES PROGRAMS Not only is C3 in the business of efficiency and clean energy – but we also have our own renewable resource – our energy. We apply our energy and dedication to designing and delivering programs that work to improve energy efficiency and clean energy. In 2010, the focus was on efficiency and conservation. This section provides an update on the work we did over the year in delivering our programs. We want to draw special attention on this page to two exciting program launches in 2010. In May, we launched an innovative commercial trucking program. The first of its kind in Alberta – Trucks of Tomorrow offers provincial rebates alerting the trucking industry to new technology that improves aerodynamics and reduces idling. In August, we launched another first in Alberta – a commercial lighting rebate program. Light it Right provides provincial incentives to companies, in a variety of sectors, encouraging them to switch to improved lighting technology.
Light it Right launch
orrow m o T f o s k c u Tr
launch
My Rebates C3 is helping Albertans paint the province green. As the delivery agent for the Government of Alberta’s three-year, $36 million energy efficiency program, we make environmental upgrades easy by providing education and incentives through an innovative online web portal. Our resources and application tool are also used to administer consumer rebates for municipal programs in Edmonton, Lac La Biche County, Red Deer County, Spruce Grove, Strathcona County, Medicine Hat and Leduc. In 2010, C3 issued more than $16.1 million in provincial rebate cheques and $815,000 in municipal rebate cheques to Albertans for improving the energy efficiency of their homes. That amounts to more than 605,000 tonnes of GHG emissions avoided over the lifetime of 22,077 clothes washers, 12,673 high efficiency furnaces, 760 low-flush/dual-flush toilets and thousands of other energy efficient upgrades.
Total rebate dollars: $16.9 million Total GHG emissions avoided: 605,000 tonnes
Corporate Corporations are recognizing the value of offering their employees a corporate green allowance and C3 has the software to power it. Our user-friendly intranet platform and comprehensive menu of rebate incentives encouraged employees of ENMAX, Encana and Cenovus Energy to make 1,138 energy-efficient purchases for their homes, resulting in $265,000 in rebates. By teaming up with C3, our corporate clients arm their staff with the means to reduce water and energy consumption; this in turn helps increase employee retention while providing tangible corporate social responsibility measurements.
Light It Right Alberta business owners are reducing their electricity bills and greenhouse gas emissions thanks to the success of C3’s Light it Right program. Launched in August 2010, the Government of Alberta’s 18 month, $4 million pilot encourages business owners to replace old, wasteful lighting with energy-efficient systems. In its first four months, the program received more than 386 applications from business owners in the five eligible sectors - restaurants, retail, multi-unit residential, offices/hotels, and warehouses/recreational facilities. By the end of the year, 115 lighting assessments had been booked and funding was fully reserved.
Trucks of Tomorrow Alberta’s trucking industry is on the road to a greener future. In May 2010 C3 launched Trucks of Tomorrow, a $2 million pilot program funded by the Government of Alberta, to help commercial vehicle operators cut costs and curb emissions. A dedicated program website, strong industry partners, and workshops held by C3 throughout the province helped spread the business case for fuel efficiency. More than $145,000 in rebates have been issued for aerodynamic retrofits and idling reduction equipment to date, resulting in lifetime greenhouse gas savings of 12,510 tonnes.
Retire Your Ride Retire Your Ride tallied up a record clunker count in 2010, removing 7,044 older, high-polluting vehicles from Alberta roads and responsibly recycling them. As the regional delivery partner for this federal government initiative, C3 rewarded participants with 6,471 cash incentives, 370 transit passes in Calgary, 153 in Edmonton, and 50 bike discounts. Now in its final year, Retire Your Ride has been instrumental in reducing smog-forming emissions and educating the public on the economic and environmental benefits of fuel-efficient driving practices.
12,000 Tonnes of GHG emissions reduced
Participants chose: Transit Calgary 370 I Edmonton 153 BIKE DISCOUNTS 50 CASH 6,471
Hail a Hybrid Take a taxi in Calgary or Edmonton and you might end up hailing a hybrid. Following a successful pilot in 2006, bright blue decals now adorn more than 100 hybrid taxis in Alberta. C3, in partnership with the Alberta government, continues to provide incentives for taxi companies and operators to switch to hybrids. In 2010, 18 more hybrid taxis were purchased and rebated through the program, representing $200,000 in fuel savings per year.
Carbon Offset Solutions C3 continues to develop innovative responses to global climate change and its impacts by supporting Canada’s only regulatory offset system. To meet government compliance, large-emitting Alberta companies have the option to purchase offset credits from Alberta-based projects that reduce GHGs. C3 administers the Alberta Emissions Offset Registry, which added 20 new offset projects in 2010, and serialized over 4 million tonnes of emission reductions. In 2010, C3 facilitated the development of three new governmentapproved protocols: nitrous oxide emissions reductions, dairy cattle emissions reductions, and energy efficiency in commercial and institutional buildings. Since 2007, C3 has worked with government and industry to develop 31 government-approved protocols spanning areas of agriculture, renewable energy, energy efficiency, greenhouse gas sequestration and methane management.
Energy. Ideas. Change.
IDEAS CREATE PARTNERS Partnerships form around great ideas. And we’re full of them. Our one-stop, online rebate portal has attracted partners from provincial government, municipal governments and corporations. Thank you to our partners who joined with us in 2010:
Energy. Ideas. Change.
CHANGE CREATES PLANS We are constantly evolving with the change around us. As a result, we’re continually planning what we can do next to remove barriers to efficiency and clean energy. As mentioned at the start of our story, we spent much of 2010 planning. Our STRATEGIC REVIEW was important given the change in the greenhouse gas reduction sector. Ten years ago we were a lone ranger on the mitigation frontier. That’s not quite the case anymore. It was time to refocus our organizational goals to ensure we’re getting the most impact for our input. We also did a lot of planning to get our new FOUNDATION off the ground. The C3 Foundation allows us to venture into new charitable territory. We received our first donation in 2010 from ConocoPhillips. ADAPTATION to climate change is now unavoidable. A certain amount of warming is already in the pipeline due to past greenhouse gas emissions, and there are no realistic mitigation policies that can restrict future warming to a level that does not require significant preparedness. During 2010 we helped Alberta Environment undertake an assessment of the climate change risks it faces and prepare a draft Adaptation Strategy to those risks. We continue to develop guidance for the federal government to inform decision-makers of the benefits and costs of adaptation, and to help prioritize actions at a local and regional level. In 2010, our Research and Analysis Team completed a Conservation Potential Review. This substantive study provided valuable information about how much energy, greenhouse gas emissions and money we could save in Alberta by simply using energy in our homes and businesses more wisely. Energy efficiency has the ability to avoid the need to build more costly and damaging generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure. The study told us that Alberta has huge potential to benefit from increased, sustainable investment in energy efficiency. By the end of 2010, the stage was set for us to begin an important conversation with Albertans about how best to do this - we’ll be talking to you about SUSTAINABLE FUNDING OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY in Alberta. Everyone’s view is important, and everyone stands to benefit. With ENERGY comes PROGRAMS. With IDEAS come PARTNERSHIPS. With CHANGE comes PLANS. The message of clean energy and energy efficiency must move into the forefront of corporate and consumer consciousness. As change leaders, C3 will continue to raise profile and demonstrate the importance of investing in these vital areas.
Foundation In 2010, the C3 Foundation became a registered charity to provide innovative, action-based solutions that address the environmental challenges associated with climate change. Charitable donations will help us focus on two overarching themes: - climate change as it impacts Alberta in particular and Canada as a whole and - adaptation to climate change impacts. In our first months of operation, we were grateful to receive a grant from ConocoPhillips Canada to help spread the word about our successful hybrid taxi program in Alberta. Stay tuned to our website for more updates from the foundation and our work to research, educate and catalyze action to make a significant impact on Alberta’s environment and quality of life.
Did you know you can make a donation to the C3 Foundation and receive a tax receipt? We also welcome legacy donations – a simple yet powerful way to ensure our work carries on for generations.
Suite 600, 110-9 Avenue SW, Calgary AB, T2P 0T1 1-866-609-2700 T 403.517.2700 F 403.517.2727 contact@climatechangecentral.com - www.climatechangecentral.com
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