The ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program’s Residential Pilot Initiative activity was set up to test various mechanisms for the deployment of solar heating systems into the residential sector and to increase the capacity of the solar supply industry. It is expected to contribute to the creation of a sustainable market for residential solar thermal technologies and, thereby, promote a long term reduction in air emissions and also improve Canada’s clean energy supply. As such, it offers funding to selected Canadian companies to assist them in their large-scale efforts to deploy solar domestic water heating systems to Canadian homes. All solar water heating systems to be installed under this pilot initiative must incorporate only collectors which have been shown to conform to CSA Standard F378 or its equivalent. Such “Accepted Collectors” are listed on this website under the Commercial Deployment Incentive.

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has selected 14 organizations (see list below) for funding consideration in a $9 million pilot project that will test various large-scale strategies for deploying solar water heating systems in the Canadian residential sector. The goal of the pilot is to determine the most efficient and effective ways to market solar water heaters to homeowners.

In September 2007, NRCan received 38 responses to its Call for Expressions of Interest, representing over $30 million worth of funding requests.

Following a rigorous selection process involving an interdepartmental evaluation committee, NRCan selected 14 organizations to participate in the Residential Pilot Initiative for large-scale solar water heating deployment. Contribution agreements were negotiated with these organizations, and they began work on projects in 7 provinces in an effort to deploy over 8,000 solar domestic water heating systems to Canadians. Project implementation will continue until the end of the 2010 calendar year.

NRCan wishes to thank all of the 38 respondents to the Call for Expressions of Interest for their time and effort in responding.

The 14 selected pilot participants listed below will help Canada meet its climate change mitigation and clean air objectives.

Company Name	Location
Taylor Munro Energy Systems Inc.	BC
Bullfrog Power Inc.	ON/AB
eaga Canada // BC Sustainable Energy Association	BC
ENMAX Energy Corporation	AB
FortisBC Inc.	BC
L'Agence de L'éfficacité energetique	QC
Manitoba Hydro	MB
Reliance Comfort Limited Partnership	ON
Rock Paper Sun Ltd.	SK
Sustainable Ecologics Education Society of Canada	NS
Sustainable Ottawa	ON
Illingworth Development Ltd.	BC
Town of Vulcan	AB
Utilities Kingston	ON