CGC Joins Energy Council of Canada

CGC Announces the Winners of the 7th Annual GeoExchange Excellence Awards

The Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (CGC) heartily congratulates today the 2014 winners of the 7th CGC Excellence Awards. The prizes for Excellence are awarded to regional geothermal heat pump projects which showcase both complexity and quality of installation and design. This year, CGC bestowed awards for projects in two regions: Québec and British Columbia. There were no entries from Atlantic Canada, the Prairies or from Ontario.

The projects were evaluated based on originality, innovation, and technological advancement. Other criteria included technical difficulties encountered and solved in the project, the building owner commitment to achieve comfort for occupants and users, as well as other proven community benefits. Complexity of the work considering the nature of the building, financial constraints and demonstrated energy and economic savings were also among the judging criteria.

CGC Members Elect New Board of Directors

CGC Issues Call for Nominations to the Board of Directors

The Canadian GeoExchange Coalition is now accepting nominations for the Board of Director positions listed in the attached form. Nominations will be accepted until 3:00 p.m. local time, Friday, April 28th, 2017.

Nominee has to be CGC member in good standing as of April 28, 2017.

CGC Joins Canadian Organizing Committee for Global Refrigeration Conference

The Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (CGC) has accepted an invitation to join the Canadian Organizing Committee of the 25th International Congress of Refrigeration (ICR2019), taking place in Montreal from August 24-30, 2019. The Congress, one of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIF)’s principal activities, occurs every four years and will bring together most of the world’s key refrigeration industry stakeholders, as well as the global academic and research community.

“CGC has long been a valuable partner to many research groups and professionals, and the Canadian organising committee will play a key role in channeling presentations and publicizing the opportunity to industry” said Dr. Vasile Minea, Committee Chair, from Hydro-Quebec Research Institute, Laboratoire des technologies de l’énergie (LTE) in Shawinigan, QC. “We reached out to CGC because this is an exciting opportunity for heat pump technologies to present their results, objectives, and future R&D needs on a world stage, here in Canada.”

Canadian Geothermal Heat Pump Industry Welcomes Major Swedish Investor

Canada’s association for geothermal heat pump technology, the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition, today welcomed the announcement that NIBE Industrier AB has acquired 50% of shares in CGC Group of Companies of Ontario.  The investment in the Mississauga-based manufacturer is intended to boost market effectiveness directly related to eighty industry jobs in Fergus ON.

“This investment is part of our North America strategy, and a sign of our confidence in the Canadian national market” said Martin Forsén, NIBE’s Director for International Business.  “For a number of strategic reasons including Canada’s market transformation program and history, we decided that the time to begin investing is now” he added.

Hydro-Québec encouraged to maintain its residential geothermal program

In a decision published today, the Quebec Energy Board encourages Hydro-Québec to maintain its residential geothermal incentive program.

In its August 2012 rate case application for 2013-2014, Hydro-Québec announced it intended to terminate its residential geothermal program on December 31st 2012.As an intervener in the case, the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (CGC) filed extensive evidence in favour of program continuation and defended this position vigorously during public hearings in December 2012.

In an interim decision rendered on December 20, 2012, the Board agreed to CGC’s request to safeguard the program until fifteen days after publication of a final Board decision. The residential geothermal program therefore continues at least until March 28, 2013.

In today’s decision, the Board also rules that it cannot order Hydro-Québec to continue the program. The Board said that it doesn’t have the authority to impose specific energy efficiency measures on Hydro-Québec if the energy distributor hasn’t planned any budget to that effect. According to the Board, this authority belongs to Québec’s Minister of Natural Resources. In this regard, CGC notes that the Parti Québecois’ election platform of 2012 mentions that geothermal energy was a cornerstone of an energy strategy based on integrated resource planning.

CGC Announces the Winners of the 6th Annual GeoExchange Excellence Awards

Letter to Industry

CGC Board Appoints Ted Kantrowitz President and CEO

At a scheduled meeting on Friday January 20^th, the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition Board of Directors voted unanimously to appoint Ted Kantrowitz as President.  Kantrowitz will join the organization’s current board, and assumes CEO duties effective immediately.

“In choosing a new President and CEO, the board sought to carry unique institutional knowledge forward while sending a substantial positive signal to CGC members and partners” said Mr. Pat Rudka, CGC’s Chair.  “Thousands of industry stakeholders have gotten to know Ted over the years in CGC executive roles, and he has repeatedly demonstrated great business, policy and market leadership for our sector.  Ted has been a quiet and steady core to many past industry and CGC successes.” Rudka added.