June 1, 2023 – Through Canada’s Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways (SREP) program, Saint John Energy in New Brunswick is receiving nearly $4 million for its Zero30 initiative.

“Zero30 is one of the most important initiatives Saint John Energy has undertaken,” said Ryan Mitchell, president & CEO. “It will map a critical path forward to net-zero while helping our customers get there, too.”

Natural Resources Canada says Zero30 includes developing a “comprehensive net-zero roadmap to drive down operational emissions while advancing affordability by providing ratepayers with more innovative options”.

The initiative includes working with community stakeholders and partners, including First Nations, while assessing the methods and technologies needed to meet electrical load growth while reducing emissions.

This will be achieved, says NRCan, through “deep scenario modelling on energy and pollution” to support decision-making on various emissions reduction methods. The project is expected to support community-level decision-making by making available data, summary studies, and models to all stakeholders.

The $1.56-billion SREP program funds renewable energy and grid modernization projects.