ATCO Gas Launches Innovative Program to Reduce Costs and GHG Emissions for Customers

EDMONTON, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Aug. 14, 2014) - ATCO Gas announced today the launch of its new innovative Combined Heat and Power (CHP) program aimed at reducing operational costs as well as Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions at municipal and commercial facilities in Alberta.

The program launches with two energy saving projects. ATCO Gas will install, own and maintain CHP units at the Collicutt Centre, a recreation facility in the City of Red Deer, and the Sierras of Tuscany, an adult condominium complex in Calgary. The CHP units use natural gas to generate both heat and electricity and combined with its waste-heat recovery technology, produce energy savings and emission reductions for the facility.

"This program demonstrates the viability of CHP technology and encourages businesses and institutions to consider the many benefits of CHP in their facilities," said Bill Stephens, President, ATCO Gas. "In addition to the reduced operating costs and lower GHG emissions, one of the unique features of the program is that there is no upfront capital investment from the building owner."

ATCO Gas estimates that the Collicutt Centre will be saving close to $35,000 per year in energy costs over the life of the project and reducing GHG emissions by up to 800 tonnes per year. Similarly, the Sierras of Tuscany will save an estimated $28,000 per year in energy costs and reduce GHG emissions by 385 tonnes per year. The combined reduction of GHG emissions for both projects is equivalent to taking almost 240 cars off the road annually.

The CHP program, funded in part by the Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC), is ideally suited in buildings with a year-round heating requirement including recreation, seniors or medical centres, condominiums, swimming pools and institutions. ATCO Gas is looking forward to installing several more CHP units in facilities across Alberta under this innovative program over the next two years.

Building owners in Alberta interested in the program can call toll-free 310-SAVE (7283). More information about the program is available in the backgrounder document and at www.atcogas.com.

ATCO Gas delivers safe, reliable natural gas distribution service to more than 1.1 million customers in nearly 300 Alberta communities and is part of the ATCO Group of Companies. ATCO Group, with more than 9,000 employees and assets of approximately $17 billion, delivers service excellence and innovative business solutions worldwide with leading companies engaged in Structures & Logistics (manufacturing, logistics and noise abatement), Utilities (pipelines, natural gas and electricity transmission and distribution), Energy (power generation, natural gas gathering, processing, storage and liquids extraction) and Technologies (business systems solutions).

The CCEMC is an Alberta-based not-for-profit organization that provides funding for projects that reduce GHG emissions and help Alberta adapt to climate change. It doesn't receive a financial return on its investment, but receives a return in the form of reduced GHG emissions. The organization currently has $65 million in funding available to support new projects.