Community Feed-in-Tariff (COMFIT) of Nova Scotia

Country / jurisdiction: Canada · Year: 2011 · Status: In force · Level: National · Type: Voluntary

The COMFIT programme paid for small-scale community-owned renewable energy projects a pre-determined per-kWh FIT rate paid to producers using renewable energy technology (wind projects smaller or greater than 50 kW, biomass, small-scale in-stream tidal below 500 kW, and run-of-the-river hydro). FIT rates were set by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (UARB). Nova Scotia Power Inc. recovers costs incurred from the programme through rate-based adjustments. Following a review, on 6 August 2015, Nova Scotia decided to close the COMFIT programme for new applications. The COMFIT is considered a success but small-scale community renewables projects started putting upward pressure on prices, hence more cost-effective alternatives were considered under the DFIT scheme.

In 2013, the UARB presented DFIT rates for large-scale projects in three categories: Test phase I which targets single devices for three years, located at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy; Test phase II which targets single or multiple devices for up to 15 years; and developmental phase III which targets single or multiple devices, with each turbine nameplate capacity greater than 500 kW, for up to 15 years. The province of Nova Scotia plans to approve 15 to 20 MW of tidal energy at the rates set by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board. Nova Scotia Power Inc. will recover costs incurred from the programme through rate-based adjustments, which are expected to have only a small impact on power rates (1% to 2%). On 21 January 2014, the Nova Scotia Department of Energy announced an amendment to the NS Renewable Electricity Regulations (under the Electricity Act), that establishes a comprehensive provincial application process for projects to go through in order to be eligible for the DFIT.

The COMFIT programme paid for small-scale community-owned renewable energy projects a pre-determined per-kWh FIT rate paid to producers using renewable energy technology (wind projects smaller or greater than 50 kW, biomass, small-scale in-stream tidal below 500 kW, and run-of-the-river hydro). FIT rates were set by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (UARB). Nova Scotia Power Inc. recovers costs incurred from the programme through rate-based adjustments. Following a review, on 6 August 2015, Nova Scotia decided to close the COMFIT programme for new applications. The COMFIT is considered a success but small-scale community renewables projects started putting upward pressure on prices, hence more cost-effective alternatives were considered under the DFIT scheme.

In 2013, the UARB presented DFIT rates for large-scale projects in three categories: Test phase I which targets single devices for three years, located at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy; Test phase II which targets single or multiple devices for up to 15 years; and developmental phase III which targets single or multiple devices, with each turbine nameplate capacity greater than 500 kW, for up to 15 years. The province of Nova Scotia plans to approve 15 to 20 MW of tidal energy at the rates set by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board. Nova Scotia Power Inc. will recover costs incurred from the programme through rate-based adjustments, which are expected to have only a small impact on power rates (1% to 2%). On 21 January 2014, the Nova Scotia Department of Energy announced an amendment to the NS Renewable Electricity Regulations (under the Electricity Act), that establishes a comprehensive provincial application process for projects to go through in order to be eligible for the DFIT.

Official source: https://energy.novascotia.ca/renewables/programs-and-projects/comfit