Case studies
Successful conversion to dual energy for Québec City building
In 2023, the City of Québec conducted a pilot project to convert heating equipment at the Persico Centre, home to the Pamplemousse childcare centre, to dual energy. The project aimed to reduce the building’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and operating costs, while extending the life of its existing natural gas boiler—and the results speak for themselves.
The project was implemented under the City of Québec’s building decarbonization strategy for municipal buildings and led by Daniel Gagnon, an energy management engineer in the City’s Building Management Department. The goal was to assess how well dual energy could meet the heating and hot water needs of the Persico Centre (approximately 7,500 m3 on an annual basis) economically and with a positive impact on the building’s decarbonization.
A clear process well in place
After checking with Énergir’s representative and the DATECH team to make sure the Centre met the technical prerequisites for the dual-energy rate1;and was eligible for dual-energy conversion grants, Gagnon got the green light from the City of Québec and started work in May 20232.
As a City of Québec engineer with an owner contractor’s licence, Gagnon could do the job himself without subcontractors. “Daniel had done his homework and had the file down pat, so he handled everything from A to Z,” says Pierre-Olivier Nadeau, Energy Technology and Solutions Advisor at Énergir, who was consultant on the project.
Use energy better and save
While the initial cost of the purchase and installation of the new 54 kW electric boiler ($54,919.50) was prohibitive for the customer, a total government grant of $33,7693 and Énergir’s decarbonization incentive program grant of $1,3532 made its decision to go with a dual-energy system much easier. Since the natural gas boiler used by the Centre was still working fine, it wasn’t replaced and can be amortized over a longer period thanks to dual energy, since it will only be used during peak demand periods or when the temperature is -12°C or colder.
A radical change
After some adjustments and optimization of controls, as well as a simulation of the switch to the gas boiler to make sure the dual-energy system was working, it was put into service in early November2, with convincing results (see comparative table). Over the first three months of operation (November, December and January), there was a major reduction in natural gas consumption, with natural gas savings of 3,046 m3 and a significant decrease in GHG emissions.
| Month | Expected Consumption [m³] | Actual consumption [m³] | Reductions [m³] |
| Nov.23 | 914 | 178 | 737 |
Dec.23 | 1 100 | 37 | 1 063 |
| Jan.24 | 1 355 | 109 | 1 246 |
The DATECH group: added value to your efforts
Dual-energy uses the right energy, at the right time and at the best cost, and Énergir’s DATECH team is there to provide you with the expert advice and technical support you need to make this conversion in the best possible conditions, while taking advantage of all available grants. For more information, contact us at [email protected]
Grants available for your business
An Énergir expert will guide you through the simple process and help find the grants for which you are eligible
1.Hydro-Québec’s small- and medium-power electricity rate
2.Note that this was a pilot project and was delivered before the Commercial and Institutional Dual-Energy Offer went on the market in November 2023.
3. the actual amounts the customer received may have differed under the dual-energy experimental project. The amounts shown are the grants the customer would have received if the dual-energy offer had been marketed.
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