Shaped by Our Customers. Guided by Our Community.
Zero30 was developed with input from community surveys, town halls, and the City of Saint John’s ActSJ: Pathway to Net Zero. It will continue to reflect community voices as it evolves.
Key priorities
In surveys and conversations, you shared your top concerns about our energy future.
What we heard from you
“Reliability is non-negotiable.”
“Provide financing and rental options.”
“Keep electricity affordable.”
“Make clean tech accessible.”
“Be transparent about costs.”
Indigenous partner guidance
Indigenous partners played an important role in shaping Zero30. Neqotkuk (Tobique) First Nation, co-owner of the Burchill Wind Project, provided leadership and collaboration. Consultations with other First Nations took place through energy symposiums, community events, and procurement processes.
Dynamic decision-making
Zero30 is not a set path, but a living plan. It uses advanced digital modelling to explore the impact of evolving factors such as electricity demand, reliability, and emissions.
Leading-Edge Modelling
We are testing real-world data and multiple possible futures to compare different pathways on cost, reliability, and emissions. This analysis combined several streams of evidence into a single, adaptable model.
Digital Twin
This virtual model integrates data from smart meters, weather trends, and customer technologies such as EVs, heat pumps, and solar panels, to test how our grid performs under different conditions.
Technology-Adoption Forecasts
Explores the impact of customer choices around heat pumps, electric vehicles, rooftop solar and other clean technologies.
Grid-Impact Analysis
Identifies where our distribution system may face stress and need upgrades as demand grows.
Supply-Mix Analysis
Explores different combinations of renewables, NB Power supply, battery storage, customer flexibility and carbon credits to find low-cost, low-risk options.
A legacy of energy innovation
For over a century, Saint John Energy has sought better ways to serve its customers and community. With Zero30, we are taking national leadership among Canadian utilities making the transition to net zero.
FAQs
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Environmental stewardship is important to us.
As the first utility in Eastern Canada to achieve the coveted Sustainable Electricity Company designation, Saint John Energy is committed to leadership in sustainability.
As part of Canada’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, the federal government has mandated that electrical utilities achieve net zero by 2035.
We’d like to get there even sooner – by 2030.
It also supports the City of Saint John in the Race to Zero challenge as part of its Community Energy Plan.
And, like all that we do, our customers are central to Zero30.
We take pride in being one of the most reliable electrical utilities in the nation while offering rates that are the lowest in Atlantic Canada.
Zero30 will help prepare our grid for a future where customers will want even more power from us at our competitive rates, making a stronger and more efficient grid even more critical.
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Achieving net zero means that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are balanced by an equal amount of GHG emission reductions or removals.
The ultimate goal of achieving net zero is to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, as set out internationally in the Paris Agreement on climate change.
This will require significant and rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors of the economy, including energy, transportation, industry, and commerce. Many countries, cities, and companies worldwide have set net-zero targets, and there is growing momentum towards achieving this goal as a critical step towards a sustainable future.
For Saint John Energy to achieve net zero, we must reduce our net GHG emissions to zero across our operations. And we will also work with our customers to help them reduce emissions.
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Reaching net zero offers a pathway to a sustainable future that benefits the climate, environment, biodiversity, and economic growth. We can create a better world for ourselves and future generations by embracing the transition to a net-zero economy.
This will also create new job opportunities and support the development of new industries. Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are becoming increasingly competitive with fossil fuels, and investing in energy efficiency can help reduce energy costs for households and businesses.
Reaching net zero offers significant financial benefits for our utility and community, including cost savings, reduced economic risks, new business opportunities, and improved resilience. By embracing the transition to a net-zero economy, we can create a more sustainable and prosperous future for ourselves and future generations
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The Zero30 roadmap will:
Describe opportunities for Saint John Energy to reach net zero in our operations by 2030
Explore how we can help our customers reach net zero with innovative products and services to increase energy efficiency, support the transition to electric vehicles, and offer more renewable energy options.
Provide robust energy demand and emissions forecasting and model
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Net zero by 2030 is a bold, ambitious goal, but we are well positioned to meet it.
New Brunswick’s electricity supply is already one of the world’s cleanest: about 80 per cent emissions-free. Add in an additional 15 per cent from Burchill Wind Energy, and that’s a gap of just five per cent, plus future additional demand, to get to net zero.
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To come up with solutions or actions, we will develop energy usage and emissions models. The models will allow us to test out, in a virtual environment, the effect of various scenarios in lowering emissions.
We began laying the groundwork for Zero30 in 2022 with pre-planning and data gathering. The initiative will run through to 2025.
As the project moves forward, we will announce the partners joining us on this journey. These partners will allow us to leverage learnings and expertise both here at home and around the world.
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Our customers and community are essential partners in Zero30. This project will include community and stakeholder engagements along with surveys. As we move forward, we will share what we are learning. Click here to see upcoming events and read the latest news.