Regulation - LGIC
Regulatory proposal for province-wide implementation of Green Button
Regulation Number(s):
633/21
Instrument Type:
Regulation - LGIC
Bill or Act:
Electricity Act, 1998
Summary of Decision:
The government has established a regulation that will require Ontario's electricity and natural gas utilities to implement Green Button Download My Data (DMD) and Connect My Data (CMD). The regulation will come into force on November 1, 2021 and will include the following requirements:
• Utilities must implement the Green Button standard and obtain certification from the Green Button Alliance for DMD and CMD by November 1, 2023.
• Certain utilities are exempted from this requirement (e.g. small entities without smart metering infrastructure).
• Utilities may apply to the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) for an extension to the prescribed implementation deadline for reasons set out in the regulation.
The regulation also enables the OEB to establish certain requirements related to energy data, third-party data sharing authorization, customer privacy and utility extension requests.
• Utilities must implement the Green Button standard and obtain certification from the Green Button Alliance for DMD and CMD by November 1, 2023.
• Certain utilities are exempted from this requirement (e.g. small entities without smart metering infrastructure).
• Utilities may apply to the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) for an extension to the prescribed implementation deadline for reasons set out in the regulation.
The regulation also enables the OEB to establish certain requirements related to energy data, third-party data sharing authorization, customer privacy and utility extension requests.
Analysis of Regulatory Impact:
Since the opportunity to access energy data in Green Button format is customer-driven, customers will need to determine whether they want to access their energy data in Green Button format or authorize a third-party application to receive this data on their behalf. This regulation does not introduce a new mandatory administrative burden on energy customers since the initiative is voluntary.
Green Button would provide Ontario electricity and natural gas customers an additional tool to help them reduce their costs, cut red tape and find efficiencies in their existing processes. A joint report completed by Mission: Data Coalition and More Than Data found that energy savings of 6-18% energy savings could be achieved when users have access to meter data, which Green Button can help enable, coupled with new technologies such as smart controls. While customers would not be compelled to interact with Green Button if they do not wish to do so, the following range of benefits would be expected following the province-wide implementation of the standard:
• Increased conservation and energy efficiency.
• Creation of economic development opportunities
• Increased process efficiencies and reduced costs
• Reduced utility customer care effort
• Enable opportunities to streamline energy reporting and benchmarking
• Supporting Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)
Costs associated with the implementation of Green Button, as with other OEB-approved costs that electricity and natural gas distributors incur in serving their customers, would be anticipated to be fully recoverable by these energy utilities through rates that are included in the Delivery line of a customer's electricity bill or the Customer Charge line of a customer's natural gas bill. As a result, it is not anticipated there will be any direct compliance costs to utilities from this proposal, since approved costs would be recovered from ratepayers.
Green Button would provide Ontario electricity and natural gas customers an additional tool to help them reduce their costs, cut red tape and find efficiencies in their existing processes. A joint report completed by Mission: Data Coalition and More Than Data found that energy savings of 6-18% energy savings could be achieved when users have access to meter data, which Green Button can help enable, coupled with new technologies such as smart controls. While customers would not be compelled to interact with Green Button if they do not wish to do so, the following range of benefits would be expected following the province-wide implementation of the standard:
• Increased conservation and energy efficiency.
• Creation of economic development opportunities
• Increased process efficiencies and reduced costs
• Reduced utility customer care effort
• Enable opportunities to streamline energy reporting and benchmarking
• Supporting Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)
Costs associated with the implementation of Green Button, as with other OEB-approved costs that electricity and natural gas distributors incur in serving their customers, would be anticipated to be fully recoverable by these energy utilities through rates that are included in the Delivery line of a customer's electricity bill or the Customer Charge line of a customer's natural gas bill. As a result, it is not anticipated there will be any direct compliance costs to utilities from this proposal, since approved costs would be recovered from ratepayers.
Further Information:
Link to Environmental Registry
Ontario Energy Boar – Green Button Implementation
Ontario Energy Boar – Green Button Implementation
Ontario Energy Boar – Green Button Implementation
Ontario Energy Boar – Green Button Implementation
Ontario Energy Boar – Green Button Implementation
Got Data? The Value of Energy Data Access to Consumers
O. Reg. 633/21: ENERGY DATA
Proposal Number:
20-ENDM024
Posting Date:
October 8, 2020
Summary of Proposal:
The Ontario Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines (ENDM) is considering proposing a regulation to require electricity and natural gas utilities to implement Green Button Download My Data (DMD) and Connect My Data (CMD) - together referred to as "Green Button". To implement Green Button, these utilities would be required to procure from a third-party or develop internally a software platform; and obtain Green Button DMD and CMD certification. Green Button is a data standard that can empower households and business with access to their utility data (i.e. DMD) and allow them to authorize the automatic, secure transfer of their own data from their utility to applications or third-parties.
Contact Address:
77 Grenville St, Toronto, ON M7A 2C1
Effective Date:
September 2, 2021
Decision:
Approved