Ryan Mitchell (left) and Jordan Kennie (right). Image: Submitted.
Stash Energy‘s innovative heat pumps will help Saint John Energy customers save money and become part of the solution as the local energy utility tries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through its grid.
Saint John Energy is launching a pilot project with the Fredericton startup that will bring Stash’s heat pumps to up to 50 customers over the next two years. The units store energy to be used during peak electricity usage times, reducing the need for the utility to generate electricity from sources with high greenhouse gas emissions.
This represents the first large-scale order for the firm founded in 2017.
“We’re certainly excited that this innovation was born right here in New Brunswick,” said Ryan Mitchell, Vice President of Saint John Energy. “To be able to work with a local organization that has technology that helps us bring benefits to our customers, the environment, and allows us to support regional economic development is very exciting for us.”
Stash’s heat pumps can store up to four hours of energy during periods where demand for power is lower, such as overnight, to be used when demand for power is higher, such as early mornings.
“The customer still has the comfort in their home from heating and cooling but instead of drawing from the utility, it’s using up what has been stored locally within the customer’s home,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell says peak energy costs Saint John Energy almost $30-million annually and can be known to emit twice as much carbon as that of off-peak energy.
“Certainly, the fact that this new technology will allow low-cost electricity like renewable energy to be captured and converted to thermal energy and consumed as required to heat or cool people’s homes during peak times is excellent,” he said.
Saint John Energy has invested $350,000 into the project with approximately $140,000 coming from federal funding through Natural Resources Canada and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. The heat pumps will integrate into Saint John Energy’s smart grid.
Jordan Kennie, CEO of Stash Energy, says this partnership with Saint John Energy is a milestone for his company.
“We’re really grateful to have a partner like Saint John Energy take us to the next step of our business and help us show the world that our product is the best product out there for both heat pumps and thermo-energy storage,” Kennie said.
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Kennie is keen to demonstrate how Stash Energy’s product can be manufactured on a larger scale. The company has also made inroads in international markets, as it begins to expand into the U.S. with plans to open an office in the UK within the next 18 months.
“We’ve already started small pilots with a number of utilities with Maine and Vermont and starting some projects in New York as well,” said Kennie. “We want to keep growing, obviously, and take over those markets entirely, so we’re still moving forward and want to try to help the grids and the environment, especially in those markets.”
Kennie says Stash’s experience working with Summerside Electric – the first investor in Stash – set the stage for a partnership with Saint John Energy. With Summerside Electric, Stash developed its first prototype, along with the software and the product interface of the smartphone app and heat pump’s touch screen.
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“Summerside is quite advanced in how they control their devices and how to control storage on the grid,” said Kennie. “Being able to interface to optimize through wind energy has been fantastic and that’s something we’ll be taking forward when Saint John gets its wind farm.”
Kennie and Mitchell want customers to understand that Saint John Energy plans to use the heat pump units to optimize savings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the entire grid, but customers will still in control of setting temperatures in their own homes.
“It’s important to note that the customer is always in control of what their set point is,” said Mitchell, adding that Stash’s heat pump includes both a touch screen and a smartphone app where customers can adjust their heat pump.
“Customers always remain comfortable first,” said Kennie.
Mitchell is hopeful Saint John Energy customers will register on its website to participate in the pilot as they work to get the units deployed.
“Certainly there is a lot of change and innovation in this sector,” Mitchell said. “We believe that change presents opportunities for those who embrace it.”
This story was written by Liam Floyd, a digital reporter for Huddle. Huddle is an Acadia Broadcasting content partner.
