Tom Beckley plans to use federal grant funds to study what N.B. consumers know about power. (UNB)

A University of New Brunswick professor of forestry and environmental management is tackling questions about New Brunswick's energy policy.

Tom Beckley has received a federal grant through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

He plans to use the money to find out how much New Brunswickers know about the utility system and energy issues.

Beckley says he will also compare the landscape effects of various types of energy development.

“It seems like we deal with all of these technologies one at a time. Like, do we refurbish Lepreau or not? Do we rebuild Mactaquac Dam or not? Do we promote wind energy or not? Not, if we didn't refurbish Lepreau, how many windmills would we need — looking at it more systematically.”

Beckley says the proposed NB Power sale a few years ago got him interested in the subject.

He researched it for his own interest, realized how complex the issue was, and thought the public might not understand a lot about generation and distribution of power, he said.

“Understanding what consumers know about the power system, how they might change their behaviour to shift load seasonally, or even during the time of day.”

Beckley and his two partners from the University of Alberta and Dalhousie University, will be reviewing case studies from New Brunswick and Alberta.

Beckley said he's hoping NB Power will be interested in becoming a partner on this project.