An Okanagan industrial park has unveiled B.C.’s largest solar energy initiative to date.
“This is the largest solar one in the province,” said B.C. Hydro president and CEO Charlotte Mitha.
Mitha was among the dignitaries at Wednesday’s celebration event at Restoration Lands Inc. industrial park in Coldstream, B.C., near Vernon.
“This is the future,” Mitha said. “This is the clean energy economic development you want:”
The $2.1-million project was spearheaded by the owners of the industrial park, which is currently home to nearly a dozen light to heavy industrial manufacturing businesses.
“Our goal and desire to put solar on the roof was in the business plan even before we were able to acquire the property,” said Mike Molnar, founder and CEO of Restoration Lands Inc.
The project’s unveiling ceremony took place under cloudy skies.
“Today in particular it is a little overcast so we are generating about 30 per cent of our capacity, so we are net importing from B.C. Hydro, so to speak, for the balance,” Molnar said.
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“But on a sunny day like we had yesterday, we are utilizing 100 per cent of the power on site.”
The 92,000-acre property was once home to a glass plant.
Coincidentally it still features a lot of glass, but on its massive roof and in hundreds of solar panels.
“Currently we have 2,460 panels. They are 690 watts each,” Molnar said. “That currently powers every business that is operating in our industrial park.”
The solar panelled roof is the equivalent of two football fields and while the power generated is consumed on site, according to B.C. Hydro it would be enough to provide energy to some 155 homes throughout the year.
B.C. Hydro contributed $875 million towards the project, which it says helps reduce the carbon footprint while taking pressure off the provincial grid.,
“So many benefits,” said Mitha. “It saves them, increases their safety and resilience but it also is a way for us to take a bit of relief off the provincial grid…it’s a very, very cost effective way for us to essentially get more power for the grid.”
The industrial park plans on doubling its solar panels in phase two as more businesses eventually move in and hopes other business leaders are taking note.
“We challenge other businesses and other people that have these vast spaces on top of their buildings to utilize them,” Molnar said.
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