November 24, 2008

GARTH COCHRAN

The staff at the New Holland booth at Construct Calgary discuss their products with a prospective client. The two-day event brought together vendors, experts and visitors to the Roundup Centre in Stampede Park.

Alberta leads the charge toward solar energy innovation

Garth Cochran

correspondent

Canmore, Alberta uses the sun to make ice for its arena, which is just one of the municipality’s solar-powered projects.

Hot water makes better ice and the hotter the better.

So, Canmore installed a solar system to heat more than 500 litres of water needed by the Zamboni each time it cleans the ice.

The system works very simply.

When the sun is shining, even in the dead of winter, there is more than enough energy to heat a glycol mixture pumped to solar panels on the roof.

The glycol then passes through a heat exchanger to heat the water and this is stored in large, insulated tanks.

The idea works especially well in Alberta because it is one of the sunniest provinces in Canada.

“Solar is part of any sustainable solution,” said Geoff Domenico, president of KCP Energy that installs such systems.

Alberta, he added, has half again as much potential solar energy as the world’s leaders in solar energy implementation, Germany and Japan.

The solar initiatives were discussed at Construct Calgary on November 5, 2008.

Another solar project of interest was the installation of a second solar-electric system (PhotoVoltaic) in Alberta on the Biosphere Institute of Bow Valley in late 2007.

This small one kilowatt installation was designed to educate the public and to knock down bureaucratic barriers.

When Canmore committed to greening the community in 2004, regulations and service providers made it impossible to receive a benefit for any excess power that was put into the power grid.

Soon after the installation of Canmore’s solar electric system, the Government of Alberta, bowing to growing pressure, issued the Micro Generation Regulation in early 2008 to allow credit for power sent from these small units into the grid.

However, such solar energy systems aren’t a total substitute for conventional energy.

If there isn’t enough sun, a conventional system is on standby to ensure energy needs are met.

Lloyd Smith, Canmore’s facility operations supervisor, said a number of lessons have already been learned from these projects.

First, look for installers certified by the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) because they will have the requisite training.

Second, beware of roof load limitations.

A structure must be able to support the added weight of the installation. If necessary, a structural engineer should be consulted.

Third, be aware that any roof penetrations on a retrofit may interfere with a builder’s warranty or insurance. They must be made by a qualified professional roofer.

With these lessons in mind, Smith said a number of solar energy projects are planned for Canmore in 2009, including a seniors’ centre, public works building and even individual homes.

Civic planners are encouraging all forms of sustainable techniques, including LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.

The town’s civic centre is already rated LEED Silver.

Solar electric doesn’t yet make a lot of economic sense for smaller systems, but Smith said he thinks the breakeven point will come by 2015.

Solar hot water already makes economic sense.

In addition, he believes that provisions for both will be part of a builder’s rough-in within ten years.

Domenico is even more enthusiastic about the future of residential and commercial solar energy, especially for solar hot water.

Events of the past 18 months demonstrate that savings of 20 to 50 per cent in energy operating costs are possible.

In addition, solar electric, hot water and air (space heating) systems reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The solar hot water that the Zamboni uses will save 140 tonnes of GHG emissions over 20 years compared to using a natural gas boiler.

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