Edson Leader Tuesday, September 18, 2012 4:03:46 MDT PM
The “Take it or Leave it” Building will be the home to the new solar project. (Gord Fortin Edson Leader)
The “Take it or Leave it” building at the recycling depot will be the host of a sustainable solar energy project.
The project is a joint effort done by the Edson and District Recycling Society, Talisman Energy Inc and engineer Gordon Howell of Howell-Mayhew Engineering in Edmonton.
“This is a working demonstration project,” Anne Auriat, the manager of the Edson and District Recycling Depot, said.
The project will act as a demonstration for residents and professionals to go visit if they have any questions about solar energy. Auriat said that the project would be for learning purposes. All who come to visit are welcome to ask questions.
Auriat said that there has been demand from the public for information regarding solar energy. She hopes the project will be able to educate residents whom are seriously considering installing these systems in their homes or businesses.
“They want to do it and they want to put these ideas in their house but they are not sure of how to go about doing it,” she said. “That’s why we thought we’d put this in place.”
She said that some people might not have all the facts when it comes to this matter. She also hopes this programs clears up any misconceptions anyone has about solar energy.
She said there would be two parts to this project. The first part will be at the existing “Take it or Leave it” building. Solar panels will be installed on the north side of the building and will be connected to the existing internal wiring. The system will be designed to produce the energy needed to run the building. Once that amount is reached the excess will be thrown back into Fortis Alberta’s grid. There will be no battery tank on the system.
“When the system doesn’t produce enough energy, such as at night, the required energy is drawn from the grid,” she explained.
The second part will be at the new Take it or Leave it building. At that location they will be hooked into Fortis’ grid and a battery tank will be hooked up to store the energy.
Gordon Howell, a 30-year veteran in the field, will be designing and developing both systems.
“He is the guru of solar electric power within Western Canada,” Auriat said.
He said he is in charge of designing the system, gets all the permits, get the equipment and hires the contractors to get the system up and running.
“I commission it and work with the recycling depot over a year to make sure it is generating electricity,” Howell said.
Howell said that the site should be operational by the end of October. He said he is just finalizing his plans.
Howell said he hopes this plan educates people in regards to alternative energy.
“What I am interested in seeing is that this system would show people in Edson how the technology works,” he said.
He said that the price of solar energy has been going down and the price of grid energy has been going up. He predicts that soon they will both cost the same amount. He calls the phenomenon “grid parenting”.
He said that new infrastructure must to be developed for when this happens.
Jesse Kirillo, a Talisman spokesperson, said that Talisman’s role will be to provide the funding to get the project up and running. Kirillo said Talisman joined the project because they thought it would be a good community investment.
“From our perspective it is a great education piece,” Kirillo said.
Link to original Edson Leader Article