The Alberta Municipal Solar Program launched in 2016 and since then, 18 municipalities have taken part.
The $5 million program provides rebates to municipalities that install solar panels on public buildings, and the province said so far, municipalities are saving over $391,000 on power bills annually.
“In Banff, the program is supporting a 280 kilowatt system for a recreation centre which saves about $28,000 per year in energy costs,” said Buck Buchanan, AUMA. “Northern Sunrise County in the Peace Region has installed a 20 kilowatt system on one of their fire halls which will save $3,000 per year in energy costs.”
Didsbury is one of the most recent recipients of rebates for solar panels, and municipal representatives said it just makes sense to use the technology.
“Alberta has got to be, if not the best, one of the best places for solar energy in the world, we’ve got a gift here that I think we need to realize we can maximize,” said Al Kemmere, Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties.
The payback on solar energy is still a long-term prospect, with Didsbury needing to take 14 to 18 years to pay back the system before it turns a profit, even with the rebate, said Kemmere.
The province is getting ready to step up the program by offering it to homes and businesses starting in May, according to the minister.
“What we are encouraging people to do right now if they are interested in residential or commercial solar on their business or on their home is to get three quotes from existing providers to get a sense if they are a good candidate, whether the rooftop has the right kind of real estate for solar, and get a sense of the cost and other permitting that might have to happen with the municipality and with the Alberta Utilities Commission,” said Environment Minister Shannon Phillips.
Phillips said she had an energy audit done on her own home and personally will not be taking advantage of the solar program.
“In my house, it’s a 1912, it could use a bit more insulation first,” she said.
For more information on the Alberta Municipal Solar Program, log on to The Municipal Climate Change Action Centre website.
