Alberta Solar

A Sunny Future with Municipalities

Programs in Alberta are at the Municipal Level

• Medicine Hat - Hat Smart• Medicine Hat- Power Plant• Edmonton – Solar Pilot• Calgary/Alberta Wide – Enmax

GreenMax Leasing Program• Okotoks Drake Landing

Medicine Hat Hat Smart

• HAT Smart I – Ended March 31, 2011– 50% of the cost up to $3000 solar hot water– 50 % of the cost up to $6000 solar electric– Approximately 40 homes install solar PV – 35 home install solar hot water.

• HAT Smart II– launching June 1st

– 100 - $1,000 incentive (towards ownership or a lease down payment)

– both hot water and electric– lease option is being offered in conjunction with Enmax.

Medicine Hat Power Plant

• 1 MW parabolic trough system• Furthest north a parabolic trough has

been tried• Tied to existing steam plant• $9M total cost of system• $3M from CCEMC (Climate Change and

Emissions Management Corporation)

Edmonton Pilot Program

• $200,000 program – target of ½ residential & ½ commercial

• $3 per installed watt up to $9,000 per residential & $18,000 per commercial installation

• Application period September 1 – 30 with installation by December 31, 2010

• Installations to meet minimum system requirements (e.g. orientation, grid connected)

Pilot Project Results17 residential installations– Average size: 2.4 kW – Total: 41 kW– Average cost: ~$7.07 per watt– Range: $4.57 – $9.12

5 commercial installations– Average size: 6.8 kW– Total: 34.2 kW– Average cost: ~$6.75 per watt– Range: $5.49 – $8.80

Recommendations

• Develop into an on-going program• Adjust incentive to maximize installs• Streamline approval processes and

increase City staff capacity• Accommodate east/west orientation• Allow more time for application and

installation (more quotes)• Provide stronger linkage to energy

efficiency initiatives

Enmax EasyMax

1.3 kW system $1500 install fee $40/month for 15 yrs $350 buyout at 15 yrs or continue

$40/month $14.5M investment by CCEMC (Alberta

carbon tax) 9000 installations expected over 5 years This is the only PV project funded by CCEMC

Drake Landing Okotoks

• Energy Center is now Net Zero with 17 kW grid tie solar array

• On track for 90%+ space heating this year

Municipal FIT Proposal

• Municipal FIT• Funded with local REC (Renewable Energy Certificate)

for municipal facilities energy consumption• Uses existing Micro Connect policy with Net Billing• Applicable in Alberta and BC• Encourages conservation as FIT paid only on export• Several municipalities have expressed interest• Eliminates need for provincial incentive/support