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Drawing energy from the sun Northwest Territories Housing Corporation commissions solar panel system in Fort Simpson
Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, August 8, 2013
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is hooking into the sun's energy in Fort Simpson.
A six-kilowatt solar panel system commissioned by the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation in Fort Simpson will provide electricity for the Stanley Isaiah Seniors Centre complex. The system, which will be mounted to this elevated framework, is expected to be operational by Aug. 15. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo
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The department has commissioned a six-kilowatt solar panel system. The 25 panels, which will be mounted on a framework on poles, will provide electricity for the Stanley Isaiah Seniors Centre and 20 cluster units nearby.
"We've been wanting to explore these green initiatives," said Taylor Speed, a technical manager with
the corporation in Fort Simpson. The corporation was able to take on this project as a result of receiving $50,000 in funding from the territorial government for energy initiatives.
The corporation also contributed $20,000. The $70,000 system is expected to create between 600 to 900 kilowatts of power per month during the summer.
This is equal to the typical power consumption for one residential unit during a winter month, said Speed.
When spread over the whole seniors centre complex, the solar panel system won't create huge savings, but will help to lower the operations and maintenance cost, he said.
The system has a 50-year lifespan and is expected to pay back the investment made on it in 12 to 15 years.
The corporation awarded the contract for the project to SkyFire Energy of Calgary, the same company that installed the solar panels at the Fort Simpson airport last year. Kiwi Electric Ltd. of Fort Simpson has been working on the project as a local contractor.
Work at the complex began last month. The system is expected to be fully operational by Aug. 15.
This isn't the corporation's first solar panel system. A similar project in Inuvik, also done by SkyFire, is already up and running.
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