IQALUIT
The time has come for Nunavut to join the rest of Canada in efforts to transition toward renewable energy generation.

Bruno Pereira, president of Qulliq Energy Corporation, says it's a good time to be looking at renewable energy options after a Northern summit held in Iqaluit Sept. 15 to 17. - photo courtesy of Qulliq Energy Corporation

That much was evident at the Arctic Renewable Energy Summit held in Iqaluit Sept. 15 to17.

"There was overwhelming interest in renewable energy, getting off the dependence on diesel. That was pervasive throughout the whole summit. We're all on the same page on that," Qulliq Energy Corporation president Bruno Pereira told Nunavut News/North.

"There was also the technical part. Discussion on the technology, how it's maturing, how it's at a good stage. It's a good time to be looking at renewable options."

Representative from Alaska, the Northwest Territories, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, a Russian renewable energy expert and the president of Tugliq Energy Co. of Quebec, among others, participated in the summit, hosted by the World Wildlife Fund-Canada, the governments of Canada and Nunavut and Qulliq.

Nunavut is behind other Northern jurisdictions in terms of renewable energy, admits Pereira.

"Alaska is probably the best story in terms of renewable. They have 60 communities and renewable projects, but they've benefitted tremendously from their oil funds. I believe they had $459 million from the oil to support those efforts."

Along with lack of funds, Nunavut has a lack of roads, not to mention aging infrastructure which needs a great deal of attention.

"We're investing quite a bit in renewing our existing infrastructure. We have old diesel plants. We're redoing them so they're more efficient, greener plants, because they're going to be the go-to energy-supply source even if we have renewable. We need to have that reliability there for our customers," said Pereira.

"So one of our biggest challenges is financing. Nunavummiut already face what's one of the highest electricity rates in Canada. Any additional investments mean that they're going to be paying more."

Rates already range from 60 cents in Iqaluit to $1.04 in Kimmirut, per kilowatt hour, as compared to Ontario which is around the 27-cents mark. Albertans pay eight cents. And as Pereira notes, Ontarians are none too happy at recent rate hikes.

"So the cost, that's our biggest challenge."

Pereira hopes the financial picture will improve.

"We see some very promising indications with the current government in Ottawa and we look to our friends in Ottawa to help us with that funding," he said.

Baby steps into the future

Qulliq will launch net metering for residential customers in the spring of 2017.

"Residential customers can, with solar panels for example, generate renewable energy. They can use it to offset what they need to import from the grid. And if there's a surplus, if they generate more than they use in a given day, they have a credit for the amount they've exported into the grid."

There are currently no residential projects, to Qulliq's knowledge, but with a net-metering program in effect, homeowners may be encouraged to take the leap. The federal government does offer incentives.

Keeping in mind the territory's high rate of social housing, Pereira says the Nunavut Housing Corp. has reached out to him.

"We're going to be having some discussions about how this will apply for housing that's not owned by individuals," he said.

Eventually Qulliq also hopes to offer net metering to community projects, such as those in Kugluktuk and Clyde River. But those projects are not currently connected to the grid.

"We're taking a broad look. Qulliq along with the Government of Nunavut are working together to look at the innovative and effective policies so that we can best incorporate the renewable energies into our supply mix," said Pereira. "There's lots for us to do but we're looking at how we can get there. We do see the GN as our partner. We want to see policy for all of Nunavut, not just a solution on a one-for-one basis."

Qulliq installed its own solar array project in Iqaluit this past March.

"We're analyzing the performance of that installation. The panels have performed much better than we anticipated."

Next step, tied to that specific project, is to install and test a battery storage system.

"That helps with the stability of the electrical grid. We're hoping to get some funding to help with that process," said Pereira.

The wind is also a source of energy and, in the hopes of harnessing those mighty powers, Qulliq commissioned and received a wind mapping study, completed earlier this year.

The study looked at wind capabilities in Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, Arviat and Sanikiluaq.

"We looked at those as having the most potential out of all the communities in Nunavut. Our next step is to install some wind monitoring equipment and collect data over the course of the year to better establish what we can expect. Again, we're looking for funding from our federal partners."

Pereira also notes Qulliq, Yukon Energy, ATCO Electric and the Northwest Territories Power Corporation have each pledged $50,000 a year for five years for a Northern Energy Innovation Chair at Yukon College. That funding will be matched by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

"The purpose of that chair - Dr. Michael Ross will be leading - is they will be conducting applied research on integration of renewable energy into isolated community grids, and that will include energy storage and optimizing efficiency."

During the summit, the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy presented new research that shows millions of dollars in savings for some Nunavut communities by shifting to more renewable energy generation, according to a press release.

For example, the research shows that for Arviat, close to 60 per cent renewable energy penetration will result in a cost reduction of approximately $2.5 million over 10 years, which is about 10 per cent in savings in terms of overall costs and an almost 40 per cent reduction in diesel use.

The Hamlet of Arviat, in a letter of support, stated its commitment to any efforts to increase the use of renewable energy in the territory, for both environmental and economic reasons as "the case for renewable energy in Nunavut has been convincingly made," according to the news release.

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