School District 27 will be receiving a Community Improvement Award by Clean Energy BC for displacing diesel power generation at an elementary school southwest of Williams Lake.
Manager of Facilities and Transportation, Alex Telford said the solar and battery project at Naghtaneqed Elementary-Jr. Secondary School will be up and running next week.
“We are going to be keeping the generator; it will be a backup system and help provide charging for part of the battery system,” Telford said.
“But we’re putting in a complete photovoltaic power generating system, so it’s hopefully going to reduce our diesel energy costs by 80 percent at that site.”
Telford added the project will reduce the District’s total carbon footprint by up to 8 percent.
“We let out the project to Hakai Energy solutions, they were the contractor and they completed it in probably about two and a half months,” Telford said.
“I’m quite excited. I want to see it up and running next week.”
The District had applied for Carbon Neutral Carbon Project (CNCP) grant funding and received 100% funding of $450,000 in March 2019.
“This project accomplishes many things your school district should be proud of including displacing diesel power generation, decreasing operating costs and building a healthier community,” said the Clean Energy Association of BC.
Also to receive an award by Clean Energy BC is the Yunesit’in First Nation that recently celebrated the grand opening of the Tsilhqot’in Nation’s solar farm.
The awards ceremony will take place in Vancouver on Thursday, Nov. 7.