By Deanna McArthur and Samantha Prior
Residents in the Black Diamond and Turner Valley area will begin to see an increasing number of solar arrays in the community thanks to a new solar program introduced by Foothills Energy Co-op.
Managed by a local volunteer board, the Foothills Energy Co-op markets electricity, natural gas, and green energy to the residents of the foothills area. Energy consumers who sign-up with the Co-op will see the profits of the Co-op reinvested back into their own community.
The Foothills Energy Co-op have been reinvesting their profits into helping green the grid, all while offering consumers low competitive energy prices without government subsidies in any part of their business.
The Co-op recently announced that a portion of those revenues will be used to fund a new solar program. Their flagship project was installed on the Westwood, a popular local café and entertainment venue in Black Diamond.
“Our region is blessed with the gift of more than 300 sunlit days every year,” said Graham Lettner, executive co-ordinator of Foothills Energy Co-op. “Increasingly efficient solar technologies allow that gift to flow through our homes and businesses. The FEC Solar Program seeks to expand the circulation of that gift to share it with our neighbours and the wider community. By fostering the capacity for sharing in our community we contribute to the underlying health and vibrancy of our region.”
Through this innovative program, the Co-op is going to team up with a solar partner to install solar arrays and produce electricity locally, using the rooftops of foothills-area buildings. The co-op funds the initial cost of installing the solar array as well as the maintenance. In return, the savings that the partner receives from the project will be shared with the co-op and used to fund future solar projects within the community. This means greater green energy consumption for the Foothills area.
“It is a tremendous community initiative that will provide terrific exposure within the community, plus it’s the right thing to do,” said Mike Kingston, the owner of the building that the Westwood is in.
“Members have contributed a little bit every month through the purchase of their natural gas and electricity through the Co-op,” said Lettner. “It's their generosity that has allowed us to fundraise for this project on the Westwood.”
The solar project, installed by Goose Creek Renewable Energy, is slated to begin generating electricity at the end of October and includes a 3-kilowatt solar array on the roof of the building capable of producing about 4,000 kWh a year.
The Westwood, being a central hub within Black Diamond, is a perfect location for this landmark project. While this project will not make the Westwood net-zero, it will reduce its electricity bill considerably and can be expanded on in the future, moving it closer to that net-zero goal.
When one of the local business owners heard about this project, she said she knew a perfect poem that ended up making a later impact on the project. “We adopted the poem as the ethos behind this solar program because fundamentally this is a project about generosity in our community and working together,” says Lettner. Here is that poem:
The Foothills Energy Co-op is a part of the Utility Network and Partners Energy Marketer program, which helps entrepreneurs, municipalities, and community groups enter Alberta’s electricity and natural gas retail market.
“This project is a perfect example of how a group of passionate people can come together and find an innovative way to support green energy projects in Alberta,” said Nick Clark, Director of Utility Network and Partners. “These types of initiatives are exactly what we envisioned when we started our Energy Marketer program. Congratulations to Foothills Energy Co-op!”
In support of the Co-op’s push towards greening the grid, UTILITYnet will green 30% of the electricity consumption of any new customers who sign up with the Foothills Energy Co-op before the end of 2019, for free, through the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).
“UTILITYnet’s generosity and unique business model has broken down barriers for entry into Alberta’s energy market which has made it possible for groups like us to market the sale of energy locally and keep the profits for things that locals felt were important to their community,” said Lettner. “The gift of RECs at no cost to the Co-op, will be a great way for new customers to further support greening Alberta’s grid.”
All consumers in the foothills area are encouraged to join the Foothills Energy Co-op as your local energy provider and help make a difference in our community. For more information or to sign up for electricity or natural gas with Co-op, click here.
Managed by a local volunteer board, the Foothills Energy Co-op markets electricity, natural gas, and green energy to the residents of the foothills area. Energy consumers who sign-up with the Co-op will see the profits of the Co-op reinvested back into their own community.
The Foothills Energy Co-op have been reinvesting their profits into helping green the grid, all while offering consumers low competitive energy prices without government subsidies in any part of their business.
The Co-op recently announced that a portion of those revenues will be used to fund a new solar program. Their flagship project was installed on the Westwood, a popular local café and entertainment venue in Black Diamond.
“Our region is blessed with the gift of more than 300 sunlit days every year,” said Graham Lettner, executive co-ordinator of Foothills Energy Co-op. “Increasingly efficient solar technologies allow that gift to flow through our homes and businesses. The FEC Solar Program seeks to expand the circulation of that gift to share it with our neighbours and the wider community. By fostering the capacity for sharing in our community we contribute to the underlying health and vibrancy of our region.”
Through this innovative program, the Co-op is going to team up with a solar partner to install solar arrays and produce electricity locally, using the rooftops of foothills-area buildings. The co-op funds the initial cost of installing the solar array as well as the maintenance. In return, the savings that the partner receives from the project will be shared with the co-op and used to fund future solar projects within the community. This means greater green energy consumption for the Foothills area.
“It is a tremendous community initiative that will provide terrific exposure within the community, plus it’s the right thing to do,” said Mike Kingston, the owner of the building that the Westwood is in.
“Members have contributed a little bit every month through the purchase of their natural gas and electricity through the Co-op,” said Lettner. “It's their generosity that has allowed us to fundraise for this project on the Westwood.”
The solar project, installed by Goose Creek Renewable Energy, is slated to begin generating electricity at the end of October and includes a 3-kilowatt solar array on the roof of the building capable of producing about 4,000 kWh a year.
The Westwood, being a central hub within Black Diamond, is a perfect location for this landmark project. While this project will not make the Westwood net-zero, it will reduce its electricity bill considerably and can be expanded on in the future, moving it closer to that net-zero goal.
When one of the local business owners heard about this project, she said she knew a perfect poem that ended up making a later impact on the project. “We adopted the poem as the ethos behind this solar program because fundamentally this is a project about generosity in our community and working together,” says Lettner. Here is that poem:
Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth. You owe me. Look what happens with a love like that. It lights the whole sky.
Further Greening the Foothills Area
The Foothills Energy Co-op is a part of the Utility Network and Partners Energy Marketer program, which helps entrepreneurs, municipalities, and community groups enter Alberta’s electricity and natural gas retail market.
“This project is a perfect example of how a group of passionate people can come together and find an innovative way to support green energy projects in Alberta,” said Nick Clark, Director of Utility Network and Partners. “These types of initiatives are exactly what we envisioned when we started our Energy Marketer program. Congratulations to Foothills Energy Co-op!”
In support of the Co-op’s push towards greening the grid, UTILITYnet will green 30% of the electricity consumption of any new customers who sign up with the Foothills Energy Co-op before the end of 2019, for free, through the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).
“UTILITYnet’s generosity and unique business model has broken down barriers for entry into Alberta’s energy market which has made it possible for groups like us to market the sale of energy locally and keep the profits for things that locals felt were important to their community,” said Lettner. “The gift of RECs at no cost to the Co-op, will be a great way for new customers to further support greening Alberta’s grid.”
All consumers in the foothills area are encouraged to join the Foothills Energy Co-op as your local energy provider and help make a difference in our community. For more information or to sign up for electricity or natural gas with Co-op, click here.