Canadian Solar Power Community
A small Canadian solar power community is showing the rest of North America how it is possible for entire neighbourhoods to go 'green' with solar panels. 52 households in the town of Okotoks, Alberta, have placed 800 solar energy panels on their garage roofs to help their community become self-sufficient. The solar power-heated community is a first for North America. And these forward thinking households now cover 90% of the annual heating and hot water costs. And they will save large amounts of carbon emmissions from being released into the environment. This Canadian solar power community produces 1.5 mega-watts of thermal power on a sunny day and supply heat to the district heating system. During summer months, the hot water created by the solar energy heads underground to transfer its heat to the surrounding ground. The stored heat is used to provide heat and hot water to the entire community throughout the winter. How neat is that? The houses are located close together so that the distance the fluid needs to travel is minimized, and the houses themselves are highly insulated. And it doesn't end there. As well as utilising solar energy, the actual houses themselves have been built using locally manufactured materials, and recycled material too has been used in construction. And the residents all practice water conservation. This is a great example of a community all pulling together to make a difference. So i have to say congratulations to the people of Okotoks, Alberta. You have done your town proud! Of course, if you can't get YOUR neighbours involved in something like this, you could always go it alone. And it needn't cost you the earth [sorry]. Solar energy can be installed relatively cheaply if you have some DIY skills. Click here for more details. To return to the main solar power in Canada page. To return to our main Total Solar Energy home page.
|
