UNDERSTANDING SOLAR ENERGY IN ALBERTA

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The Alberta Real Estate Foundation has recently partnered with The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, The City of Edmonton and The City of Grande Prairie to advance the understanding of solar electric systems in Alberta. Through a $38,000 contribution the AREF made possible construction of a solar photovoltaic test bed atop Grande Prairie city hall. This test bed will operate in tandem with a City of Edmonton sponsored system installed at NAIT’s main campus.

 These solar reference arrays are designed to study the impact of snow and tilt angle on solar electric installations in Alberta’s rugged climate.

Project Overview

 Computer modeling tells us that Alberta has extraordinary solar electric potential. Big clear skies and cooler temperatures are the ideal environment for optimizing solar photovoltaic production. Although computer modeling is a necessary first step it requires some assumptions which can only be verified through real world testing. The solar reference arrays are the next step needed to understand system design and financial impacts of solar energy in Alberta.

 Reference Array Design

 The lower solar modules (panels) have been arranged in pairs at the most commonly found residential roof pitches. The fifth pair represents the latitude of the array location (55 degrees for GP, 53 degrees for Edmonton) and the sixth at 90 degrees to study the effects of wall mounting.

 To study the impact of snow the left-most module of each pair will be regularly cleared of all snow while the right side modules will be left to Mother Nature.

 NAIT’s Alternative Energy Program will be collecting and analyzing data from each module at five minute intervals for the full duration of the five year project.

Gary Willson becomes Chair for Foundation

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As of January 1st 2014, Gary Willson will take the reins from Jay Freeman to become the Alberta Real Estate Foundation’s 12th Chair of the Board of Governors.

Gary Willson is Principal of GW Associates Planning Consultants Ltd. as well as a Senior Associate with Delaney and Associates.

During his thirty plus years of community and environmental planning, he has been involved with a variety of planning projects throughout Northern, Western and Central Canada. An understanding of what people value in their environments and why, and how this can be incorporated in the decisions we make, policies we develop and the physical projects we design and build, continues to be a common thread to his work.

Gary is an active member of the Canadian Institute of Planners, the Alberta Professional Planners Institute and a certified trainer with the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2). A Past President of the IAP2 International Board, he has also been actively involved with the Environmental Services Association of Alberta and the Alberta Association Canadian Institute of Planners.

Gary will serve a two year term as Chair of the Board. His experience in planning, industry and community and stakeholder engagement will bring much value and new ideas to the Foundation.

The Foundation would like to express their deepest gratitude to Jay Freeman who will be stepping into the role as Past-Chair. His leadership and vision has helped enhance the Foundations profile and reach throughout the Province.