Sycamore Energy has declared Moose Jaw to be their provincial base of operations, and the company is broadcasting the benefits of incorporating solar energy into the average utilities lineup.
At a breakfast presentation hosted by the Moose Jaw & District Chamber of Commerce, Sycamore Energy CEO Alex Stuart outlined the details of installing solar energy panels to supplement a property’s SaskPower meter.
The solar panel system is connected directly to the power meter and feeds into the breaker panel and onto the grid. In this way, solar power collected is pushed through the meter and collects as a credit, so when the sun has disappeared and regular power begins being used, it eats away at those credits with no cost.
Credits are held over for three years before they disappear, and the system is warrantied from both the company and the manufacturer — and has even withstood the nastiest of hail.
Installation can take from four to six months from initial inspection, said Stuart, but the long-term benefits are worth the time and money.
“For the first time, you have the opportunity to own your own generation [of power],” said Stuart. “And that’s a powerful thing.”
SaskPower bills have recently been increasing — a reported 27 per cent increase in the last five years — and Stuart emphasized that the use of solar energy could mitigate those increases. If a large enough system is used, power bills can be zeroed out completely.
“Right here, we have the best sun in Canada. It’s a point of pride,” said Stuart. “If you compare the amount of energy that’s hitting the planet here to anywhere else [like Victoria or southern Ontario] hands down, this is the best solar resource anywhere, so this is a harvest you’re not capturing. This is a resource you’ve yet to put to work.”
Stuart noted that it's an investment in the future; the long-term stability could end up benefiting the next generation who will use it.
He also noted that while the panel systems are meant for personal consumption, larger megawatt systems can be set up through a rebate program of SaskPower’s to sell back to them through a long-term contract.
