Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter
Alternate energy projects are taking wave across Canada, and Peace Energy Cooperative (PEC) invites the public to discuss their solar farm proposed for the Peace Region.
PEC will be holding a Public Engagement and Open House on May 4 at the Peace River Airport from 5-8 p.m., and PEC’s Don Pettit hopes many people attend.
“The Alberta Peace Region has an excellent solar resource, and our solar farm is likely to be the first of many as we transition to clean energy,” says Pettit.
“Anyone interested in the future of solar in northwest Alberta, even if it is just solar power for your home, farm, or municipal building, we hope you will come to our open house. Our Peace Energy team will be there to answer all your questions.”
The Peace River Energy Project is proposed as a 5-megawatt solar farm that will be located on 37 acres of pastureland 1 kilometre west of Peace River.
“Solar is now the least expensive and fastest growing energy source in the world,” Pettit says.
“Our solar farm project will give local residents an opportunity to invest in this new resource, giving everyone an opportunity to help in the fight against climate change, as well as local jobs and a lot of clean energy for the local grid,” he adds.
PEC is based out of Dawson Creek but once also had an office in downtown Peace River. They hope to provide our region’s residents the opportunity to become an active part of the global shift to renewable energy.
The Peace River Energy Project (PREP) will be a cooperatively owned, grid-tied solar farm that is slated for construction in 2024. The hope is this will be Western Canada’s first cooperatively financed, owned and operated solar farm with the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing pollution-free energy to the local grid.
“Solar is a remarkable, limitless, renewable, safe, and effective way to make electricity,” explains Pettit.
“As northwest Alberta’s first cooperatively owned and operated solar farm, we are making history near the Town of Peace River. We hope you’ll join us!”
PREP will provide the opportunity to create new jobs in the community and will allow for economic diversification in the green energy sector, a sector that is experiencing exponential growth across Canada and globally.
PEC hopes to create a template for other community-owned renewable energy projects by completing the project in 2023.
The company was also instrumental in helping the District of Hudson’s Hope install solar on nine different municipal facilities, which turned out to be the largest municipal solar project in British Columbia. A total of 510 kW of grid-tied solar, some roof and some ground mounted, were installed helping to save the community approximately $70,000 in energy bills each year. They were also leaders in the design and construction of the Bear Mountain Wind Park 15km southwest of Dawson Creek.
If you would like more information about the project, would like to become a PEC member, or would like to hear about their investment opportunities, please attend the open house on May 4 or call their office at (250) 782-3882.