http://terratek.ca/index.php/news/ en landon@terratek.ca Copyright 2012 2012-04-02T20:34:57+00:00 http://terratek.ca/news/post/richmond_mini_to_install_largest_pv_array_on_dealership_in_bc/ http://terratek.ca/news/post/richmond_mini_to_install_largest_pv_array_on_dealership_in_bc/#When:20:34:57Z Auto West Group Proud to Announce Construction of Largest MINI Dealership in the Nation VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Feb 02, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Auto West Group is proud to announce that it has begun construction on what will become the largest stand-alone MINI dealership in Canada. Located at 10700 Cambie Road in Richmond, B.C., MINI Richmond is currently undergoing an extensive facelift that will not only make it the largest stand-alone MINI facility in the country, but also one of the most environmentally sustainable dealerships in Canada. When completed in Summer 2012, MINI Richmond will showcase the largest solar panel installation on a car dealership in the province - 168 solar panel modules will be installed on the rooftop, creating energy that will offset the dealerships carbon footprint. With over 25,000 square feet of operating space, the building's exterior will be ignited by incorporating a full size MINI exploding out of the showroom, surrounded by bands of colourful accent LED lights that incorporate MINI's design standards. The existing service area will be extended to allow for additional capacity, and an enhanced showroom and display area will reflect MINI's bold and customizable features. MINI Richmond will also be fully loaded with EV charge stations to meet the future demand of electric cars. "As the largest MINI theme park in Canada, this facility will offer our customers a completely unique MINI experience," said Joachim Neumann, founder of Auto West Group. " In addition, we're proud to be implementing the green technology and creating a space that is equipped for a new era in the automobile industry." Additional green features include four south-facing green walls that will keep the dealership cool in the summer months. An underground storage tank will also be installed to retain storm water runoff that will be re-used to irrigate gardens, lawns and green walls, reducing water consumption. ABBARCH Architecture Inc. provided structural and interior design services for the renovation of the existing 12,300 square foot dealership to allow room for upcoming product lines and to fulfill the dream for a unique MINI experience for customers. The MINI Richmond facility is anticipated to open its doors in Summer 2012. For progress on this project or to visit the existing MINI Richmond location, visit www.minirichmond.ca . About Auto West Group Auto West Group is one of Canada's premier luxury automotive groups. Operating out of the Vancouver area since May 1986, The Auto West Group is a top provider of luxury automobiles, offering an unparalleled purchasing experience. The Auto West Group has over 180 team members, two companies and three locations: Auto West BMW, MINI Richmond, and Auto West Infiniti. The company shines above the competition by providing personalized, hands-on service that truly exemplifies the luxury automotive industry. Amidst a competitive automotive landscape, The Auto West Group has maintained its edge and secured a significant, loyal customer base through their service levels, approach to business, and a deep appreciation for the brands they represent. At Auto West Group, we drive your automotive experience forward through passion, performance, and innovation. Click here for original article.   Grid-tied Power, Solar Photovoltaics 2012-04-02T20:34:57+00:00 http://terratek.ca/news/post/shawnigan_school_gets_20k_solar_boost/ http://terratek.ca/news/post/shawnigan_school_gets_20k_solar_boost/#When:16:47:50Z A mellow, old Valley location is about to catch some rays. Shawnigan Lake School is getting a $20,000 grant from the province to install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on its campus. It's taken six months for the Valley private school to emerge as one of 11 institutions winning funding as part of a program operated by BC Sustainable Energy Association and SolarBC. The idea is to help decrease hydro and energy costs and a total of 51 applications for funding were submitted from public and private schools across the province. SolarBC has committed to contributing 90 per cent of the total project costs to a maximum of $20,000 for each school. Shawnigan's funding is going towards the installation of a 2.5 kW PV panel. The final schools were selected by a committee consisting of representatives from the Ministries of Education and Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, and SolarBC. Selection criteria was based on quality of the application, the ability of the school to showcase a PV system to the wider community, and geographic distribution across the province. The SolarBC initiative stipulates a number of commitments, which the school must fulfill in order to receive the grant. One of the main requirements is ensuring student involvement in the design, siting and installation of the PV system. Shawnigan science teacher Scott Noble, who has been a driving force behind the application as well, plans to work with his Grade 9 students this year. Lab work and fun activities such as solar car races will also be used to determine the best spot to capture the energy. Noble is thrilled. "Shawnigan is gradually moving toward becoming a fully sustainable institution. There are already many activities that students and staff are engaged in that support this cause, so I am confident that we will successfully incorporate activities into the academic program that promote solar power as a viable and worthwhile option as we strive to meet global energy demands," he said last week. The school must also monitor any savings, and report the results regularly to SolarBC as well as keep the project in the public eye. This may even include a real-time display of energy savings and evidence of the reduced carbon footprint. School officials also hope that, having seen the results of their project, students will spread the good word to their families Grid-tied Power, Solar Photovoltaics 2011-10-12T16:47:50+00:00 http://terratek.ca/news/post/sir_charles_tupper_receives_funding_for_solar_panel_installation/ http://terratek.ca/news/post/sir_charles_tupper_receives_funding_for_solar_panel_installation/#When:16:43:12Z The students and staff at Charles Tupper Secondary in Vancouver have been working toward the installation of a Solar Photo-Voltaic (PV) system for over 2 years. The VSB facilities department had originally supported the school through the installation of the bases to install solar-PV arrays and the school had also received the donation of a Power Inverter from Xantrax Corporation. However, despite this work the school and district had fallen short of the funding needed for the actual solar arrays. Almost 2 years later their efforts paid off when the school and district submitted an application for funding to Solar BC and the Province and they were rewarded for their efforts.   Tupper was given $20,000 for the installation of a Solar-PV unit to generate renewable electricity  - one of only 11 schools in BC that received this funding from the Province and Solar BC. "Since Charles Tupper Secondary had already installed the bases and received the Power Inverter through their own fund-raising efforts, the $20,000 can now be used to install a larger Solar-PV array and generate almost twice the electricity than it would have been possible otherwise", said Kirthi Roberts, Manager of Energy & Climate Action for the VSB. According to Roberts, it will now be the only School in Vancouver that will have both Solar Thermal Panels for heating hot-water and Solar-PV Panels for generating electricity. The school will be integrating Solar BC lesson plans as part of the curriculum and engaging the school community in raising awareness about solar energy and the benefits of renewable energy based systems.   Similar to the support provided to Tupper, the district's facilities department and the 'Energy & Climate Action Program' installed Solar Thermal Panels (water heating) at five Secondary Schools and completed lighting system upgrades in 18 schools with a few others presently underway. The district's information technology department also installed power management software on almost 10,000 computers. The VSB has been very supportive of these energy savings programs and has been able to obtain funds through external agencies such as BC Hydro, the Province of BC, the Ministry of Education, Solar BC and Natural Resources Canada. All of this funding goes toward the goal of advancing energy conservation, carbon reduction and sustainability district wide.   Original Story courtesy of Vancouver School Board 2011-10-12T16:43:12+00:00 http://terratek.ca/news/post/vanier_secondary_school_in_courtenay_now_harnessing_power_of_sun/ http://terratek.ca/news/post/vanier_secondary_school_in_courtenay_now_harnessing_power_of_sun/#When:16:36:31Z Last month, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School became the latest Comox Valley school to harness the power of the sun. Vanier received a $20,000 grant from SolarBC to purchase and install solar panels. "As both a graduate and former teacher at Vanier, I know this will be more than just a learning opportunity for the students — it's going to benefit our entire community for years to come," Comox Valley MLA Don McRae said in a news release. Vanier becomes the fourth school in the Comox Valley to use solar power, as Huband Park Elementary School, Mark R. Isfeld Secondary School and Highland Secondary School have also started using solar panels this year. SolarBC is providing a total of $220,000 to 11 schools across B.C. — $20,000 each — to purchase solar panels. In total, the 11 schools will generate about 29,500 kilowatt hours of electricity per year from solar power — about enough energy to power three homes per year, according to the release. The 11 schools will save about 712 tonnes per year in greenhouse gas emissions, which is equivalent to taking 140 cars off of B.C. roads, it noted. There are now 58 solar schools in B.C. — including  45  that have solar hot water and four schools that already have solar power through SolarBC grants.   Original Story on Comox Valley Record Grid-tied Power, Solar Photovoltaics 2011-10-12T16:36:31+00:00 http://terratek.ca/news/post/funding_for_solar_panels_at_vanier/ http://terratek.ca/news/post/funding_for_solar_panels_at_vanier/#When:16:13:35Z The future is looking a little brighter for students at G.P. Vanier. Solar BC awarded students a $20,000 grant for panels this month, making this the fourth school in the district to tap into solar energy. Twenty-five solar panels will go up this month and generate about 5,000 watts of electricity or enough to power lights in the school's main gym. "The school is trying to create a sustainable gym, that's what this was designed for," said Fred McGregor, manager of energy conservation for the Comox Valley School District. "In the process students will track output and learn what the technology means ... and get an idea of just how hard it is to create new energy. It's much easier to conserve and waste less." Steve Knight, vice-principal at Vanier Secondary, said students and teachers are looking forward to more hands on learning. Physics and engineering students will monitor how much power the panels are producing as a way of understanding the benefits of alternative energy. "This will make learning more real to students, while helping us reduce our energy consumption," he said. The solar panels will save the district about $2,000 annually. Vanier is not the first school to cut down on energy with solar panels. Huband Park Elementary, Mark R. Isfeld and Highland Secondary have all tacked panels onto roofs this year. McGregor says this is only the start. Next fall the school district will run a contest to see which two schools can conserve the most energy during the fall semester. The winners will receive solar panel prizes. "Solar energy could very well be the way of the future ... but for now we do this one school at a time as we get the grants," he said. Original Story Grid-tied Power, Solar Photovoltaics 2011-06-27T16:13:35+00:00 http://terratek.ca/news/post/tofino_adopts_solar_hot_water_ready_regulation/ http://terratek.ca/news/post/tofino_adopts_solar_hot_water_ready_regulation/#When:18:04:26Z The District of Tofino is one of 36 British Columbia communities adopting a new building regulation requiring all new single family homes to be built solar hot water ready. The new regulation, which came into effect June 21, promotes alternative energy use in the community. "Greening the building code is an important part of the provincial goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Rich Coleman, Minister of Energy and Mines and Minister Responsible for Housing. "It is one of many steps the government is taking to help us meet our energy conservation targets as our population expands and demand for electricity grows." According to a Ministry of Energy and Mines media release, making a house solar ready adds between $200 and $500 to the cost of a new home. "During construction, houses will be built to accommodate future installation of a renewable energy system. This includes having an area designated for a solar collector," states the media release. "Buildings will not be required to have the solar components installed." "It's encouraging to see so many communities work towards a cleaner future," said Coleman. Among the other communities adopting the regulation are the Greater Vancouver Regional District, City of Campbell River, and the Resort Municipality of Whistler. Original Story on Westerly News Solar Hot Water 2011-06-24T18:04:26+00:00 http://terratek.ca/news/post/west_vancouver_school_adds_sun_power/ http://terratek.ca/news/post/west_vancouver_school_adds_sun_power/#When:16:16:49Z Rockridge students earn B.C. solar panel grant Rockridge secondary students have turned a bright idea into 15 new solar panels that will soon be installed on the school's roof. The school is one of 11 chosen from 51 applicants by the provincial government's Solar BC initiative to receive a grant of up to $20,000 to install solar panels after three students in the school's environmental club did the legwork required to sort out the application and get the school staff on side. "We can't wait to actually see them on the roof and generating power," said club member Callum Kelpin, who spearheaded the project after seeing an advertisement in the newspaper along with peers Kelsey Dennison and Lisa Tejpar. Fifteen solar panels will be installed on the school's roof this summer, generating about 3.45 kilowatts of energy daily, compared to the school's total consumption of about 100 kilowatts a day. They will be connected to the electrical public grid, although the small size of the project means selling electricity back to BC Hydro isn't practical. Where the students really see the importance is in the classroom. Anyone will be able to check how much energy is being produced at any time using a special program on one of the school's computer terminals, they said, and the information will be updated regularly in postings in the hallway. As well, the panels will be used for educational purposes in science, math and even classes like social studies. "Students are more interested in learning about things that are tangible and that they can see," said Tejpar. They hope that will help encourage students to take action in other ways, added Dennison. "Students feel there isn't really anything they can do, so getting the solar panel is going to inspire a lot more people to take action about sustainability, because they see this is something they can do." All three students are passionate about the environment, something they say is becoming more common among their peers, especially with the school's environment club, now in its third year. Arlene Anderson, a teacher involved in the project, said until now the focus of students has been on dealing with the school's waste. Students have conducted three garbage audits since 2008, where they found that a huge amount of what ends up in the trash could be composted. Since then, they've put recycling collection in all the classroom and added composting, reducing 50 per cent of the school's waste, said Anderson. This is the first major project to branch out from that into clean energy, she said, and admitted she didn't have to do a whole lot herself. "This wouldn't have happened had they not pursued it; their follow-through is the reason we have it," she said. The $20,000 grant covered most of the $25,000 project, with the rest being paid for with funds the club raised during the B.C. Green Games earlier this year and a contribution from the school. Original Story on North Shore News Grid-tied Power, Solar Photovoltaics 2011-06-21T16:16:49+00:00 http://terratek.ca/news/post/cansia_launches_stand_up_for_solar_bc/ http://terratek.ca/news/post/cansia_launches_stand_up_for_solar_bc/#When:17:16:34Z Solar Association Launches Campaign to Shine Light on Solar Energy in BC Solar Association Launches Campaign to Shine Light on Solar Energy in BC Stand Up For Solar British Columbia encourages public dialogue on opportunities for solar in the province (VANCOUVER, BC) –  the SolarWest 2011 conference, the Canadian Solar Industry Association (CanSIA) announced the launch of Stand Up for Solar British Columbia, an advocacy campaign to showcase public and industry support for solar energy in British Columbia. Stand Up For Solar British Columbia will harness the power of social media to engage the public directly and offer the tools to promote clean, renewable energy source. “Solar energy is gaining momentum across Canada— in the last three years there has been a fifty-fold increase in solar energy use,” said Jon Kieran, CanSIA Chair and Director, Solar, EDF EN Canada Inc. “Stand Up for Solar British Columbia will encourage a public dialogue on the need to increase the reliance on solar in B.C. and how a diversified energy mix, which includes solar, can benefit the province both environmentally and economically.” “There is tremendous potential for growing the solar industry in British Columbia,” said Elizabeth McDonald, CanSIA President and CEO. “The Stand Up for Solar initiative will help the public, other energy partners and governments at all levels understand the true value that solar offers. Through education and dialogue, we hope to encourage more and more opportunities for solar energy in British Columbia.” Stand Up For Solar provides one site for consumers to provide input and demonstrate support for solar energy. By joining the Stand Up for Solar British Columbia movement, British Columbians will engage in a dialogue between the public, industry, government and utilities to contribute towards a positive environment for investment in solar energy production. The website is also an online resource that offers a number of educational tools for the public to learn more about how solar energy works, important facts and figures associated with the industry and advances being made in the development of solar equipment. British Columbians are considering ways to meet the province’s growing energy demand, whether through new infrastructure development or conservation projects, and solar energy has an important role to play the province’s energy future. Much of British Columbia receives more solar energy per year than Munich, Germany, the world’s leading country for adoption of solar energy technology. Additionally, solar creates more jobs than other energy resource (per kWh) and in British Columbia, the solar industry’s capacity and momentum is growing with a labour force of over 600 people across 200 businesses. To visit the Stand Up for Solar British Columbia website, go to: www.standupforsolar.ca. Original Story on  CanSIA   Solar Photovoltaics, Solar Hot Water 2011-06-13T17:16:34+00:00 http://terratek.ca/news/post/sir_charles_tupper_receives_20000_for_solar_panel_installation/ http://terratek.ca/news/post/sir_charles_tupper_receives_20000_for_solar_panel_installation/#When:14:10:48Z The students and staff at Charles Tupper Secondary in Vancouver have been working toward the installation of a Solar Photo-Voltaic (PV) system for over 2 years. The VSB facilities department had originally supported the school through the installation of the bases to install solar-PV arrays and the school had also received the donation of a Power Inverter from Xantrax Corporation. However, despite this work the school and district had fallen short of the funding needed for the actual solar arrays. Almost 2 years later their efforts paid off when the school and district submitted an application for funding to Solar BC and the Province and they were rewarded for their efforts.   Tupper was given $20,000 for the installation of a Solar-PV unit to generate renewable electricity  - one of only 11 schools in BC that received this funding from the Province and Solar BC. "Since Charles Tupper Secondary had already installed the bases and received the Power Inverter through their own fund-raising efforts, the $20,000 can now be used to install a larger Solar-PV array and generate almost twice the electricity than it would have been possible otherwise", said Kirthi Roberts, Manager of Energy & Climate Action for the VSB. According to Roberts, it will now be the only School in Vancouver that will have both Solar Thermal Panels for heating hot-water and Solar-PV Panels for generating electricity. The school will be integrating Solar BC lesson plans as part of the curriculum and engaging the school community in raising awareness about solar energy and the benefits of renewable energy based systems.   Similar to the support provided to Tupper, the district's facilities department and the 'Energy & Climate Action Program' installed Solar Thermal Panels (water heating) at five Secondary Schools and completed lighting system upgrades in 18 schools with a few others presently underway. The district's information technology department also installed power management software on almost 10,000 computers. The VSB has been very supportive of these energy savings programs and has been able to obtain funds through external agencies such as BC Hydro, the Province of BC, the Ministry of Education, Solar BC and Natural Resources Canada. All of this funding goes toward the goal of advancing energy conservation, carbon reduction and sustainability district wide. Original Story Here Grid-tied Power 2011-06-10T14:10:48+00:00 http://terratek.ca/news/post/solar_power_industry_seeks_higher_profile_government_support/ http://terratek.ca/news/post/solar_power_industry_seeks_higher_profile_government_support/#When:22:01:02Z VANCOUVER - Solar might be the renewable energy source that “can’t get no respect,” to borrow Rodney Dangerfield’s line. Costs — while steadily dropping — are viewed as a major obstacle to widespread adoption, and solar didn’t rate much of a mention in the B.C. government’s Clean Energy Act, adopted last year, according to speakers at the Solar West 2011 conference and trade show in Vancouver. The B.C. solar energy industry plans to boost its public and government profile with an awareness campaign called “Stand Up For Solar,” launched Tuesday at the conference. “The message in B.C. and elsewhere is ‘Get on the train now,’ because when solar is conventional energy, the jurisdictions that invest first are going to see industrial development in jobs that other jurisdictions are not going to see,” Jon Kieran, chairman of the Canadian Solar Industries Association, told conference delegates. One of the backdrops to the PR offensive is Ontario’s Green Energy Act, which has vaulted the province into a world leadership position in renewable energy by using subsidies to lure billions of dollars of investment in wind and solar power. B.C. has opted to focus on low taxes and targeted funding rather than financial incentives. The Ontario strategy has also become a political hot potato in the run-up to the Oct. 6 provincial election, with the opposition Progressive Conservatives threatening to scrap the subsidies. Mark Jaccard, professor of sustainable energy at Simon Fraser University, told delegates that solar has great potential due to improved economics, the global thirst for energy and the need to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But he cautioned those in the fast-growing industry to temper expectations and to avoid “delusions” and the universal tendency to be overly optimistic in their quest to develop clean energy. “Abandon the delusion that solar can soon compete with fossil fuels for more than niche markets,” Jaccard said. “They’re using the atmosphere as a free waste receptacle. You’re not.” In 1985, solar was expected to be cost-competitive with fossil-fuel-based energy by 2000, he said. Similarly optimistic projections are around today, Jaccard noted, such as the belief that solar will no longer need government incentives by 2025. One challenge for the renewable energy industry is the vast resource of natural gas that exists in North America and other areas of the world. Fossil fuels are plentiful and likely to remain cheap, Jaccard said. Another delusion is “naive financial analysis” that doesn’t factor in the extra costs and higher risk of investments with a long payback, Jaccard said. A homeowner, for example, is more likely to opt for a more efficient gas furnace and see an immediate drop in their energy bill than install costly solar panels. Effective climate policy requires higher subsidies for clean energy and more aggressive emissions pricing, he asserted, and lobbying becomes critical because politicians won’t act without pressure from the industry and the public. Jaccard advised the solar industry to aggressively lobby politicians for regulations requiring solar applications in new buildings and retrofits for existing buildings. Such technologies would be economic if emissions were priced properly, he said.   Full Story jkwantes@vancouversun.com   Solar Photovoltaics 2011-06-03T22:01:02+00:00