Solar PV Arrays on 12 Edmonton Public Schools  

This project was funded through the Solar for Schools Program

Edmonton School District No. 7

2023Completion Year

2900kWInstalled Capacity

$6,285,551.70Project Cost

$259,850.1Cost Savings

$3,225,763.25MCCAC Funding

11.78 Simple Payback Period

2,598,501 kWh/yearElectrical Energy Savings

1,481.15 tonnes CO2e/yearGHG Reductions

Greenhouse gas emissions reductions for this project are calculated based on Alberta’s Carbon Offset Emission Factors Handbook Version 2.0

Overview 

As part of the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre’s Solar for Schools Program, Edmonton School District No. 7 installed a total of 2.9 MW solar PV systems on the following 12 schools: 

  1. Dr. Lila Fahlman EJHS – 234.3 kW
  2. Hilwie Hamdon EJHS – 317.3 kW
  3. J Percy Page HS – 270.9 kW
  4. Svend Hansen EJHS – 266.7 kW
  5. S Bruce Smith JHS – 218.8 kW
  6. Shauna May Seneca EJHS – 311 .7kW
  7. John D Bracco JHS – 107.1 kW
  8. Const. Daniel Woodall ES – 344.7 kW
  9. Velma Baker School – 65.7 kW
  10. David Thomas King EJHS – 330.8 kW
  11. George P Nicholson ES – 341.9 kW
  12. Mary Butterworth JHS – 86.9 kW 

The solar PV system will generate 2,598,501 kWh of electricity per year, saving School District No. 7 around $259,850.1 in energy costs per year. The total project cost was $6.3 million with more than 50% of costs covered by the Solar for Schools Program.  

Approach 

The project was initiated in the spring of 2022 and completed in the winter of 2023. 

Results 

The project is expected to reduce emissions from the school by 1,481 tonnes of CO2e per year, which is equivalent to removing 454 passenger vehicles from the road annually. With the project complete, education around renewable energy will be integrated into the school curriculum where students will learn how solar energy technology functions and the different types of solar PV installation. Students will also gain insights into the conversion of solar energy into electrical and thermal energy.  

Edmonton Public Schools is proud to have been approved to participate in the Solar for Schools Program offered by the Municipal Climate Change Action Center (MCCAC). The Division is committed to sustainability and modeling environmental citizenship through our schools. The MCCAC partnership supported the addition of solar arrays on 12 Division schools, doubling the number of Division schools benefiting from solar energy. This work not only yields energy savings and efficiencies but has also proven to provide great learning opportunities in classrooms.

Trisha Estabrooks, Board Chair 

Interested?

Read more about the Solar for Schools Program

View Program