2023Completion Year
920kWInstalled Capacity
$1,532,031.15Project Cost
$109,043.8Cost Savings
$766,015.6MCCAC Funding
7.02Simple Payback Period
1,090,438 kWh/yearElectrical Energy Savings
621.55 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, Calgary School District No. 19 installed a total of 920 kW of solar on six Calgary Public Schools.
- Senator Patrick Burns School Expansion – 100 kW
- Annie Foote School – 100 kW
- Jack James High School – 140 kW
- Central Memorial High School – 300 kW
- A.E. Cross School – 140 kW
- Louis Riel School – 140 kW
The solar PV system will generate 1,090,438 kWh of electricity per year, saving School District No. 19 around $109,043.8 in energy costs per year. The total project cost was $1.5 million with 50% of costs covered by the Solar for Schools Program.
Approach
The project was initiated in the winter of 2020 and was completed in the winter of 2022.
Results
The project is expected to reduce emissions from the schools by 621.55 tonnes of CO2e per year, which is equivalent to removing 190 passenger vehicles from the road. 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.
We are so excited to have the opportunity to look at the positive impacts of solar energy use in our building. Energy use and conversions and human impacts on the environment are major components of many of our science course curriculums and it’s exciting to get to see the real-time impacts these solar panels will have on the operation of our building.
Sarah H., Math & Science Learning Leader
As a Science Teacher, I am incredibly excited that we will have solar panels installed on our roof to offset our reliance mainly on fossil fuels as a school community. There are several clear connections in the curricular learning outcomes across all grades in Science to explore how energy can be transferred from sunlight to usable energy. As well, the ability to analyze real-time data about how the solar panels are working will present fantastic, unique learning opportunities for our classes. I can’t wait to see the panels ‘in action and get started with sharing this excitement with our students!
Mike R., Science teacher
By investing in on-site generation capacity the CBE will reduce its long-term energy costs and make practical use of a free natural resource, the sun. Local generation eliminates transmission losses and helps to stabilize and reduce risks to the provincial energy grid. By diverting consumption from high-carbon sources, such as coal-fired power plants, to a carbon-free source, PV projects contribute in a meaningful way to the CBE target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Senior Leader
