St. Albert Dez Liggett Transit Facility Solar PV

OVERVIEW

As part of the MCCAC’s Alberta Municipal Solar Program (AMSP), the City of St. Albert installed a 301.2 kW solar PV system on the roof of their Dez Liggett Transit Facility.  This solar PV system, along with the fleet of fully electric buses housed and charged in the transit facility, was another step to help reduce the carbon footprint produced by the City of St. Albert. The project was completed in February 2018.

APPROACH

The solar PV array consists of 753 x 400 watt DC solar modules (panels) and 7 x 33.3 kW AC string inverters. It is expected to produce 321,299 kWh of electricity per year. The system supplies approximately one-third of the building’s electricity. The system has the potential to generate electricity for 44 homes and reduce annual GHG emissions by 189 tonnes. The City received a $125,000 rebate from Municipal Climate Change Action Centre for the purchase and installation of the solar panels.

RESULTS

The daily solar energy produced not only powers the electric bus chargers and building electricity requirements, but during lower power demand the remaining electricity flows to the power grid and provides the City with a regen credit. In 2019, the system produced 280,801.61 kwh which saved 110,075.20 KG’s of CO2 gas emissions and is the equivalent of 367.85 trees planted. The initiative to pilot electric buses charged by a solar PV system was brought forward by City Council and with the help of MCCAC funding the results will be long lasting for the community of St. Albert.