A Jasper family is harnessing the power of the sun, after 16 solar panels were installed on its Connaught Drive home.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting,鈥� said Patti Urie, who has been researching solar energy for the past few years and finally took the plunge, hiring Great Canadian Solar to outfit her home.
鈥淪olar energy is the cleanest source of energy available on the planet and our house is perfectly set up for it鈥攚e鈥檙e south facing, we don鈥檛 have any trees shading us and our roof surface is without obstacles, it鈥檚 perfect,鈥� she said April 15 as two electricians worked on her roof.
The Uries chose a solar photovaltaic (PV) system to produce electricity for their home, as opposed to a solar thermal system that produces heat. The PV cells convert sunlight into direct current (DC) power, and an inverter then converts that DC electricity into the alternating current (AC) electricity used in their home.
The $11,000 project will allow the family to generate nearly enough electricity to power their home, however no more than that.
鈥淭he government doesn鈥檛 actually want you to be in the business of selling power,鈥� explained Urie, referring to Alberta鈥檚 Micro-generation Act, which was designed to allow installations up to the size of the owner鈥檚 annual consumption, but not above.
鈥淲e have room for another four panels on our roof, but we鈥檙e not allowed to put them on because we鈥檙e not allowed to install a system where we鈥檙e going to be selling our power.
鈥淪o they looked at our bills before they designed our system and they saw how much we鈥檙e using, then put in a system that works with the amount of power we鈥檙e using.鈥�
Although they will be generating most of their own power, the Uries will remain connected to the utility grid, so they can access electricity at times when their solar panels are unable to produce enough energy for their home鈥攆or instance, at night.
Urie said she鈥檚 excited to track how much electricity the panels create, as well as how much electricity her family is using.
鈥淚f we have a low-use month and a really sunny month, it鈥檚 possible that we could have a zero bill,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to see if that happens and inspired to use less energy for that reason.鈥�
When she started planning the project, Urie said she hoped the municipality would provide a rebate or incentive program to help with the cost, like it does with energy efficient appliances, but that didn鈥檛 come to fruition.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going into debt to do it, but it鈥檚 kind of one of those things where it鈥檚 the responsible thing to do,鈥� said Urie鈥檚 husband, Joe. 鈥淏ottom line, it鈥檚 just the right thing to do.鈥�
As the panels went up April 15, Urie sat on the front stoop, watching the progress.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 hope we inspire people to move in a positive direction.
鈥淲e鈥檙e more than happy to chat with people about our experience, the research I did and the different companies I鈥檝e looked at.
鈥淚 love talking about this stuff鈥攐ur number鈥檚 in the book, we still have a landline.鈥�
Nicole Veerman
[email protected]
