Key Takeaway:
- A large solar panel array situated just north of Whitehorse is now up and running.
- The south-side array of 4,000 solar modules is different from various projects because it uses panels that generate power
A large solar panel array situated just north of Whitehorse is now up and running.
It’s new in northern Canada, according to the company that developed it.
Solvest Northern Solar Solutions recently completed the North Klondike solar power plant. Solvest says the array is the first megawatt-scale Independent Power Production project in northern Canada to be attached to the power.
According to the firm, work on the solar array from development to the end of construction took two and a half years, but the result will be at least 25 years of renewable power sold into the Yukon’s power grid.
In 2018, the Yukon government launched a power producer policy that will allow entrepreneurs and First Nations governments to construct renewable projects and sell the electricity generated.
Technical specs on the project by Solvest suggest that the project will produce 1.8 gigawatt-hours of energy per year. They say for this service the electricity needs of 180 homes per year while the sun is shining.
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The south-side array of 4,000 solar modules is different from various projects because it uses panels that generate power. The power generation from both sides picks up light reflected off the ground and direct lighting from the back of the array. This is advantageous on spring days in the Yukon when the days are long, but the land remains covered in snow. The 2-faced modules are expected to increase the facility’s output by 9 percent compared to single-faced panels.
Electricity generated from the panels can also warm up the boards to thaw snow. Still, Michael Schultz, Solvest’s operations manager, said some manual snow clearing would be done in February and March. Besides some annual maintenance, he said the panels don’t require much work or attention.
With the array north of Whitehorse complete, Schultz said Solvest assists their partners in two smaller private collections and two for First Nations.
Source-CTV News
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