How to get Solar onto Condos in the Bow Valley

Why is this important?

Environmental reasons to install solar panels. Our planet is heating up; the climate crisis insists that we make the transition to lower carbon, renewable forms of energy.  The majority of electrons generated in Alberta come from the burning of natural gas, a carbon intensive fossil fuel. In the words of one pundit: ‘Electrify Everything Now.’  Further, Canmore has a great solar resource, with an estimated 312 sunny days per year.

Economic reasons to install solar panels:

Recently the price of installed solar has been decreasing, while the price of electricity from the grid - generated by natural gas - has been increasing. This trend is very likely to continue, as coastal Liquid Natural Gas facilities open, reducing the current glut of natural gas in Alberta, and increasing its cost. Scheduled increases in the federal carbon tax will only make natural gas even more expensive.

Grants and subsidies exist to help defray the cost of solar:

  • Both Canmore and Banff have programs to subsidize the cost of installing solar energy

  • The Canada Green Homes initiative currently provides up to a $5000 grant and loans of up to $40,000 to support installation costs

  • Rocky Mountain Community Energy, through its Solar Club, offers the owners of solar panels a chance to sell generated electricity at a premium, and (during the less sunny months) buy electricity from the grid at a much lower rate - an economic driver that reduces the solar panel payback period to just a handful of years. 

Solar Condominium Case Studies

  • Iplace

  • Cascade

  • Banff  

Next Steps

The Biosphere Institute supports an informal network of interested condo owners and stakeholders seeking to accelerate the installation of solar on condos; we are also working towards an information evening for interested condo owners, condo association boards, and property managers.  Click here to contact Gareth or more information.