sunmine SOLAR project

Nov. 2, 2011

The City of Kimberley is collaborating with Teck Resources Limited and the EcoSmart Foundation to explore the feasibility of developing a one-megawatt peak (“MWp”) solar power plant on a brownfield site (south face of Concentrator Hill, former industrial lands for the Sullivan Mine) in Kimberley. The project would be the first on-grid large solar plant in BC and the largest in Western Canada.

Long considered a fringe technology, solar is now a proven and reliable technology for clean alternative energy production. As the technology continues to improve and production costs continue to decrease, solar is becoming more mainstream and is being used in many countries throughout the world.  Typically, solar panels carry a 25-year warranty.

Thirty-six years of weather data compiled at the Cranbrook airport indicates this region ranks as one of the highest solar intensities in Canada.  The data collected over the past eleven months at the Kimberley test site shows a higher reading than the airport even though the weather over this past year had a greater incidence of cloud cover than typical years.  The solar data from the airport and the SunMine site demonstrate that the available solar supply exceeds that required to efficiently and profitably operate the SunMine power plant.

The City of Kimberley anticipates that this project will be self-sustaining and pay for itself through the sale of the solar-generated electricity to BC Hydro through their Standing Offer program. The revenue received from the sale of energy will more than cover the loan payments and the annual operating.

The SunMine project demonstrates leadership and a commitment toward a more sustainable future for Kimberley. Other benefits include:

• The project will provide a long-term reliable revenue source for the City from the sale of solar-generated electricity (a clean and perpetually-available energy source!) to BC Hydro.
• The SunMine will strengthen Kimberley’s reputation as an innovative and dynamic community that is attractive to new businesses and investment.
• The project will help to diversify and improve resiliency in the local economy by inspiring innovative research and business opportunities based on clean energy and efficient technologies.
• The project will generate unique educational opportunities that attract researchers and educators to the community to study and learn from this innovative project.
• As the largest solar power plant in western Canada, the project will attract interest from other communities and organizations interested in using a clean natural resource to generate power. 
• The SunMine will ensure that Kimberley stands out from other communities giving us a unique competitive advantage to attract new businesses, residents and visitors.
• There is significant potential to increase these benefits through future expansion of the project beyond the initial 1MWp stage.