The City of Fredericton took a big step toward becoming a cleaner, greener city with the installation of its first municipality-owned solar panel array this week.
In making the announcement on Monday, Feb. 12, mayor Mike O’Brien said the small-scale array at Killarney Lake Lodge will help the city cut carbon pollution and lay the foundation for larger-scale projects to come.
The 17-kilowatt array, installed by Fredericton’s MJM Solar Solutions, is expected to produce between 18-20 per cent of the building’s annual energy needs.
The installation is a partnership between the city and NB Power’s Net Metering Program. The program lets homeowners, businesses, or, in this case, municipalities offset their power bill (and reduce their carbon pollution footprint) by connecting their own renewable generation source, like a small wind turbine or solar panels, directly to the grid.
We’re looking forward to more smart projects like this from Fredericton’s mayor and council!
Do you use renewable energy in your home? We’d love to hear about it!
Recommended links:
- Learn more about New Brunswickers who’ve said yes to solar power and energy efficiency upgrades through our video series, Green Energy: Making Informed Choices.
- Shiny rooftop on Priestman Street: FHS getting NB’s biggest solar array
- Widespread solar adoptation in NB inevitable: report
- New tricks of the trade(s): Iron & Earth helping to build Canada’s green economy
- Conservation Council’s Climate Action Plan for New Brunswick
- “That’s our goal – for someone else to come up bigger and better”