Canadian firms Shift Clean Energy and Solar Earth Technologies have partnered to provide renewable solar energy to power the administrative operations of the Malahat First Nation on Vancouver Island.
Malahat First Nation is an indigenous government representing around 340 members with reserve lands located along the western shore of Saanich Inlet, near Victoria, British Columbia. It was the ninth tribe to be certified as a First Nation tribe in Canada.
According to Shift, the project is funded by the BC Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative and forms part of the Malahat Nations’ plans to become a more sustainable community and achieve energy sovereignty.
Under the first phase of the project, one of the Malahat Nation’s administration buildings will be transitioned to run entirely on renewable energy. Following this, Shift will work with the Malahat Nation to create a renewable energy microgrid.
The project will use Shift’s energy storage systems and Solar Earth’s solar power technology that transforms everyday infrastructure into a renewable energy source. Shift’s 30.5-kW photovoltaic system is composed of 54 individual rooftop panels and 119 of Solar Earth’s PV pavers.
The project is expected to reduce 18,300 kg of carbon emissions over its 25-year lifetime and produce enough energy to cover its operating costs.
“Malahat Nation is committed to sustaining administrative operations in a way that progresses environmental protection and honors the values of the community,” said Tristan Gale, the Malahat Nation’s Executive Director of Environment and Sustainable Development. “This project will accomplish this goal by capturing and storing the energy of the sun using a new solar power technology that turns a concrete or asphalt surface into a renewable energy source and ultimately reduces our dependence on BC Hydro.”
Shift Clean Energy provides energy storage solutions to decarbonize the marine transport industry and other hard-to-abate sectors. Solar Earth is a manufacturer of hardened solar power panels that can transform sidewalks, parking lots and other elements of everyday infrastructure into a new source of solar energy.
