Copy
View this email in your browser

The Sunshine Coast Community Solar Association wishes intern Khalid Kurshed a good school year as he returns to U Vic for his third year electrical engineering. With board director Gerry Pageau’s guidance, major reports (along with several smaller ones) for comprehensive energy audits of the SCRD buildings were completed. The final report with detailed appendices, includes carbon footprint data and priorities for upgrades to help SCRD decision-making. Khalid found working with the SCCSA to be a great experience and said, “I'm hopeful that if the energy conservation measures and solar designs I proposed are implemented, the SCRD buildings could become excellent models of energy efficiency.”

The Solar Association is pleased to announce that an array of 44 solar pv panels (420 watts each for a total of 18.5 Kw) on the Sechelt SPCA roof is now saving them money. 

Cody Kelso and mom Megan spear-headed the SPCA fund-raising effort with their amazing walk from Gibsons to Powell River. The SCCSA thanks the Sunshine Coast Credit Union for their grant and everyone who donated to the project. Thanks also to Gibsons Recycling for the donation of a level 2 EV charger, installed by the Sunshine Coast Electric Vehicle Association (SCEVA).

Megan Kelso also applied for and received a generous grant from the District of Sechelt’s Sunshine Coast Community Forest to replace the aging boilers with a heat pump system that along with solar thermal will mean that the Sechelt SPCA are well on their way to being a net zero operation. The natural gas hot water heater and space heating systems will be replaced with integrated solar and heat pump technology. Thank you Community Forest!


The SC Community Solar Association relies on the support of its membership. As of September 1st you can take out a $20 membership that will cover you for the following year. Please consider becoming a member or renewing your membership by following the membership link at  https://suncoastcommsolar.weebly.com 
 

Interested in joining the board and our team?  
   Contact us at suncoastcsa@gmail.com

 

SCCSA directors Gord Bishop, Gerry Pageau and Donovan Whistler along with intern Khalid Kurshed, visited the Meadow Park Recreation facility in Whistler. Board chair Gord Bishop says that a, “combination of solar thermal on the roof, geothermal in ground and integration with heat recovery /sharing within the facility achieves lower costs of energy consumed plus reductions in Greenhouse Gas emissions.” He noted that natural gas is only used  by bleacher seating area heaters on demand and that the installation of LED lighting has minimized BC Hydro expenses dramatically! 

         Solar Thermal at Meadow Park Facility in Whistler
'Blue Hydrogen' has been touted as an energy alternative but is actually worse than coal.
Enthusiastically pushed by the fossil fuel industry, a study has found huge emissions from its production. Blue hydrogen involves splitting gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, then capturing and storing the CO2 to ensure it doesn’t heat the planet. Not only is methane released in this process but large amounts of energy are required to separate and store the carbon dioxide, much of which escapes. Producing blue hydrogen creates 20% more greenhouse gases than coal, and 60% more than diesel. Here's the link:

 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/12/clean-fuel-blue-hydrogen-coal-study 
 
Solar board director Gerry Pageau is once again teaching a course through Elder College this fall about solar energy. Learn about the benefits of installing solar, and how to different systems and your site. Register at
https://sunshinecoasteldercollege.ca

As the world continues to experience some of its hottest temperatures on record, with devastating wildfires, drought and more, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and fossil fuels continue to be extracted and burned. The climate emergency is intensifying. In 2018, the IPCC revealed that the world cannot afford a global temperature rise of more than 1.5°C to avoid catastrophic climate change. With a federal election underway, be sure to check each party’s platform about what they will do to reduce carbon emissions and what targets they will aim for. Climate Action Network Canada indicate that Canada’s emissions reduction target should be 60 percent below 2005 levels in 2030 for Canada.
 
Copyright © 2021 Sunshine Coast Community Solar Association. All rights reserved.


Find us on the web at https://suncoastcommsolar.weebly.com/

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp