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B.C. awards “Solar Communities”

Seven British Columbia communities have been named “Solar Communities”. The communities selected are the cities of Richmond, Campbell River, Fort St. John and Grand Forks, the corporation of Delta, and the regional district of Nanaimo and member municipalities. Each of these communities will receive $5,000.

The funding, according to a B.C. government release, will enable the communities to further develop solar hot water programs and other solar initiatives in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean energy and a sustainable energy future.

“These seven new Solar Communities are showing how solar technology can be a part of their energy solution,” said Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. “We now have a total of 16 Solar Communities across B.C., with innovative and sustainable energy solutions like solar hot water to help us become energy self-sufficient, while improving the environment in which we live.”

On July 17, 2008, B.C. announced a $5-million investment in the SolarBC initiative to support six solar hot water programs, including installations on residences, local government buildings, First Nations homes, social housing, schools and the Solar Communities initiative.

“These Solar Communities will provide leadership by their innovative deployment of solar technologies and will become role models for communities across B.C.,” said Nitya Harris, executive director of SolarBC.

The SolarBC initiative supports the recently passed Clean Energy Act and the BC Energy Plan conservation and clean energy objectives. For more information on SolarBC, check out www.solarbc.ca.

June 4, 2010  By British Columbia