The Value of Northern Canada Solar Case Studies
While most people who are considering installing solar panels do so for the environmental benefits the financial viability of every system still needs major consideration. We have found this to be true for individuals, businesses and government organizations alike. However, one of the major hurdles everyone faces is that there is so little information available on the current costs and economic benefits of installing solar in the North.
We are firm believers that “knowledge is power” so we have started to publish a collection of case studies using real-life facts and figures that lay-out in black and white the exact cost and return on investment for solar projects under a number of different conditions. We will be adding case studies that will examine the cost of solar in residential, commercial, and remote industry (mining, oil and gas etc.) settings spanning The Yukon, NWT, and Nunavut.
We will also be splitting these up into what it takes to build a solar project in major population centers with year round road access such as Yellowknife or Whitehorse and more remote communities such as Inuvik, Cambridge Bay, Arviat etc.
Lastly, if you would like to receive notification emails every time we add a new case study please feel free to fill out the following form. We also welcome questions so feel free to call us or email the author whose contact information will be at the front and back of each document.
Research
Visit our YuKonstruct Solar Research Page to learn more about Northern Canada’s first research project comparing the performance of four different types of solar panels and their performance “North of 60.”
Commercial
A cost-benefit analysis showing how the Yukon and NWT renewable energy policies differ and what would be gained by increasing the allowable PV Solar system size to 50KW under Net Metering in the NWT.
Yellowknife 15KW Solar Case Study PDF
Using 2017 figures this short case study shows exactly what a commercial system costs under the current maximum allowed PV solar system size under the NWT Net Metering rules.
Inuvik 15KW Solar Case Study PDF
Similar to the above Yellowknife case study this examines the costs associated with installing a similar size system in a remote setting. While the total installation cost increase by roughly 50% the economics improve dramatically due to the higher costs of power.