The ENMAX Community Solar Fund was launched in 2021 to help communities adapt to the energy transition. The fund is a partnership between ENMAX Energy and The City of Calgary and a $5 million in-kind contribution from ENMAX Energy to designated community associations for rooftop solar installations to support sustainable and affordable energy.
The fund helps The City of Calgary on its path to net zero and benefits Calgary’s community associations by lowering utility costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions of city-owned buildings.
By the end of 2022, 13 community associations received solar photovoltaic installations through this funding. The total expected capacity of the solar photovoltaics at all 31 community buildings is 3 megawatts, which is anticipated to reduce on-site electricity consumption by up to approximately 3,300 megawatt-hours, with potential cost savings of up to approximately $422,000 annually.
These rooftop solar installations tap into some of the best solar resources in Canada, as Calgary is one of the sunniest municipalities with an estimated 2,390 hours of sunshine annually according to worldatlas.com. Nearly half of all selected community associations are expected to see 100 per cent or more of their building’s annual electricity consumption fulfilled by solar power, which will last for an expected system lifespan of 20 to 25 years.
If a community association’s rooftop solar generates more electricity than its building uses, the excess power is sent back to the grid, providing clean energy for other connected households. The community association receives bill credits for any electricity sold back to the grid, further reducing its utility costs. As a result, this project benefits local neighbourhoods by letting community associations free up funds for valuable community programming. Video link - https://youtu.be/rZwpPvZ04-M
