Welcome to Canada's First
Solar Park
What We Have Created |
There have been many advancements with the Vulcan Solar Park project. If you would like more information on the progress please check out http://vulcansolarpark.com/ for details.
It seems fitting that Vulcan, Alberta is home to the first solar park in Canada. After all this small town of fewer than 2,000 people loves making science reality out of science fiction. They built a replica star ship enterprise, and a space station-styled visitor centre while declaring themselves full-on Trekkies. Star Trek capital of CanadaWith it’s starship visitors centre, and it’s 5-ton replica star ship, Vulcan Alberta is selfie heaven! Photo David Dodge, GreenEnergyFutures.ca Vulcan is the Star Trek capital of Canada, so it’s not surprising we got a “live long and prosper” from Mayor Tom Grant soon after we arrived. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy, visited Vulcan in 2010 to pay homage to the town and its fascination with all things Trek. Let’s face it, if not for the Star Trek theme, Vulcan, Alberta would probably be known more for its A&W and gas station along Highway 23 than anything else. But it’s much more than that. There is a spirit and pride of place here. The town has embraced the seeming contradiction between their rich, agricultural history and space-age theme. More than just energyFor many, the term solar park conjures images of PV modules looking up from a utilitarian field. But this park is first and foremost a place to relax and play. The design of the solar art mimics the nine-in-a-line grain elevators that once made Vulcan one of the largest grain shipping centres in Western Canada. Photo David Dodge, GreenEnergyFutures.ca “We were looking at developing a showcase for renewable energy, but we wanted to incorporate that into the community,” says Kyle Green, Vulcan’s project manager for the solar park. Formerly a fenced-off brownfield, the site used to house an old bulk fuel sales business. Today, the site is home to green grass, an artistic assortment of solar installations, and a row of solar structures, which were designed resemble grain elevators. This solar installation concept of nine-in-a-line grain elevators came from local students. It pays homage to Vulcan’s history as a major grain shipping centre with nine grain elevators in a row along the CPR railway line. “The solar panels on them produce electricity that goes back into the grid and kind of gives you an idea of what the nine-in-a-linewould look like,” says Tom Grant, mayor of Vulcan. The solar system is only 23 kilowatts, enough to power two to three homes. However, energy production was not the primary goal for Vulcan’s solar park. Rather, the town wanted to create a green space out of a brownfield, educate people about solar energy and create a pleasant park space for residents and visitors alike. “The solar park is right downtown in Vulcan. And another side to that is the aesthetics,” says Kyle Green. Not Vulcan’s first green projectMatt Orr, a local entrepreneur designed and built the town’s solar tree. Photo David Dodge, GreenEnergyFutures.ca Before the solar park Matt Orr, son of a local businessman raised money to design and build a solar tree. It now sits close to the Starship Enterprise replica along the highway, a harbinger of the solar era that is dawning. Vulcan’s solar park was a unique way to build a park on a brownfield, showcase solar energy production and play off the town’s Star Trek theme, but Vulcan Country could also soon be home to a couple of very large solar projects. Alberta’s solar industry going warp 9EDF Energies has proposed to build a 77 megawatt solar project that would occupy six sections of land at the south end of Vulcan County. EDF is in a partner with Enbridge in the 300 megawatt Blackspring Ridge Wind Farm already built in the same area. The late, great, Leonard Nimoy visited Vulcan in 2010 to pay homage to the Star Trek Capital of Canada. Photo David Dodge, GreenEnergyFutures.ca Enbridge has plans to construct Alberta Solar One, a 10 megawatt solar project. This will feature Morgan Solar’s Sun Simba solar concentrating modules, which use a dual-axis sun-tracking system. Altogether, 372 megawatts of solar are in the planning stages for Alberta. This will increase the Alberta’s solar capacity 37 fold. Of course some of this solar prospecting is in part dependent on the shape of Alberta’s upcoming solar support programs. The province plans to replace coal-fired electricity by with at least 30 per cent renewable energy before 2030. And this kind of stunning growth is even more dramatic globally. The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority has just received a bid to develop 800 megawatts of solar for US 2.99 cents per kilowatt hour. It’s part of a plan to develop 5,000 megawatts of solar in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. Live long and prosperBack in Vulcan we’re in the visitor centre, which welcomes 12,000 – 17,000 visitors each year. Karen Haller with Vulcan tourism shows off a memorial display for Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Rod Roddenberry, Gene’s son came to Vulcan dedicate the memorial to him. Be sure to visit the starship visitor centre and museum in Vulcan, Alberta. Consider going during VulCon, their annual Star Trek convention which runs July 21st and 22nd in 2017. Be sure to pick your own set of Vulcan ears at the visitor center! By David Dodge & Dylan Thompson |
ABOUT VBIT
Vulcan Brand Innovation Team – VBITThe Vulcan Brand Innovation Team (VBIT) is a volunteer group of community residents working toward a revitalized town and county. Our goal is to reposition Vulcan as ‘the most technologically advanced rural community in Canada.’ In this way we can attract new technology, business and investment, offer existing businesses a viable future and bring skilled, technically advanced employment to our community. We do this because we believe in Vulcan and its future. It is our goal to position Vulcan as an incubator, a test bed for the development of practical technology appropriate for small towns. Out of Vulcan will emerge the template for rural economic development that will be replicated in progressive communities around the world. It is VBIT’s dream to bring an exhibition centre to town; to showcase technology and our community. The five pillars of innovation in technology; home, health, education, agriculture and the environment will be featured in showrooms, classrooms, exhibits and meeting rooms. Hotels will anchor the centre and provide conference space to tech related businesses. All of Vulcan and county will benefit. This is our vision.
Vulcan Brand Innovation Team – VBITThe Vulcan Brand Innovation Team (VBIT) is a volunteer group of community residents working toward a revitalized town and county. Our goal is to reposition Vulcan as ‘the most technologically advanced rural community in Canada.’ In this way we can attract new technology, business and investment, offer existing businesses a viable future and bring skilled, technically advanced employment to our community. We do this because we believe in Vulcan and its future. It is our goal to position Vulcan as an incubator, a test bed for the development of practical technology appropriate for small towns. Out of Vulcan will emerge the template for rural economic development that will be replicated in progressive communities around the world. It is VBIT’s dream to bring an exhibition centre to town; to showcase technology and our community. The five pillars of innovation in technology; home, health, education, agriculture and the environment will be featured in showrooms, classrooms, exhibits and meeting rooms. Hotels will anchor the centre and provide conference space to tech related businesses. All of Vulcan and county will benefit. This is our vision.