Halifax Solar City
Type of initiative
FCM Green Municipal Fund - Capital Project
Sector
Water
Project value$8,779,250
Project Type
Capital Project
Sub Sector
Water Conservation
Grant amount$545,000
Program type
GMF
Municipality
Halifax Regional Municipality, NS
Loan amount$5,455,000
Status
Fully Disbursed
Population
439,819
Project timeline
2012 - 2015
Project number
12028
Description
Halifax Regional Municipality offered innovative financing for solar thermal energy to homeowners through a solar collector account (Local Improvement Charge) with the municipality. There was significant community participation and interest in the Solar City program, with 388 participants installing a system, more than 2,500 homes expressing interest and 800 people attending public events. Solar City was implemented with minimal risk to the municipality and has had a positive impact on the adoption of renewable energy within the municipality, employing local contractors and manufacturers. The 388 installations could save homeowners more than $5.5 million combined over the expected 25+-year lifespan of the system, and reduce greenhouse gases by 16.1 million kilograms of carbon dioxide. Residents who installed a solar thermal system are expected to continue experiencing a return on investment of approximately 5 per cent on average across 25 years. In addition to the benefits of solar, 1,265 homes had complementary water conservation measures implemented during the solar assessment process, with the potential to save 320 million litres of water over the next 20 years and $120,000 annually in water and heating costs. On March 31, 2015, after a successful two-year pilot project, Halifax Regional Council approved the continuation of the Solar City program for another three years, and moved to consider including solar air and solar photovoltaic technologies in addition to solar hot water. Staff is currently developing the new program and anticipates registration to open in spring 2016. (As per February 10, 2016 announcement)
Project results
- 377 tonnes of GHG emissions avoided
- 4048 GJ of energy savings per year
- 16000 cubic metres of water saved per year
Environmental outcomes
- Reduced energy use
- Renewable energy generation
- Reduced or avoided GHG emissions
- Reduced water consumption
Social outcomes
- Increased public safety and security
Economic outcomes
- Lower taxes and fees
- Use of feasibility tools
- Partnership development
Lessons learned
- Stakeholder and community engagement
- Council support/buy-in
- Data and reporting
- Resources
- Technical – Project specific
Applicant
Halifax Regional Municipality, NS