barrhead COUNTY
The County of Barrhead, located an hour northwest of Edmonton, is full of diversity and fresh thinking. So when the County Council heard about the Alberta Solar Showcase, they saw it as an opportunity to introduce more diversity, encourage the use of renewable energy, and create a brighter future for both the community and the environment.
In June 2008, Barrhead County installed a 2 kW grid-connected solar system on the County’s Administration Building and sparked a lot of interest from the community. With the increasing push to be more sustainable, local actions like this are seen as a great way to get involved and increase the community’s level of awareness about renewable energy.
The County of Barrhead is building on its success with the Alberta Solar Showcase and launching into other sustainable initiatives. The county will soon host its first Green Expo, a trade fair designed to educate participants on solar, bio-energy and other renewable energy systems.
"Alternative energy is the way of the future, so any project that brings awareness, knowledge and assistance to our community in this regard is appreciated,” says Reeve Lawrence Miller. “The Alberta Solar Project is raising questions from the community, it’s generated a depth of understanding in the application process and it has also snowballed to other projects. We hope to see alternative energy continue to grow in our community as a result of this project."
Solar Team: Off the Grid Renewable Energy (Edmonton), Darrell Troock and Jenny Bruns, County Staff