People are invited to buy a piece of a community-owned solar-power project being launched at a Kelowna winery.
SolShare Energy and Tantalus Vineyards are installing 108 solar panels, which produce energy from both sides, on the winery’s main building.
SolShare Energy is a subsidiary of Vancouver Renewable Energy Co-op.
Like the name suggests, community-owned solar projects are publicly owned. People are invited to invest between May 9-18 for a minimum $1,000. Sol Share explained in a news release.
Tantalus will purchase whatever power it uses from SolShare, while excess power will be sold back to the grid and a credit will be issued by FortisBC.
An open house at the winery, 1670 Dehart Rd., from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on May 5 will explain the project. RSVP through eventbrite.ca. Search for Solar installation open house with SolShare Energy + Tantalus Vineyards. There’s only room for 50 people.
“Our mission is to deliver clean energy to our communities, and in turn, give annual returns to our local investors,” says Robert Baxter, CEO and founder of SolShare Energy. “We’ve completed two prior projects in Vancouver. One with a co-housing complex and another with a small developer. This will be our biggest installation so far.”
“We have consistently paid 4% over the last four years to our existing community investors, and expect to increase dividends in Kelowna,” added Baxter in a news release. “With more than 300 days of sunshine a year in Kelowna, the Tantalus solar installation holds a lot of promise, and is an example to wineries and other businesses in the Okanagan of the potential sun-powered energy offers,” he said.
Source: https://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/business_news/article_351764c0-c64d-11ec-b875-1b5290ef69e3.html