ENMAX is putting the finishing touches on a project it bills as the largest commercial rooftop solar system in Canada.
The installation at the Leduc Recreation Centre will produce electricity and is a key component in the City of Leduc’s strategy to tackle greenhouse gas emissions.
“The sheer size of this solar installation as well as the subsequently planned Operations Building retrofit, will lead to emission reductions of over 1,000 tonnes per year, the equivalent of taking about 200 cars off our roads and a significant step towards reaching our future goals,” Mayor Greg Krischke said in a statement Tuesday.
The 1.14-megawatt system is expected to begin operating before the Alberta Summer Games start on July 31. According to ENMAX, an Alberta utility provider, the panels, which cover the area of about four-and-a-half NHL rinks, will generate about 15 per cent of the recreation centre’s annual energy consumption needs.
The City of Leduc’s partnership with ENMAX on both its recreation centre and operations centre is projected to cost $3.1 million.