Colville Lake, N.W.T., now powered by solar/diesel hybrid system

Colville Lake, N.W.T., is pioneering a solar power/diesel power hybrid system that ispoised to reduce the town's reliance on diesel fuel.

"Apparently the world energy sector has its eyes on how this system is going to work," said Alvin Orlias, who manages Colville Lake's new facility.

The N.W.T. Power Corporationsays it put in the new, greener system because it was already replacing the old power plant and generators.

The new hybrid system combines twosolar arrays and a three battery storage system withdiesel generatorsto power the town of less than 200 people.

When the sun is up, the 130 kilowatt solar panel system charges the batteries.

"Anytime the battery is 100 per cent charged it will flip over to battery and the town will be powered by battery during that time," said Pam Coulter, spokesperson for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

"When it goes down to about 40 per cent, the generators will kick back in."

A year ago, the power corporation saidColvilleLake was one of the most expensive small N.W.T. communities to power. Itwasusingabout$140,000 ofdiesel annually, brought in once a year by winter road.

Since the installation of the system was completed in December, the solar arrayhas been able toproduce enough power to run the town for about 30 minutes during theday, orabout 60 minutes at night.

That diesel-free time is expected to increase as the amount of daylight increases.The hopeis that the town will rely mostly on solar energy during the 24 hours of daylight in summer.

"We are expecting we may be able to get enough out of the solar to actually power the whole townfor as long, I believe, the sun is shining," said Coulter.

The new system is one of several projects designed to reducethe reliance on diesel-burning generatorsin remote communities.The N.W.T. ispart of a national task forcethat hopes to find alternative ways to power some 300 off-grid communities across the country.

Orliassaid the new system also makes much less noise than the old power plant.

"It's quiet sometimes and these engines are pretty quiet units, too," he said. "They aren't very loud. I have to look out my window to make sure they are running."

The project cost $7.7 million, with the N.W.T. government chipping in $1.3 million.