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The solar push

Aspen View Public Schools will be making a push to incorporate solar energy into the new Edwin Parr Composite secondary school project. The push began on Oct.
The push began Oct. 26, after the government of Alberta announced that solar panels were to be featured in Alberta’s new schools as part of their Climate Leadership
The push began Oct. 26, after the government of Alberta announced that solar panels were to be featured in Alberta’s new schools as part of their Climate Leadership Plan.

Aspen View Public Schools will be making a push to incorporate solar energy into the new Edwin Parr Composite secondary school project.

The push began on Oct. 26, after the government of Alberta announced that solar panels were to be featured in Alberta’s new schools as part of their Climate Leadership Plan. EPC was not one of the schools announced.

According to a press release, the government selected 36 school projects currently in the planning or design phase and “have not gone to tender” that have been eligible for a grant worth $250,000 to $750,000 to incorporate solar energy into schools.

“We were quite excited,” Francis said during an Aspen View School board meeting on Nov. 17. “We were slightly less excited when we found out that it was only for 36 designated schools and those schools were listed on the government of Alberta website, and of course we are not one of them.”

Francis said the idea of incorporating solar into the new school is not anything new. Approximately four years ago, EPC had a student group led by two teachers recommending the new school to be designed with solar panels and other energy-saving measures.

“The reason we didn’t put solar on the school to begin with is because Alberta Infrastructure wouldn’t pay for it,” said Sean Morrison, EPC’s onsite administrator. “Now they make this available – 36 schools that are pre-tender phase.”

Morrison said they had a meeting with the architect in the city asking if it would be possible to incorporate solar energy into the new building plan, in which the architect said it was possible. However, there would be some additional costs.

Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater MLA Colin Piquette, while attending the first Athabasca Regional Renewable Energy Association (ARREA) meeting on Nov. 19, said he was in full support with the push.

“We’d have to see with the ministry, whether or not Edwin Parr would qualify,” he said. “Now that doesn’t guarantee they’ll get the funds, but whether or not they’d look at an application – I was assured that they would.”

To help persuade the Alberta government, letters are now being written by both the school board and members of ARREA, to be submitted to the deputy minister asking for their consideration.

“We’re basically at the mercy of the government,” Morrison said. “That’s basically what it’s going to come down, too.”

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