COCHRANE – Cochrane is looking into partnering with Taykwa Tagamou Nation (TTN) on a rooftop solar project.
Council deferred a final decision on the project at the Tim Horton Events Centre to its Sept. 23 meeting to get more information on energy savings and engineering feasibility.
The proposal involves installing a solar system to offset roughly 75 per cent of the building’s electricity consumption. The project would be owned by TTN and leased to the town through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with JAZZ Solar Solutions.
Interim CAO Chris Wray said the project presents an opportunity to strengthen economic relationships with TTN while providing some financial benefit to the town.
“We have been attempting to build economic relationships with TTN, and so this gives everybody a little bit of something in this project,” Wray said at the Aug. 12 meeting.
Coun. Sylvie Charron-Lemieux also supported the proposal.
“It’s a great opportunity to build on relationships with Indigenous partners, and we’re not responsible for it, and we get some economic benefits,” she said.
However, some councillors voiced caution.
Coun. Rod Reimer raised concerns about the technology’s performance in northern climates and the 25-year commitment required under the PPA.
“It’s been demonstrated time and time again, especially in northern climates, that the energy that models calculate that they’re going to produce is always a good 10-20 per cent less once you factor in cloud cover, snow cover, and all these other things,” he said.
“We’re already surrounded by water power projects that can provide electricity much more cost-effectively.”
Wray agreed that the energy it could produced can be overestimated, but believes “this is a deal worth continuing to explore.”
Coun. Mark Recoskie said the financial risk to the town is minimal, as TTN and JAZZ Solar would cover installation and maintenance costs.
“I think we have to make a leap of faith, so maybe in the future, there will be more partnerships between TTN and this town … We’re both here for the long term, so I think we should,” Recoskie said.
Reimer asked for more information on the building’s electricity consumption and previous bills to better understand the potential energy savings. Wray said the data could be obtained quickly.
Two options were given to council for the project.
Option one was a full municipal ownership, which would require a $1.311 million investment plus taxes, with a projected net annual savings of about $12,600 after debt and maintenance costs.
The second option was the third-party ownership model preferred by staff, which would have TTN retain ownership while the town pays an estimated annual fee of $89,329 for the energy generated, resulting in net savings of roughly $7,138 per year. The arrangement also transfers all installation, maintenance, and performance risks to TTN and JAZZ Solar.
The rooftop solar project would use equipment with a 25-year warranty and be connected under Ontario’s net-metering program, allowing energy credits to offset hydro bills. Council also discussed using the project as a public education tool, with visual displays or an online dashboard to showcase energy savings.
