Alderville First Nation – Ground Mount Solar Installation
October 17, 2014\Rice Lake, Ontario
About the Alderville First Nation Solar Installation Project
The Alderville First Nation solar installation is the first ground mount solar farm owned by a First Nation in Canada and spans over 1,960,200 SQ. FT in Rice Lake, Ontario, Canada.
This 5.7 MW system is powered by 23,000 Silfab SLA-M 245 Wp solar panels installed by ESPE SunParc America and Alderville community members.
Alderville First Nation has 300 members who live on reserve and about 650 residing off reserve. Alderville is recognized as a progressive First Nation and has about 30 small businesses, including the Alderville Community Trust Est. 2002, with the vision of achieving a financially secure community.
The Alderville First Nation started the development of its solar energy project in 2009 and received a 20-year Feed–In–Tariff (FIT) contract from the Ontario Power Authority in April 2010 and selected Silfab Solar SLA 60-cell monocrystalline solar panel with a 280 to 320Wp power output as their solar panel manufacturer in 2011. The solar project created 25 community jobs during construction and continues to provide ongoing employment for the community. This solar farm has been operational since 2013 and is the first and only solar farm in Canada that is 100% owned by a First Nation community.
It is estimated that this solar farm can generate as much as $56 million for Alderville over the next twenty years and contribute towards the Alderville First Nation’s vision of a financially secure community.
Fun Fact: This project is able to produce enough energy to power 600 homes.
