On the roof of a Colwood home, Edward Hale tightens the bolts on a newly installed solar panel and pulls off the protective covering.
B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 get off this roof,B次元官网网址� he calls out to two men helping with the job.
And with that, the 19th solar hot water system installed through Solar Colwood is up and running.
The homeowner, Colwood Coun. Judith Cullington who spearheaded the federally funded green energy program, watched the installation from her deck.
B次元官网网址淭his is part of my retirement plan. IB次元官网网址檓 buying hot water for the future,B次元官网网址� said Cullington, who expects savings on her energy bill will pay for the cost of the system, while increasing her homeB次元官网网址檚 resale value.
But thereB次元官网网址檚 more for Cullington to celebrate than her own energy savings.
During the municipal election, Solar Colwood was a political hot potato that a group of unsuccessful candidates vowed to shut down. But a tough month defending the program paid off, as itB次元官网网址檚 future now appears secure.
B次元官网网址淭here was a lot of misinformation out there,B次元官网网址� she lamented. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 glad to have it behind me.B次元官网网址�
At the heart of the controversy was the amount the program costs tax payers. Initially a $3.9 million federal grant was expected to cover the full cost of Solar Colwood. During the programB次元官网网址檚 launch event Cullington said residents would pay nothing, a claim she has since revised to B次元官网网址渁lmost nothing.B次元官网网址�
Colwood will pay $31,400 over four years, about $5 per household, for the program.
Opponents of the project argue it eats up municipal resources, such as staff time and office space at city hall. Adding those costs into the price of the program makes it look like more of a financial burden, though those services are considered to be B次元官网网址渋n-kindB次元官网网址� contributions and donB次元官网网址檛 add any costs to the City budget.
B次元官网网址淭he bottom line is Solar Colwood is a robust program and weB次元官网网址檙e continuing to move forward with it,B次元官网网址� Cullington said. B次元官网网址淭here are so many that can benefit from this program. ItB次元官网网址檚 something to be proud of.B次元官网网址�
Coming down from CullingtonB次元官网网址檚 roof, Hale is a prime example of somebody whoB次元官网网址檚 benefited from Solar Colwood. A member of the TB次元官网网址橲ou-ke First Nation, he is among 11 local aboriginal people who received training to be become a certified installer through the Canadian Solar Industries Association, with the cost paid for by Solar Colwood.
Hale has been hired on full time by Pacific Solar Smart Homes, one of Solar ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 approved installers, which now needs more staff to keep up with demand.
Pacific Solar owner James Smyth said his work load has increased exponentially since Solar Colwood launched.
B次元官网网址淲e used to do two installs per month, now weB次元官网网址檙e doing two per week,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭his industry is really incentive driven, the systems arenB次元官网网址檛 getting any cheaper ... We need programs like this to encourage people to buy the technology.B次元官网网址�
For more information see www.solarcolwood.ca.
