Grant could mean a micro-grid at Cultural Centre

By Collin Gallant on November 24, 2017.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com @CollinGallant

A canopy of solar panels at the Cultural Centre in Medicine Hat could be charging electric cars next spring, as well as putting power into the Medicine Hat College grid and providing a work space for electricians and IT students.

The concept to create a micro-grid was awarded a $215,000 grant from the province on Thursday.

College officials said it will give its students a sound introduction to renewable energy sector and possibly lead to industry partnerships.

“The unique thing is that while other (parking canopy) panel systems in Alberta this will be interchangable,” said Tracey Stroud, the college’s business development officer.

“It will have different monitoring systems so we can put two (types of panels) side by side and determine which is working better and why. That’s a valuable learning tool for our students.”

Medicine Hat College was part of $400,000 in total grants awarded this week from the province’s Community and Regional Economic Support program, including more money for new business startups in the Brooks area.

The solar array will be placed at the Cultural Centre due to its proximity to the Trans-Canada Highway, said Stroud. The hope is to draw vehicles off the highway and advertise the system and the college to out-of-towners.

Local electricians in training will install and switchout panels over the course of their studies. Other students in information technology programs will analyze output and data as part of their lab work.

The college is also seeking out panel manufacturers that are looking to certify or rate their products in real world conditions.

“It checks a lot of boxes,” said college president Denise Henning, who said renewable energy production is an expanding sector for local trades and business people. “There are a lot of win-wins here, and expect a lot of announcements in the future.”

Work began on the project in 2016. Construction could start in the spring of 2017 on the 100-kilowatt system. That capacity is equal to about 20 typical residential rooftop systems.

Beyond the money for the array, Medicine Hat College is also part of a separate $186,000 award over two years to expand local business coaching services to the Brooks area.

Earlier this year, Community-Futures EntreCorp and the College received a separate grant to create the APEX business incubator at the college.

New money awarded Thursday will see the same services provided in Brooks with new employees.

“We’re providing coaching, mentoring and advisory services as well as training and access to other programs to help (entrepreneurs) grow and expand,” said EntreCorp head Sean Blewett.

He said interest in the local program is higher than anticipated, and dealt with 47 individuals in the first half of 2017.

Both new grants were among 50 projects receiving $4 million announced by Trade Minister Deron Bilous at the fall meetings of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association in Calgary.

Lethbridge and the Town of Olds were the biggest winners in the announcement on Thursday.

The Lethbridge Exhibition Grounds will benefit from $1.1 million in funding to go toward planning for a trade and convention centre. Olds received $600,000 to help expand its municipal fibre-optic cable utility.

Grants to local groups are next in size, respectively.

Elsewhere in the region, the Village of Empress received $17,500 tourism planning, while $50,000 will go toward the recently announced rail logistic park in Oyen.

“Local leaders know best how to build on their communities’ economic strengths,” said Bilous in a prepared Statement. “That’s why we will continue supporting them in projects like these to help ensure Alberta’s cities and towns continue to be Canada’s best places to do business.”

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