To my knowledge, no one has done [une installation] of this size and in such an isolated place
says Steve Rennalls, director of operations at the exploration company Snowline Gold.
The 64 solar panels provide 90% of the electricity needs of the site located on the traditional territories of the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun. They will replace the 12,570 liters of diesel that supplied the camp of 45 people each year.
The savings are double. We save energy, greenhouse gas emissions, but of course we save money
, underlines Mr. Rennalls. The diesel had to be airlifted to the camp, which is very expensive.
The 27-kilowatt solar power system had to be adapted to site conditions, according to Solvest, the company that designed it.
Our team had to make it modular and transportable, and then we had to think about the logistics of getting it to the site
says the head of marketing at Solvest, Alexandra Maltais. The criteria were very specific, which makes the project unique.
The Na-Cho Nyäk Dun development corporation which represents the commercial interests of the First Nation signed a 5-year lease with the company Snowline Gold for the solar system.
She hopes that this type of innovation will multiply in the region. We see this system as the first in a long series. We would love to have a whole fleet to deploy
said Jani Djokic, the president of the development company.
With information from Julien Gignac
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