Replies

1. GBA Editor
   Martin Holladay | Feb 16, 2016 11:16am | #1

   Aaron,
   The Drake Landing Solar Community in Okotoks, Alberta is an old story. It was developed back in 2005-2007. The project was made possible by a huge $7 million subsidy from the Canadian government. The subsidy alone (an amount that covered most of the cost of the solar thermal equipment) was $134,000 per home.

   If you give me a subsidy of $134,000 per house for a PV system, I'll give you change.

2. 
   nvman | Feb 16, 2016 11:53am | #2

   Thanks for correcting me!
   Not quite $7 million but a pretty big chunk of taxpayer dollars.

   The technology is highly subsidized by various levels of government and the energy sector, which allows them to be priced as conventional homes, says Keith Paget, manager of special projects for Sterling. "Government grants have been given to do the project, and a non-profit company will be running the system for the first four years," he says. Ottawa has granted $2 million for the project, with Alberta kicking in $635,000. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is the major donor, granting the project $2.9 million. ATCO Gas is the project manager for construction and it will be responsible for the operation of the system.

3. GBA Editor
   Martin Holladay | Feb 16, 2016 01:13pm | #3

   Aaron,
   Quoting from the December 2006 issue of Energy Design Update:

   Residents Move Into Drakes Landing Community
   OKOTOKS, ALBERTA — With most of the construction work complete at the Drake Landing Solar Community in Okotoks, Alberta, all 52 houses have been sold, and families have begun to move in. Ninety percent of the space heat at the new community will be provided by an innovative solar thermal system with seasonal underground heat storage (see EDU, March 2005 and April 2006). Each family will pay a fixed heating bill of $60 per month, subject to periodic increases pegged to the inflation rate. According to an article from CanWest News Service, the elaborate solar thermal project was made possible by $7 million in government subsidies, equivalent to $134,000 (Canadian dollars) per home.