Councillor wants city to develop solar power

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This article was published 15/11/2017 (2894 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt wants city hall to get into the solar energy business.

Wyatt brought a motion to Wednesday’s council meeting calling on council to create a civic agency mandated to develop the production of solar energy and other sources of alternative energy that can be sold to Manitoba Hydro.

“The future is going to change dramatically when it comes to clean energy production and electric power,” Wyatt said. “This is an opportunity for the city and we should really jump at the chance.”

Wyatt proposed the creation of an agency he dubbed Winnipeg Green Energy Organization, a.k.a. WPG-GEO, financed using $200,000 in the annual savings in the city’s electric bill as a result of the LED conversion of overhead street lights.

Wyatt’s plan will likely find difficulty getting enough support among his council colleagues. The proposal was automatically referred to the executive policy committee, which is about to table the 2018 budget. Wyatt will be hard-pressed to find support to redirect scarce funds for such a bold initiative.

Wyatt said a civic agency could help city hall develop initiatives to offset its carbon footprint and developing solar power would be an entry program, adding the agency could also explore other alternative energy sources such as wind and methane from the Brady landfill.

“The potential is big but I want to start with solar because it’s practical now and we’re so far behind in that field here in Winnipeg,” Wyatt said. “The potential for the city could be great for revenues that could offset our traditional reliance on property taxes.”

City hall can implement planning policies, Wyatt said, that would encourage adoption of solar and alternative energy sources on existing residential neighbourhoods and industrial parks and it could install solar panels on its own buildings.

“I think we can really advance our city,” Wyatt said. “Based on our climate, we are a great, great solar centre that can drive a ton of solar power.”

Wyatt’s plan, which was seconded by Coun. Ross Eadie, envisions funding for the new agency be increased by $200,000 every year until it reaches a maximum annual budget of $1 million. Wyatt said it probably would take about five years before the new agency starts generating profit for city hall, adding it should be allowed to retain those earnings for the first 10 years.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca