Starland’s solar initiatives has earned two nominations for an Emerald Award and now has been named a finalist.

Starland County is being recognized provincially in its environmental efforts and is a finalist for the Emerald Awards.
    The County has been a provincial leader in promoting and adopting solar energy and was nominated by both ATCO Electric and by Goosecreek Renewable Energy.
    “We got nominated twice, which rather surprised me,” said Starland CAO Ross Rawlusyk. “We do quite a bit of work on alternative energy and solar with both parties.”
    “It is kind of nice to get in to the crowd of those who are trying to pay some attention to the environment.”
    He explains the focus of the nominations has been on the County’s effort to introduce farm based solar electric installations.
    The County began this effort to make it feasible for local farmers to add a solar array, and they easily found interested parties to participate in the pilot project.
    “We were setting out to get 10 farmers to work with us on the project we were running,” said Rawlusyk.
    The County’s work made a solar option feasible by streamlining the regulatory process, offering incentives and working closely with landowners and the industry. Through this, they are developing a tool kit for other municipalities to make the same efforts.
    The County has led by example. Before beginning the farm based solar installation program it installed solar on its administrative office and also has solar arrays on its water fill stations in Delia, Morrin and Munson.    
    Their efforts have been noticed and last year the World Alliance for Decentralized Energy (WADE) Canada, now Decentralized Energy Canada, held its annual retreat and AGM at Delia, calling Starland County “Alberta’s Solar Epicenter.”
    “We were pleased to be nominated, to be nominated twice is even better and to make the final four is the start of a win,” said Rawlusyk.
    Not one to rest on its laurels, the County is looking at solar battery cells to store energy to be used as a power back-up.
    “It is probably one of Canada’s largest storage projects,” said Rawlusyk.
    He said they have just received the battery units, which are the size of refrigerators and will be installing them to be used as battery back-up for its water stations.
    “It will be interesting to see how they work. If they work how we envision, it could change how people view emergency back-up power in facilities.
    Rawlusyk said the cells appear to be more cost effective than a motor powered generator when you look at the total expense of installation.
    “The power option we are looking at today will cost under $100,000 for sure and it is just as capable, maybe even more capable. We have a component as well that is mobile, so if you needed power at a disaster site or something remote, as long as you have some sunshine, we'll have the capability to move it around,” he said.
    The 23rd Annual Emerald Awards, recognizing the best and brightest in environmental initiatives will be presented in June in Calgary.