Canada’s Prince Edward Island Plans $18.5M Microgrid to Ease Electricity Costs

Prince Edward Island today announced plans for a $18.53 (CA$24.5) million microgrid project to ease Covid-19 related financial hardships by reducing energy costs for those that live on the island.

Called the Slemon Park Microgrid Project, the 10-MW solar-storage facility will boost renewable energy use on Prince Edward Island by 3.5% and move the island closer to energy self-sufficiency.

Part of the money is coming from Canada’s Green Infrastructure Stream (GIS) and the Smart Grid Program, which will contribute $9.3 million. Both programs are part of the government’s “Investing in Canada” infrastructure plan.

The Government of Prince Edward Island will provide the remaining $9.6 million. 

In addition to easing electricity costs, the project is viewed as a way to help Prince Edward Island achieve environmental goals.

“The Slemon Park microgrid project addresses three vital areas of the Provincial Energy Strategy — efficiency, conservation, and renewables. This project will reduce GHG emissions and our reliance on imported power,” said Steven Myers, Prince Edward Island minister of transportation, infrastructure and energy.

The project is one of several government-funded green energy and resilience initiatives underway in Canada.

In all, the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan will channel $180 billion over 12 years in the nation’s public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, as well as Canada’s rural and northern communities. Green infrastructure will receive $26.9 billion of the funding.

In addition, Canada has added $3 billion in temporary Covid-19 ‘resilience’ funding to fund quick-start, short-term projects that might not otherwise be eligible under the existing funding streams.

Separately, the Canadian government has invested in three other microgrid projects in recent years, among them:

• Lac Mégantic Microgrid, a $6.4 million Hydro-Quebec project
• The John Paul II Secondary school (JPII) carbon free microgrid, a $6.66 million Ameresco Canada project
• A $2.65 million microgrid controller development project by Hatch

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