Ottawa, ON, July 4, 2019 – Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, in partnership with the Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-op (OREC) is proud to announce the launch of a new community-owned 216-kW solar project. Beginning July 5, 2019, the Canada Science and Technology Museum, one of three museums under Ingenium, will begin consuming solar energy generated on its own roof. The project represents a new chapter for solar energy consumption between the renewable energy co-operative and the corporation.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum celebrates Canadian ingenuity which reflects the reality of Canada’s incredible research and discoveries in science, technology, engineering, art, and math – and will now be home to an innovative project of its own.
Re-opened in November of 2017, the renewed building was designed to support the installation of the solar project, which is expected to produce 254,000 kWh of clean energy every year for the next 30 years through this solar power system. This system will allow the Museum to consume all that is produced on its roof, with any excess energy being fed into the grid.
The project represents one of the many ways Ingenium is continuing to identify and implement cost-effective and innovative solutions to generate low carbon electricity and reduce their environmental impact across all sites, all while furthering energy and climate change literacy among Canadians through its Sustainability Initiatives team.
The project was made possible through the innovative community-finance model employed by the Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative, which financed and developed the project. OREC will be leasing the solar equipment to the Canada Museum of Science and Technology at a rate based upon the amount of energy produced by the project.
OREC’s membership, made up of over 760 individuals in Eastern Ontario, have financed and own 20 other solar projects around the region. This project is also a first of its kind for the Co-operative, which until now have operated within the government procurement program in Ontario.
Quotes
“We have been working towards a project like this for many years, and are thrilled to have found a partner with Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative, who share in our dedication to putting renewable energy into action as we work towards greening the environment.”
-Fernand Proulx, Chief Operating Officer, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Technology
“Projects like this are the future of solar in Ontario. We at the Co-op are thrilled to be partnering with the Canada Science and Technology Museum, who could not be more appropriate partners for our first project involving net metering. We are excited to see more projects like this drive the renewable energy transition in this region."
-Janice Ashworth, General Manager, Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative
-30-
Contact
Christine Clouthier
Ingenium – Canada's Museums of Science and Innovation
cclouthier@IngeniumCanada.org
613-410-5943
Aaron Thornell
Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative
aaron.thornell@orec.ca
1 (855) 338-6732
About the Canada Science and Technology Museum
One of three museums under Ingenium – Canada's Museums of Science and Innovation, the Canada Science and Technology Museum originally opened in 1967. Fifty years later, in 2017, the museum reopened its doors — following a full renewal — marking the start of a fresh, new chapter. Today, the museum combines what visitors loved about the previous incarnation — locomotives and the Crazy Kitchen — with 11 brand-new, interactive exhibitions. Museum guests are invited to discover, play, and experience how people have made Canada and continue to shape its future. As visitors walk through the exhibitions, visit the demonstration stage, or tinker in Exploratek, they will become a part of Canada’s story of science, technology, and innovation.
About the Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative
The Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative empowers residents of Eastern Ontario to take ownership of their electricity by offering investment opportunities in local renewable energy projects. Individuals will have the opportunity to invest and earn a solid return in projects around the region, including this project with the Canadian Museum of Science and Technology. Learn more at www.orec.ca.