Wow – seven times the power!

Lots of clean, green energy from our new solar array

This article was published on Nov. 1, 2020 – for more current updates click here.

Let the sunshine in! Phase two of our Solar for Spes initiative is now operational (as of Sunday). We added 32 solar panels to the roof of our iconic administration building, Spes Bona. They join the 19 panels from phase one that went operational on May 1, 2019. 

The new array of 51 panels were powered up on November 1, 2020, and we are tracking daily the impressive production of clean, green energy. A total of 3.99 kWh of energy were produced by the 19 panels on October 30, 2020. Two days later, after the new panels were added and the full array of 51 panels was fully operational, the energy production for the first full day of operation was up seven times to 28.85 kWh.

Click the link below for a solar energy factsheet on Spes Bona production

The solar panels, equipment and installation have been funded by a number of donations large and small, and also by a grant from SASCU Credit Union. Thank you to our visionary and generous funders!

Sorrento is one of the sunniest spots in BC and in all of Canada, and all that energy being produced by our panels (much more in the sunny summer months, of course) flows through microinverters to a smart meter. The first call on the energy is powering our own campus. On many days last year, we generated more energy than we used on campus, so the excess energy flows out into the BC Hydro grid, where it powers our neighbours. And the Sorrento Centre gets a credit on our BC Hydro bill!

Good for our planet, as we all seek to find ways big and small to counter human-induced climate change; good for our operations and finances on campus; and good for our neighbours.

Thanks to:

Michael Mehta of Sweet Spot Solar, our solar consultant, and

Amber Cachelin of Greensleeves Electric, our solar contractor,

for their excellent work in helping bring sunshine to our campus.