The bright future of solar in Nunavut Renewable energy support for cabins a popular program

impact on reducing diesel power use.

The future of solar power in Nunavut is bright, said the president of the Arctic Renewables Society.

The non-profit, founded in 2019, had the opportunity to showcase the various renewable energy projects in Iqaluit to visiting delegates from other communities during the Qikiqtani Energy Forum.

“They had no idea there was so much (solar) in the community,” said Martha Lenio, president of the Arctic Renewables Society, speaking to how Nunavut Arctic College buildings, the Arctic Winter Games Arena, the Aqsarniit Hotel and various houses in Iqaluit save money while helping the environment by adopting solar.

An average homeowner’s utility bill (with solar) ranges from less than $1,000 to not paying at all during the summer, according to the society.

Other communities with solar projects planned in or around Nunavut include placing solar panel systems on arenas in Whale Cove, Pond Inlet, Arctic Bay and Clyde River, which have recently received federal funding.

There are also currently renewable energy feasibility studies being done Sanirajak and Sanikiluaq, the latter being a study on the possibility of wind and battery.

As more buildings in the territory place solar panels on its rooftops, it will have a broader and broader

“As you get more solar onto the grid, you do need to add things like energy storage. We’ll get higher and higher grid penetration, 40, 50 or 60 per cent of your energy could be coming from a nice sunny day,” said Lenio.

Solar power on rooftops in countries such as Australia “provides more power to the grid now than coal” and has the ability to change Nunavut’s energy landscape.

Additional grid controls, such as being able to turn solar panels off would also be needed when Nunavut reaches the point where the majority of its energy comes from renewables.

Current policies

While the Qulliq Energy Corporation operates diesel plants in all 25 communities, QEC has also begun several policies to support renewable energy. This includes its net-metering program, which provides solar power to the grid if a home with panels produces more power than it is consuming.

Another is the Commercial Institutional Power Producer program, allowing for larger renewable energy installations on commercial or institutional buildings like businesses and government buildings like schools.

The latest policy currently in the works is the Independent Power Producer program, which is expected to help pave the way for larger renewable energy projects in the territory like wind farms and larger solar panel installations.

The most popular renewable energy program by far, Lenio adds, is actually run by Nunavut’s Climate Change Secretariat under the Department of Environment: the Renewable Energy Cabin Grant, which is a one-time grant of up to $5,000 to allow people to install solar panels on their cabins.

“They spend their whole budget allocation every year,” she said, with Rankin Inlet and Kugluktu leading the way in getting people to utilize solar on their cabins.

“They have local people who are real advocates for solar and know how to size and install these off-grid systems.”

It’s a program the Arctic Renewable Society itself is keen on promoting, holding training in Iqaluit showing people how to install solar panels on cabins. Lenio says people at the time were very interested in learning more.

Home energy audit training is also another job the society does, helping homeowners identify opportunities for retrofits and how to improve a home’s energy efficiency. A home energy audit helps save money and the environment, but it also assists in accessing federal funding for promoting green home energy renovations. While there are many solar projects going on around Nunavut at this time, Lenio adds it still needs to be used in conjunction with other renewables as well as energy storage before we could wean ourselves off diesel, particularly in Northern Nunavut communities like Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord.

“It’s very dark in the winter, some communities don’t get sun at all for over a month in the winter. Solar’s not going to be the whole solution.”