Pilot project shows promising energy savings

WHITEHORSE – In a joint study examining the operational feasibility of solar-diesel hybrid stations in remote areas, researchers determined that the use of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells could reduce Northwestel’s base energy costs in some locations by more than 80 percent.

“We’re very pleased with the results of the study and our partnership with other organizations here in the North,” said Northwestel CIO and Vice President of Information Technology Don Pumphrey. “Northwestel has been actively working to reduce the costs of operating microwave stations at remote sites across northern Canada. This study makes great strides in that direction and helps promote greener operations at the same time.”

Northwestel currently maintains 156 microwave stations in its operation area. Of these sites, 87 rely on independent sources of power and 37 are only accessible by helicopter. These sites currently rely on between two and four air cooled diesel engines depending on their size.

The current cost of operating and maintaining remote stations is significant, costing Northwestel up to $5.00/L to fuel and up to $2.5 million dollars per year to maintain. In the cited study, researchers tested the use of a solar photovoltaic array at the Engineer Creek microwave site. The operational load at this site was 1.8kW to 2.8kW. The base cost of an installed PV site of this size was $0.28/kWh, which is significantly lower than the $1.53/kWh base cost of diesel required for the same site.

The Northwestel Remote Station Solar/Diesel Hybrid Feasibility study was completed through a partnership with Northwestel, Cold Climate Innovation of the Yukon Research Centre at Yukon College and the Energy Solutions Centre of the Government of Yukon’s Department of Energy, Mines and Resources.

As a result, Northwestel has committed to the construction of a 15 kW array this summer. This project continues to be in partnership with Cold Climate Innovation and the Energy Solutions Centre.

“Cold Climate Innovation is committed to addressing northern challenges by working with industry, government and applied researchers on alternative energy projects such as this”, said Cold Climate Innovation Director Stephen Mooney.

“Northwestel would like to highlight and thank our partners, in particular the Energy Solutions Centre, for sharing its invaluable expertise in the feasibility study and for their ongoing participation and support in helping us investigate the potential for using renewable energy technologies within Northwestel’s telecommunications infrastructure,” added Pumphrey.

The Northwestel Remote Station Solar/Diesel Hybrid Feasibility study is posted on the Northwestel website at www.nwtel.ca and the Government of Yukon website at www.esc.gov.yk.ca/publications.html.

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About Northwestel:

Northwestel Inc. services the largest operating area of any telecommunications company in the western hemisphere over the most remote and rugged terrain in Canada.  It provides a complete range of voice, video and data solutions to residential and business customers in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, northern British Columbia and High Level, Alberta.

About Government of Yukon’s Energy Solutions Centre:

The Energy Solutions Centre is a branch of the Government of Yukon's Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. The mandate of the branch is to encourage improvements in energy efficiency and the adoption of more forms of renewable energy. To accomplish this mandate, the branch participates in the design of energy policies and delivers energy programs and projects that enhance the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the territory.

About Cold Climate Innovation:

Cold Climate Innovation is focused on the development, commercialization and export of sustainable cold climate technologies and related solutions for subarctic regions around the world. It is one of seven key programs at the Yukon Research Centre (YRC) at Yukon College. The other six programs are: Biodiversity Monitoring, Northern Climate ExChange, NSERC Industrial Research Chair for Colleges in Mine Life Cycle, Technology Innovation, Science Adventures, and Resources and Sustainable Development in the Arctic. Core funding for the Yukon Research Centre is provided by Yukon Education and Yukon Economic Development.

For more information, please contact:

Eric Clement
External Communications Manager
Northwestel
(867) 455-4209
eclement@nwtel.ca

Michael Vernon
Communications Coordinator
Yukon College
(867) 668-8786
mvernon@yukoncollege.yk.ca