NAIT Solar Array Project
The City of Edmonton in cooperation with NAIT installed a grid-dependent solar photovoltaic (PV) subsystem on the roof of NAIT's main campus.
In all, 12 solar photovoltaic (also known as solar panels) arrays have been installed at different fixed angles (14°, 18°, 27°, 45°, 53°, and 90°) and at different azimuth (where as true north is 0° and east is 90°) to determine how much energy each panel produces overall throughout the day during different atmospheric conditions. NAIT installed the system and will maintain it.
Data is available about the energy produced by each solar PV installed at different fixed angle, to determine which angle and azimuth is the most efficient for energy production.
Why are we doing this?
The Way We Green is Edmonton’s Environmental Strategic Plan. One of the goals of this plan is to be less dependent on non-renewable energy such as from fossil fuel and to minimize consumption.
Sustainable energy sources include energy sources from geothermal, wind and solar. Geothermal requires larger infrastructure to produce and to transfer the energy. Wind energy is also considerable but will require consistent wind periods. Solar photovoltaic is viable because as long as the sun is there to send out long wave radiation (light with photons), solar PV can capture that radiation and convert it to electricity.
How does it all work?
The sun is the source of energy. It emits shortwave radiation (also known as sunlight) containing photons to the earth. The panels installed will turn these photons into direct current electricity.
Installing the solar PV system will also require the installation of an inverter to turn the DC electricity into alternating current for everyday use. Unused electricity will be sent back to “the grid”.
Edmonton receives an average of 2,300 hours of sunlight a year – that's a lot of potential electricity!
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions for more information!
For More Information
City Environmental Strategies
8th Floor, HSBC Bank Place
10250-101 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 3P4
| Telephone | In Edmonton: 311 |
|---|---|
| Fax | 780-401-7070 |
| 311@edmonton.ca | |
| Website | (http://www.edmonton.ca/TheWayWeGreen) |
