(Photo supplied by EQUS)

By rdnewsNOW staff

Solar and natural gas powered

EQUS opens Near Net-Zero corporate office in Innisfail

Sep 30, 2020 | 2:45 PM

EQUS is celebrating the opening of its recently constructed Near Net-Zero facility located adjacent to the QEII Highway in Innisfail.

The company says the energy efficient office building is powered almost entirely by a 55-kilowatt ground-mounted solar array, and a 35-kilowatt natural-gas-fueled combined heat and power (CHP) system which will provide power as well as heat the building and melt snow off the sidewalks in the winter.

EQUS says the system also utilizes a 15-kilowatt battery for storage and a smart building management system which integrates each component to maximize efficiency and minimize grid dependence. The electricity generated on site also powers a level three, fast charge electric vehicle charger, providing the unique opportunity for drivers to charge their cars right next to the solar panels that generated that electricity.

“We constructed this building and designed this energy system with the goal of creating efficiencies and showcasing a real example of the functionality and efficiency of micro-generation for businesses in Alberta. EQUS has been providing innovative electricity solutions for rural Albertans for over 70 years, and we’re proud to be taking this next step into the future with this one-of-a-kind system.” EQUS CEO Andy Metzger said in a release.

The innovative system is expected to result in an estimated 95 per cent reduction in grid power used, as well as a 59 per cent cost savings on utilities, and a 31 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. EQUS is looking forward to the opportunity to demonstrate how alternate energy sources can function and even enhance operations for businesses in rural Alberta.

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Natural Resources Canada provided support for the project, while the Town of Innisfail supported the electric vehicle charging station.

EQUS is Alberta’s rural electricity expert and Canada’s largest member-owned utility, providing co-operative electricity distribution services to over 12,000 homes, farms, businesses and industrial sites in rural Alberta, from Onoway to Medicine Hat.