Investing in a greener future

All of us at Northwestel have a deep appreciation for Yukon’s natural environment. It’s what allows us to do the activities we love, like hiking, paddling, fishing and so much more. But, we know that without doing our part, the Yukon we know and love is at risk. That’s why we are committed to reducing our use of fossil fuels, and protecting our environment.

As part of our commitment, we have invested in solar technology to help power our remote, helicopter-access microwave sites. Now, we are applying this technology to power some of our primary buildings in Whitehorse. Enter the Whitehorse Compound Solar PV project.

Spearheaded by Ben Feltmate, our Power Implementation Manager, this 192-panel solar project will provide 60 MWh of annual power generation—that’s roughly a third of the amount of energy the compound consumes annually.

The project was completed by January 2020 and began generating power March 2020.

Building green initiatives in Canada’s North is not always easy. As Ben says, “Due to our unique geography and at times smaller loads, it can be difficult to justify green energy within our arctic climate.” But, no matter the challenges, we remain proud to support innovative technology that helps to create a greener Yukon.

The Whitehorse Compound Solar PV project by the numbers:

• • 192 – number of panels that will be installed at the Whitehorse Compound
  • 50 – number of kW of AC power that will be generated when the sun is available
  • 60 – expected MWh of annual power generation
  • 10 – number of Solar PV implementations Northwestel will have completed once the Whitehorse Compound is online