Installation of Solar Array

Published June 10, 2021 

The Town of Grand Bay-Westfield is pleased to announce the installation of a 5.28 kW solar array at our Sanitary Sewerage Lagoon located at 33 Shannon Road. This Pilot Project will test the functionality of a greater 95 kW project to be sized to power almost half of the operations at the lagoon. Solar energy is a perfect match for the lagoon, where energy consumption is higher in the summer months when the solar cells will produce the most energy. The Town has engaged The Smart Energy Company to design, install and track energy production at the site. This project will promote The Town of Grand Bay-Westfield’s commitment to environmentally responsible behavior by utilizing clean energy from the sun to treat the lagoon’s effluent that returns to the St. John River as clean water.

The Town has consistently undertaken Energy Saving Projects since the early 2000s, performing Energy Audits for Municipal building retrofits, and test projects with NB Power to install an Electric Thermal Mass Energy Storage Unit, piloted LED  street lights to test LED lights to be used around the province, installation of an EV Electric Vehicle Charger at the Brundage Point River Centre; and participates in annual Power Shift Events to reduce PEAK Demand Load between 7 am and 9 am on days with extreme cold weather events.

“On behalf of the Council of the Town of Grand Bay-Westfield, we are committed to safeguarding our environment for our families and our children’s children to enjoy. The environment we leave our future generations remains one of our most abiding challenges and priorities. We are very proud of this work and commit to continued environmental leadership now and to the future.” Mayor Brittany Merrifield

The Town’s Climate Change Action Plan adopted in 2019 has set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 38 eCO2 (t) per year by 2025, and this Solar Project at the Town’s Lagoon site will meet this Corporate in advance of our target date by 1-2 years.