British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 coastal lighthouses are going green. Not the colour: they will remain red and white on the outside. However, their power sources are turning to renewable energy.
害羞草研究所淲e have 27 staffed lightstations. So far we have four that have renewable systems installed,害羞草研究所� says Shaun Loader, senior project engineer with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 害羞草研究所淣ext year we害羞草研究所檒l have six more that are going to be upgraded to the same system.害羞草研究所�
Renewable systems include battery banks, inverters, solar panels and wind turbines.
News from : Here害羞草研究所檚 to a brighter future! Thanks to its new solar array, 馃搷 Entrance Island Lightstation now harnesses the power of the sun to mark the entrance to Harbour.
害羞草研究所� Canadian Coast Guard (@CoastGuardCAN)
Coastal B.C.害羞草研究所檚 lightstations have traditionally run on diesel generators. Now that those generators are approaching the end of their life, stations are being converted to renewable energy sources. It害羞草研究所檚 a more cost effective way to power lightstations, Loader explained, especially when the cost and difficulty of delivering diesel to the stations are factored in.
害羞草研究所淭hose lighthouses are there for a reason. They害羞草研究所檙e difficult to access and treacherous害羞草研究所ou can imagine getting supplies in there.害羞草研究所�
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There are already four lightstations that are in various stages of conversion: Entrance Island at the mouth of Nanaimo Harbour, Merry Island on the Sunshine Coast, Boat Bluff near Bella Bella and Cape Scott at the north end of Vancouver Island. While the conversion systems are modular, each combination will be customized to the individual stations depending on whether they get more sunlight or more wind, Loader explained.
Timing for construction will depend on the weather windows: long stretches of calm weather will mean the work will be done faster.
News from : Our greening work at Boat Bluff Lightstation shows how sustainability is largely a balancing act. On a steep cliff at the entrance to Tolmie Channel near , Boat Bluff now draws power from these slanting solar panels.
害羞草研究所� Canadian Coast Guard (@CoastGuardCAN)
The six stations expected to convert to renewable energy sources in 2019 are Carmanah on the West Coast Trail, Cape Beale (also along the West Coast Trail), Lennard Island off Tofino, Estevan Point, Ivory Island and Green Island, just off of Prince Rupert.
Work has already begun on the Cape Beale lightstation, which will receive two, 5-kilowatt solar arrays and two, 3Kw wind turbines, an inverter and battery bank system by the end of 2019. The cost to upgrade Cape Beale, for instance, will run around $300,000 ($40,000 for the battery bank, $100,000 for solar and $150,000 for wind turbines).
The payback for conversion won害羞草研究所檛 take long. It costs between $30,000 and $40,000 per year for diesel per lightstation, and that doesn害羞草研究所檛 include delivery and crew costs. With Cape Beale害羞草研究所檚 combination, for example, 害羞草研究所渋t will be just under four years of payback.害羞草研究所�
News from : Our final spotlight this week shines on Cape Scott Lightstation, located at the northwest tip of 馃搷 Island. We worked with to install a trio of solar arrays that now give power to light the way for mariners.
害羞草研究所� Canadian Coast Guard (@CoastGuardCAN)
2/3 News from : Check out all of the sustainable upgrades at 馃搷 Merry Island Lightstation! This remote site was powered by diesel generators. We converted it to renewable energy and upgraded the diesel system for use as emergency backup.
害羞草研究所� Canadian Coast Guard (@CoastGuardCAN)
The diesel generators won害羞草研究所檛 be removed completely, Loader said. They will be replaced as they reach end of life; lightkeepers just won害羞草研究所檛 depend on them as much as they do now.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e good as an emergency backup,害羞草研究所� Loader said, or if the station needs to increase capacity or power supplied to the site for a search or other unexpected event.
害羞草研究所淲ith renewable energy there will be gaps. On days where there害羞草研究所檚 not much wind or not much sun, (the generators) will be a backup system.害羞草研究所�
susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
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