Things are looking sunny side up for the roof on Golden's museum, which with a $75,000 regional sustainability grant could start running the building entirely on solar power this year.
The Golden & District Historical Society is installing a spread of solar photovoltaic arrays on the roof of Golden Museum and Archives thanks to funding recently announced by the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT).
These CBT grants, which fund non-profits and First Nations to support energy efficiency, renewable energy, greenhouse gas reduction and climate change adaptation, are financing 21 projects this year with $820,700.
In a statement, Golden Museum and Archives said this funding will allow the building to install a 39-kilowatt solar system and operate at net-zero emissions.
The building, constructed from a kit in the 1970s by community volunteers, is heated by hydroelectricity that costs between $6,000 and $7,000 per year. The solar array, however, is expected to "pay for itself" within 12 years. Golden Museum and Archives has been pursuing this goal throughout the last year with the help of A Fit Right Efficient Energy Company and GreenLight Power.
"Solar is a great way to cut down on gas emissions and create a more sustainable community," the museum's executive director Brittany Newman said in the statement. "Also, propane, gas, and electricity are not getting any cheaper, so installing a system that makes a building self-sufficient has a definite appeal.”
The statement notes that the building's age and curved-roof hangar shape called for months of planning, inspection, design and upgrading the electrical service to ensure optimal energy output. The solar installation has subsequently become the first part of a future exhibit the museum is planning to explore power generation in the Columbia Valley.
In Revelstoke, two projects have also received CBT grant funding.
Community Connections Revelstoke is allocated $12,000 to install energy-efficient doors and windows on the main floor of its outreach centre and food bank at Second Street West and Rokeby Avenue.
The Revelstoke Business and Information Centre has received an additional $4,800 for LED lighting.
“Non-profits provide essential services to people in the region. Improving their buildings or adding renewable energy sources not only helps reduce emissions but also strengthens their ability to respond to challenges like wildfires or extreme heat,” CBT's Ulli Mueller said in a release. “We’re proud to support these groups in creating more sustainable and climate-resilient communities.”
Golden Museum and Archives said its solar installation is slated for spring 2025.