{"id":6470,"date":"2015-05-03T15:29:22","date_gmt":"2015-05-03T22:29:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?page_id=6470"},"modified":"2018-11-22T23:22:40","modified_gmt":"2018-11-23T06:22:40","slug":"off-the-grid","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?page_id=6470","title":{"rendered":"Solar \/ Wind &#8211; Off The Grid"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>There are several kinds of Solar Power packages that companies offer, \u00a0Some can use Analog, some require Smart Meters (to keep track of the extra power that your solar panel \/ wind system generates, and sends it to BC Hydro \/ FortisBC for them to use and reduce your Hydro Bill ), and lastly theres also an <strong>&#8220;Independent System&#8221;<\/strong> that is completely disconnected to BC Hydro. \u00a0There are various companies in BC that can set these up for you, and the cost can vary from $10,000 to more then $40,000.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<header>\n<div class=\"post-attachment\" style=\"box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; padding: 0px; display: block;\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-full \" src=\"https:\/\/24yawwveti2100ln1aebgdpj-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/8121820_web1_solararray.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/24yawwveti2100ln1aebgdpj-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/8121820_web1_solararray.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/24yawwveti2100ln1aebgdpj-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/8121820_web1_solararray-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/24yawwveti2100ln1aebgdpj-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/8121820_web1_solararray-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/24yawwveti2100ln1aebgdpj-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/8121820_web1_solararray-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/24yawwveti2100ln1aebgdpj-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/8121820_web1_solararray-300x200@2x.jpg 600w\" alt=\"\" width=\"394\" height=\"254\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>Tara Bowie Morris Holmes of Farmersdotter Organics stands in front of the 70-panel solar array installed earlier this year at the Cawston garlic farm. About 10 solar projects have been completed by Argon Solar in the Lower Similkameen over the last year.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"entry-title\">Interest in Solar growing in the Similkameen BC<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"author-meta\">\n<li>Aug. 18, 2017 12:00 p.m.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Owners of a popular Cawston garlic farm hope that neighbours will follow suit and invest in solar power and the government will step in and help grow the renewable market.<\/p>\n<p>Morris Holmes and Yvonne Kosugi owner of Farmersdotter Organics put up a 70-panel solar array on their farm earlier this spring.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe thought it was the right thing to do,\u201d Holmes said. \u201cOne of our mottos is vote with your wallet. As a consumer of resources we have a considerable footprint. We want to mitigate that footprint and give back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The large solar panel installation will create in the area of 21,000 to 24,000 kilowatt hours per year.<\/p>\n<p>The hope is to offset the farm\u2019s hydro consumption, which includes irrigation for growing about seven tonnes of Red Russian garlic each year, producing garlic scape salt, baking bread and the recent opening of two guest suites, staff housing and a main residence.<\/p>\n<p>The cost of the solar array was about $55,000 to install.<\/p>\n<p>Holmes said in a few years, depending on how much energy is produced from the panels and how much is used in the farm operation, they might choose to install another similar sized array.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is an investment for sure. But really when you think about it people easily pay $55,000 or in excess for a new pickup. That pickup depreciates in value over time. The solar panels shouldn\u2019t. They should make you money or at least pay your hydro bill over time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>At current rates through net metering, Holmes estimates he will have the panels paid off in about 16 years.The installation has a 25-year guarantee.<\/p>\n<p>Every time hydro rates rise the more money the panels make and the amount of time to pay it off goes down.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cActually rates going up works in our favour now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>At this point the government is not providing incentives for installing solar.<\/p>\n<p>Holmes has an agreement that Fortis will buy the hydro and take that amount of his monthly bill. If more hydro is produced than used a credit will apply. Fortis can terminate the agreement at anytime.<\/p>\n<p>Although Holmes doesn\u2019t think there should be a huge monetary incentive for those installing solar, he said he\u2019d like to see the government step up in some way to help encourage renewable energy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe government can\u2019t give lip service to the environment and say it\u2019s a priority and then not provide support for this type of energy production. They\u2019re giving subsidies to so many other energy industries just look at Site C and LNG. I think there\u2019s room to be encouraging the growth of renewable energy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>In full agreement is manger of Argon Solar Dave Malmberg who installed the array at Farmersdotter.<\/p>\n<p>Although he stopped short of saying what types of incentives would work best he said the renewable energy sector could benefit from some government support.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be a large incentive. It could be tax credits or something else. Really what we\u2019re looking for is an acknowledgment from leadership that renewables are a viable and valid energy option,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Argon is an Oliver based company that has been installing residential and commercial solar projects for about the last four years.<\/p>\n<p>Malmberg said in the last year Argon has completed 10 solar projects in the Similkameen accounting for about half of the projects he\u2019s been involved with.<\/p>\n<p>The projects have ranged from eight-panel installs on roofs of houses to the 70-panel Farmersdotter project.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s weird that some places just have a mental block on solar. But then there are other places like Cawston and Keremeos that are going ahead with projects. Maybe it\u2019s because there are more organic fruit farmers and that\u2019s driving other people to think along those lines,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Malmberg said a lot of the company\u2019s clients are in the Baby Boomer age range or young couples who see solar panels as not only a way to help impact the challenges facing the environment but also as a good investment option.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe fact is is that an installed system overtime is going to cost you about the same as it does for power and it\u2019s like guaranteeing your paying a low rate for hydro. If they raise hydro rates you make more money. That will offset costs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ArgonSolar\/\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ArgonSolar\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>https:\/\/www.keremeosreview.com\/news\/interest-in-solar-growing-in-the-similkameen\/?fbclid=IwAR3gTiTkiGGlLwbU0t6xtOdwHPIzcsPxXJOiEK9K-OdMn3IwG3whoUintvQ<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Tesla Battery<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Here is the announcement of the Tesla battery. If this is bought by many, the price will come down and the EMF free solution will be available.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.teslamotors.com\/powerwall\/powerwall\">http:\/\/www.teslamotors.com\/powerwall\/powerwall<\/a><\/p>\n<div data-mode=\"normal\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-gtputqysphy\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" class=\"arve\">\n<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n<div style=\"aspect-ratio:500\/281\" class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:56.200000%\"><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<iframe allow=\"accelerometer &apos;none&apos;;autoplay &apos;none&apos;;bluetooth &apos;none&apos;;browsing-topics &apos;none&apos;;camera &apos;none&apos;;clipboard-read &apos;none&apos;;clipboard-write;display-capture &apos;none&apos;;encrypted-media &apos;none&apos;;gamepad &apos;none&apos;;geolocation &apos;none&apos;;gyroscope &apos;none&apos;;hid &apos;none&apos;;identity-credentials-get &apos;none&apos;;idle-detection &apos;none&apos;;keyboard-map &apos;none&apos;;local-fonts;magnetometer &apos;none&apos;;microphone &apos;none&apos;;midi &apos;none&apos;;otp-credentials &apos;none&apos;;payment &apos;none&apos;;picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create &apos;none&apos;;publickey-credentials-get &apos;none&apos;;screen-wake-lock &apos;none&apos;;serial &apos;none&apos;;summarizer &apos;none&apos;;sync-xhr;usb &apos;none&apos;;web-share;window-management &apos;none&apos;;xr-spatial-tracking &apos;none&apos;;\" allowfullscreen=\"\" class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" credentialless data-arve=\"arve-youtube-gtputqysphy\" data-lenis-prevent=\"\" data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/gTPutqysphY?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" loading=\"lazy\" name=\"\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/gTPutqysphY?feature=oembed&#038;iv_load_policy=3&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;rel=0&#038;autohide=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autoplay=0\" title=\"\" width=\"900\"><\/iframe><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"http:\\\/\\\/schema.org\\\/\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/emrabc.ca\\\/?page_id=6470#arve-youtube-gtputqysphy\",\"@type\":\"VideoObject\",\"embedURL\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\\\/embed\\\/gTPutqysphY?feature=oembed&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&autohide=1&playsinline=0&autoplay=0\"}<\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2015\/05\/01\/technology\/tesla-powerwall-battery-product\/\">http:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2015\/05\/01\/technology\/tesla-powerwall-battery-product\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2015\/04\/30\/tesla-powerwall-home-battery\/#.gvxdpk:gzXp\">http:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2015\/04\/30\/tesla-powerwall-home-battery\/#.gvxdpk:gzXp<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/blogs\/innovations\/wp\/2015\/05\/01\/teslas-powerwall-is-the-latest-step-toward-our-clean-energy-future\/\">http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/blogs\/innovations\/wp\/2015\/05\/01\/teslas-powerwall-is-the-latest-step-toward-our-clean-energy-future\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Hawaii Sets Goal of 100% Renewables by 2045<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.climatecentral.org\/news\/hawaii-100-percent-renewables-goal-18977\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">http:\/\/www.climatecentral.org\/news\/hawaii-100-percent-renewables-goal-18977<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Rules won\u2019t let N.S. woman live off the grid<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/atlantic.ctvnews.ca\/rules-won-t-let-n-s-woman-live-off-the-grid-1.2498006#_gus&amp;_gucid=&amp;_gup=Facebook&amp;_gsc=C713Gqb\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">http:\/\/atlantic.ctvnews.ca\/rules-won-t-let-n-s-woman-live-off-the-grid-1.2498006#_gus&amp;_gucid=&amp;_gup=Facebook&amp;_gsc=C713Gqb<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fRrHpf1aikE\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fRrHpf1aikE<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div><span style=\"color: #000000;\">CTV Atlantic<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Saturday, August 1, 2015 12:50PM ADT<\/span><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Cheryl Smith wants to live off the grid, but has found it\u2019s not easy to cut her ties with the power company.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">She wants to live in a 14-by-20-foot home. She was planning to move in a year ago, but without an occupancy permit, the Shelburne County woman says she has been held back.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cI just don\u2019t want to leave a big footprint on the earth,\u201d she says. \u201cI want to try and be as environmentally friendly as possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><em>Cheryl Smith wants to live in this 14-by-20-foot home, <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><em>but she says ties with her power company have held her back.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The move to mini homes is a new trend that\u2019s growing in the United States, and is getting increasingly popular in Canada.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Smith doesn\u2019t want electricity in her home. According to code, however, it\u2019s essential so she can have proper smoke detectors and an air exchange system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cIf what we\u2019re trying to do is move the world into a greener place and make it more environmentally friendly so there\u2019s something still left for our children, then why am I being forced to rely on electricity or fossil fuels if I don\u2019t want to?\u2019\u201d says Smith.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Smith\u2019s father, Don, has been helping her. He tried to wire her home, but she told him to stop, saying she won\u2019t give in to regulations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Don Smith says his daughter deserves the freedom to choose her own way of life and style of home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cShe wants to live the way her grandparents did back then,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a decision a lot of people may not agree with, but I mean, it\u2019s not a decision that\u2019s going to hurt someone else.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Town officials say they understand what Smith is trying to do, but building codes must follow the same standards from coast-to-coast. The building inspector says they\u2019re in place for a reason \u2013 to ensure the safety of the homeowner.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cThe rules are rules, unfortunately,\u201d says Clark\u2019s Harbour Mayor Leigh Stoddart. \u201cI know what she\u2019s trying to do and I applaud her for her effort because she wants to live off the grid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Stoddart says he wouldn\u2019t be surprised if the standards change one day to adapt to this new style.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Smith family would like to see it happen sooner than later.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cSomebody has to stand up and say enough, that\u2019s enough, it\u2019s my right,\u201d says Cheryl Smith. \u201cIt\u2019s my house. You didn\u2019t contribute to it financially. You don\u2019t get to tell me what to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>With files from CTV Atlantic\u2019s Suzette Belliveau.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are several kinds of Solar Power packages that companies offer, \u00a0Some can use Analog, some require Smart Meters (to keep track of the extra power that your solar panel \/ wind system generates, and sends it to BC Hydro \/ FortisBC for them to use and reduce your Hydro Bill ), and lastly theres [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":14541,"menu_order":99,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"page-nosidebar.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6470","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6470","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6470"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6470\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14551,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6470\/revisions\/14551"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6470"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}