Powering Community Through Partnership: A New Energy Development in the Bow Valley
Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative - Rocky Mountain Community Energy
A New Partnership Model for Renewable Energy in the Bow Valley
On March 31, 2026, at Rundle United Church, we weren’t celebrating the completion of a solar installation - we were celebrating something just as important: the funding that will make it possible.
This announcement marks the start of a project to bring clean energy to the church in the near future, made possible through support from Graymont’s Carbon Reduction Fund and guided by Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative (BVGEC).
But the real story is how this came together.
After expressing interest in installing solar panels in partnership with BVGEC, much like their sister congregation, Ralph Connor Memorial United Church, Rundle United Church began exploring grant funding to help make the project possible. That’s when Graymont stepped in through its Carbon Reduction Fund and provided the full funding required to finance the installation.
Rundle still wanted to partner with BVGEC, and through that shared commitment, a first-of-its-kind agreement for BVGEC took shape: a new three-way partnership.
This project represents collaboration between:
The host site, Rundle United Church
The funding partner, Graymont
BVGEC, acting as project manager, technical advisor, and long-term system monitoring and maintenance provider
For many community organizations, the path to renewable energy can feel overwhelming. There are financial hurdles, technical decisions, contractor coordination, and long-term maintenance considerations. Even with strong motivation, the process itself can become a barrier.
This partnership model removes those barriers.
Rundle United Church brought the vision and the willingness to host the project. Graymont’s support makes the project financially possible. BVGEC brings the expertise to move the project from concept to reality, managing feasibility, design guidance, contractor coordination, and ensuring the system performs well for years to come.
This is a new and important arrangement for BVGEC. It opens the door for more organizations across the Bow Valley to pursue green energy installations without needing to navigate the complexity alone; they can work with us!
What was announced yesterday wasn’t the end of a project - it was the start of one.
And more importantly, it’s the start of a model we believe can be repeated throughout the region: community organizations, supportive funders, and BVGEC working together to make local clean energy projects achievable, practical, and sustainable.
The panels will be installed soon, the green energy will follow, but this community partnership is what makes it possible.
Watch this space for updates as the project moves from announcement to installation.