The Largest Solar Array in the MD of Bighorn

Up on the roof of a process building at Baymag's plant in Exshaw sits our biggest project yet: a 291 kW solar array, and the largest of its kind anywhere in the MD of Bighorn. It took a real team effort to get there, a three-way partnership between BVGEC, Baymag, and KCP Energy, and a shared belief that a major industrial operator and a small community energy co-op could build something together that neither could pull off alone.

We signed the agreements to finance, install, and operate the project in early 2023. Jim Bachmann, Baymag's VP of Operations, put it well: after the company's recent expansion project had already cut its carbon intensity, this was another big commitment, for the business, for the environment, and for the community they're part of. Geoff Domenico from KCP Energy called it a special, made in the Bow Valley solution, and we couldn't agree more. For us, it was another big step toward our goal of reaching 1 Megawatt of community-funded renewable energy capacity by the end of 2025.

Construction kicked off April 10, 2023. Once everything was hooked up, we were looking at up to 300,000 kWh of clean electricity a year, offsetting roughly 240 tonnes of CO₂ from Alberta's grid annually, about what 50 to 60 homes use in a year.

We celebrated the official electrification on June 22, 2023, out in Exshaw with Banff Kananaskis MLA Sarah Elmeligi and a great crowd of supporters. Franz Spachtholz, Baymag's CEO, called the solar project part of the company's bigger sustainability push, something that matters to their employees, their community, and their customers too. It was a genuinely joint effort: Baymag, BVGEC, and KCP Energy each played a part in getting it financed, built, and now running.

BVGEC owns and operates the system, and just like every project we take on, the money from selling that electricity doesn't disappear into a utility's pocket. It goes right back into funding the next local solar project. In its first year alone, the array generated 293.74 MWh of power and offset 197 tonnes of CO₂, about the same as planting 3,263 trees. A great first year for a project that wouldn't have happened without Baymag, KCP Energy, and our own community of member investors backing it.

The numbers:

• 291 kW system, on the roof at Baymag's Exshaw plant

• Built with Baymag Inc and KCP Energy

• Construction started April 10, 2023, officially celebrated June 22, 2023

• Projected to offset about 240 tonnes of CO₂ a year (roughly 50 to 60 homes worth)

• First year actual results: 293.74 MWh generated, 197 tonnes of CO₂ offset

• Part of our push to reach 1 Megawatt of community-funded renewable capacity by 2025

Ready to be part of the next one? Become an investor and help fund new community solar projects across the Bow Valley.