Piikani Nation, a reserve just 81.5 km west of Lethbridge launched its first ever solar panel installation this past summer.
This makes Piikani Nation the first reserve in Southern Alberta to switch from electricity to solar energy.
Phase one of the project has been installed at Piikani Resource Development LTD (PRDL) and the second has been installed at the Peigan Board of Education (PBOE).
Both projects are designed to offset power consumption for each of the buildings.
The solar panels installed at Piikani Nation Secondary School also act as a learning aspect for students of Piikani Nation.
Beatrice Little Mustache, a Board Chair for the Peigan Board of Education, says that this will benefit the children of the Piikani Nation.
“They will be able to understand how solar panels function and light up our building by using rays.”
Grade 10 students enrolled in the science class will be the ones who will benefit the most from this solar panel installation.
Scott Osborne of Rite Line Electric says that solar panels have a 25-year lifespan with very little maintenance.
“There will be advancing technology in 25 years that will make these look like dinosaurs” Osborne added
Katrina Shade the manager for Piikani Resource Development Ltd. says that switching to solar energy will help reduce bill costs because solar energy is cheaper then electric.
“It’s one more thing taken off my shoulders, I can’t wait to see how this will reduce our costs.”
Shade hopes that having these two solar panels installed on the reserve will encourage more departments to make the switch to solar energy as well.
Alongside Montana First Nation, Piikani Nation is the second reserve in Alberta to invest in solar energy.