Green Initiatives

The Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc has many goals and objectives for conserving and otherwise reducing energy consumption and managing our demand for energy. We are driven to improve the energy efficiency of our buildings and operations due to rising fuel costs, energy security and environmental concerns. We have developed a plan to reduce energy consumption by 5 percent by the year 2020 using 2012 energy consumption data as a baseline (see data below). Reports are submitted two years following data collection to allow time for review and study.

• Energy Conservation & Demand Management Plan: 2014-20 (PDF, 949 kB)

The Energy Conservation & Demand Management Plan was approved by Strathroy-Caradoc Council at the July 7, 2014 meeting.

In the summer of 2016, Strathroy-Caradoc Council was presented with a report detailing the many initiatives underway to both reduce energy consumption and create new green energy sources. View that report here.

Ontario Regulation 397/11

Ontario Regulation 397/11 made under the Green Energy Act, 2009, requires every public agency to prepare, publish and make available to the public, and implement energy conservation and demand management plans.

A summary of the public agency's annual energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions for its operations must also be prepared and made available to the public. Also required is a description of previous, current and proposed measures for conserving and otherwise reducing the amount of energy consumed by the public agency's operation and for managing the public agency's demand for energy, including a forecast of the expected results of current and proposed measures.

The Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc is prescribed as a public agency and therefore is required to record the annual energy consumption in our facilities. As well, the Municipality has produced this report stating our goals for conserving and reducing energy, proposed energy conservation measures including estimated costs and savings, and a description of renewable energy generation facilities and the amount of energy produced.

Solar Projects - Rooftop Systems

In 2013, the Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc undertook the installation of rooftop solar microFIT systems on municipal facilities.

After an extensive selection process, the municipality engaged EfstonScience of Toronto to install high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on 13 rooftops. Locations generating solar energy and income include the Caradoc Works Yard, Strathroy Fire Station, Mount Brydges Fire Station, Strathroy Library, West Middlesex Memorial Centre, Strathroy-Caradoc Police Service, Environmental Services/Entegrus, Tri-Township Arena, Town Hall, Strathroy Works Yard, Pump Station, Caradoc Community Centre, and the Strathroy and Area Seniors Centre.

The project has been generating between $56,000 and $61,000 a year in revenue for the municipality through the Ontario Power Authority's MicroFIT program. The $430,500 cost to install the panels is being financed through a 10-year debenture, with power generation revenues covering the annual loan payments and providing a modest revenue of $5-10,000 a year for the duration of the loan payment. After the 10 years, the municipality will realize the full amount of the revenue each year.

"As with most municipalities, we are always challenged to find alternative and innovative sources of revenue to sustain our operations," said Mayor Joanne Vanderheyden. "The rooftop solar project presents an opportunity to generate income while showcasing the efforts of the municipality to demonstrate leadership in green energy and efficiency in the use of our resources."

The 520 panels, made in Ontario by Canadian Solar Inc., are each capable of generating 137,000 kilowatt hours annually - enough to together power 13-15 average homes - and require no maintenance or after-sale service. 

EftonScience has established online monitoring capability for each facility that provides an up-to-the-minute snapshot of how much electricity is being generated and fed into the grid, as well as the income the municipality will earn as a result.

Solar Projects - Solar Tracker Farm

In 2015, the Municipality commissioned a new solar tracker farm on municipal property at the Sewage Treatment Plant and Transfer Station site on Pike Road.

Each of the 60 trackers represents a 10 kW system, generating 21,400 kW of energy per year at 80.2 cents per kW hour in revenue.Through a 20-year lease agreement with Solar Income Fund, Strathroy-Caradoc receives a share of the revenue (5.8%) that will bring in about $1,000 per tracker per year. The entire system of 60 trackers is providing annual income of $60,000, which will translate into about $1.14 million over the life of the agreement.

LED Streetlighting Project

In 2015, streetlights throughout Strathroy-Caradoc were switched over to LED (light-emitting diode) lights in an effort to save energy and to save energy costs. Almost all of the 1,839 street lights the municipality owned became LED lights.

The advantage of LED lighting technology is a major cost savings, both in lower energy costs and in lower maintenance costs. At the time of the switchover, it was estimated that the municipality would save over $5 million over a 20-year period. The payback period on the municipality's $743,150 investment in switching the lights was estimated to be just over four years.

In terms of energy savings, LED streetlighting was expected to reduce annual energy consumption by 60-65 percent, saving 171 tonnes per year of greenhouse gas emissions.

System maintenance costs were expecxted to be significant, with 20-year costs of the old system of about $1.1 million being reduced to about $10,400 for LED lighting over the same period.