This past summer, qathet Film Society (qFS) announced that the Patricia Theatre would be getting a 24-kilowatt solar energy system installed on its roof.
The system was designed and installed by Vancouver Renewable Energy Co-operative (VREC Solar), a worker cooperative, as part of a community-owned energy project called SolShare.
The crew began installing the solar panels onto the 100-year-old theatre on October 21, according to SolShare Energy chief executive officer Rob Baxter.
"Local community members and other BC residents have the opportunity to become shared owners of the project," stated Baxter, in a media release. "SolShare was approached by local community members to install solar on the Patricia Theatre, the longest running movie theatre in Canada. For the past year, SolShare worked with local partners, including qathet Film Society, to develop this community owned solar project, and now construction is underway."
The theatre will host the project on the rooftop and purchase the solar power, displacing much of its demand for electricity from BC Hydro. Revenue earned from selling the electricity is used to pay dividends to the shareholders.
"The installation has no cost to the film society," said qFS executive director Gary Shilling, in a previous interview with the Peak about the project. "We provide the roof and they supply the equipment. There is a small savings in our electrical bill, but the primary motivation was a belief in solar as the best way forward to expand electrical capacity in the world."
Environmental advocate and Cinema Politica qathet member Charlie Latimer spearheaded the project.
"It can feel pretty disheartening to see the onslaught of oil and gas projects being fast-tracked,” stated Latimer. “This project is something positive, super local and very tangible you can do to help get more renewable solar energy in qathet.”
SolShare follows the model of similar projects in Europe. Local individuals become community investors and pool their resources to install solar energy systems at no cost to the building owners, and then sell the power it produces.
“The project will have multiple environmental and financial benefits, and we were able to keep the capital cost of the system down by accessing tax credits,” said Baxter.
To promote local ownership, residents of the qathet community are the first to be able to apply to become co-owners of this project. After October 26, investment will open to all BC residents.
The minimum buy in is $500. Applications for share ownership close November 4.
For more information, go to solshare.ca/patricia.
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