8.5 MW solar park at Thunder Bay Airport Site to commence construction in early 2011
THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO – DECEMBER 13, 2010
SkyPower, one of Canada’s leading owners and developers of solar parks, announced today that its 8.5 MW project in Thunder Bay will begin construction work on lands within the Thunder Bay International Airport property starting in early 2011. The solar park is expected to create almost 100 new direct clean energy jobs during peak construction and potentially many more indirect jobs for the local region of Thunder Bay. The project plans to reach commercial operation by summer 2011.
SkyPower recently closed financing on this solar project with Deutsche Bank and has executed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) agreement with Canadian Solar Inc., to build the solar park.
“This is another important clean energy and job creation milestone for Ontario in the Thunder Bay region,” said Kerry Adler, President and Chief Executive Officer of SkyPower Limited, “I would like to thank the Thunder Bay International Airports Authority, our business partners and most importantly the region of Thunder Bay for their open arms, foresight and economic innovation. This project is a testament to the great things that can be accomplished for the environment and future generations when we work together.”
“We are very excited to see this project becoming reality after several years in the making,” said Scott McFadden, President and Chief Executive Officer of Thunder Bay International Airports Authority. “This is another first for the TBIAA as we effectively become the first “solar-powered” airport in Canada.”
The Thunder Bay Airport Solar Park is expected to produce enough clean energy to meet the energy needs of approximately 1,000 homes after its first year of operation and almost 15,000 homes over 20 years. As a clean energy source, the Thunder Bay Airport Solar Park will effectively offset approximately 7,500 metric tons of carbon from the air per year.
The solar park is being built on Thunder Bay International Airport lands located on the southwest corner of the airfield bordered on all sides by the railway, Highway 61 and two airport runways.