Backgrounder
As part of the Government of Canada's commitment to working with communities to reduce reliance on diesel for heating and electricity, in 2018-19, an investment of $196,253 through the Northern REACHE Program supported the installation of three microgrid solar projects with Carcross/Tagish First Nation, Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in, and Taku River Tlingit First Nation at remote camps on their traditional territories:
- Carcross/Tagish First Nation's Culture Camp at Tagish Lake in Yukon;
- Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in's Farm Building at the Teaching and Working Farm southeast of Dawson City in Yukon, and
- Taku River Tlingit First Nation's Fish Camp on Taku River, just across the Yukon border in northern B.C.
The integration of solar and battery technology is expected to reduce diesel consumption at each of these sites by an estimated 40% and allow the sites to run entirely off of renewable energy at some points. To achieve this, each microgrid consists of a 6 kilowatt solar array, a 3-6 kilowatt variable speed generator, and a 12 kilowatt-hour capacity lithium-ion battery.
As the project lead, Carcross/Tagish First Nation contracted MGrid Energy Inc., a Yukon-based clean tech company (owned and operated by John Jensen, a Carcross/Tagish First Nation member) with extensive experience in microgrid technologies, to design, install and monitor the three system systems. MGrid Energy used the project as an opportunity to give a 2-day workshop on hybrid microgrids, further building Indigenous clean energy capacity in the territory.
Solar technologies have been proven to perform well in northern climates. Between May and the end of September, southern Yukon averages 17 hours of full sun per day. The battery energy storage integrated in the each microgrid systems will store solar energy for use during periods of higher consumption. The systems will generate enough electricity to avoid using the diesel generators during periods of lower electricity demand.
Other Carcross/Tagish First Nation, Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in and Taku River Tlingit First Nation Climate Change Projects
Atlin Hydroelectric Station
In 2009, the Taku River Tlingit First Nation's Economic Development Corporation (Tlingit Homeland Energy) constructed a 2.1 megawatt micro-hydro facility. The facility supplies the town of Atlin (450 residents) with 100% of its electrical demands, and the community no longer relies on diesel to produce electricity. The First Nation is currently expanding the project to 8 megawatt in order to supply Yukon with clean energy.
Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Cold Climate Greenhouse
The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Teaching and Working Farm is constructing an energy efficient cold climate greenhouse of approximately 3000 square feet that will allow for farming to take place for up to ten months of the year. In 2018, the project was awarded a $500,000 Arctic Inspiration Prize and received an additional $500,000 from the Government of Canada. The completed greenhouse will be capable of growing a variety of crops and will be used for both production and educational purposes.
Carcross Tagish First Nation Wind Project
Carcross/Tagish Management Corporation, the economic development arm of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation has installed a meteorological tower on Montana Mountain near the town of Carcross, Yukon to assess the wind energy potential. The tower has provided promising data on the wind resources in the area and supports the development of a commercially viable wind project. Once installed and operational, the wind turbines are expected to supply clean to the Yukon grid.
