During a virtual awards ceremony held June 2, 2020, the City of St. Albert received an Emerald Award for its electric bus fleet and its photovoltaic installation at the Transit building. The electric bus fleet and photovoltaic installation work together as a fully sustainable operation.
The City's fleet of electric buses were the first municipally owned electric buses in Canada. The buses are battery-powered and capable of making multiple trips without recharging. They are quieter than the average diesel bus and reduce noise pollution.
The City's high-efficiency photovoltaic installation includes a 301-kilowatt solar panel system that supplies approximately one-third of the building's electricity. The chosen layout of this high-efficiency system maximizes production and allows St. Albert Transit to move forward with the goal of using renewable energy to help offset the electricity use for the electric buses as well as electricity use of the facility itself.
"Our electric buses and the photovoltaic installation at the Transit building represent some of the things we are doing to maintain a healthy natural environment and ensure its sustainability for future generations," says St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron. "The City believes that building a sustainable community involves a balance among our economic, social, and environmental needs, which we call our triple bottom line."
For more information, visit the City website at stalbert.ca and search Electric Bus and Facility Solar Panels.
