In an effort to save energy and save money, one community in Alberta, Canada has banded together to harness heat from the sun to provide heat for their homes. In chilly Alberta, where temperatures often drop well below zero, residents of The Drake Landing Solar Community have turned their small, 52-member town into a solar thermal plant. The ambitious move provides up to 90% of the town’s heating needs, even in the dead of winter.

Power for the Neighborhood

This groundbreaking, intricately planned project represents compelling evidence as to the power and potential of solar energy, even in harsh climates. Drake Landing’s solar energy is collected via a heat storage fluid, which runs through solar panels attached to each and every roof, and garage, in the community. The fluid is then transferred to a neighborhood energy center before being sent into the ground where the heat is stored beneath an insulated layer

What Working Together Can Achieve

Working together, the community is able to harness enough heat from the sun to provide the overwhelming majority of their heat and hot water needs. During the summer, the stored fluid reaches temperatures over 170 degrees Fahrenheit – plenty warm and insulated enough to be used to provide heat throughout the winter.

It is important to note that the entire community was built with solar power in mind. Homes are moderately sized with above average insulation levels to reduce energy needs. The houses are located in close proximity to each other, resulting in a neighborhood that promotes walking and cuts down on distances that the heat storage fluid must travel.

Get a visual idea of how the system works and the layout of the community at Green Building Elements.

Posted on July 17th in Solar Information by Renee.