A cleaner environment for a First Nations community

Gull Bay First Nations Diesel Offset Microgrid

Alltrade, working under an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) agreement with Ontario Power Generation (OPG), set out to provide a microgrid energy solution to a remote First Nations community. They brought us in to provide engineering services and design the solar farm array, collection system, and the tie-in to the battery energy storage and existing grid.

Our scope also included geotechnical and environmental review services as well as structural, civil, and electrical detailed design. With an integrated project execution plan in hand, our design project manager oversaw all aspects of the project, ensuring constant communication with team leaders.

The first fully-integrated solar energy storage system in one of Canada’s remote First Nations communities, the Gull Bay microgrid’s use of solar power, battery storage, and grid technology will supply half of the community’s energy needs during the day. This project was put in service in 2019 and will replace approximately 130,000 litres of diesel fuel per year with clean solar power.