About the Project
SWEB Development is developing a community solar project in West Hants Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia called the Hillsvale Community Solar Project. The Project is expected to be approximately 5 megawatts (MW) AC. The Project will contribute to the local communities by providing tax revenues, employment opportunities, and other benefits for the area. The Project will also provide subscription opportunities for NSPI customers to receive a discount on their bills.
SWEB has identified Hillsvale as a suitable site for the Hillsvale Community Solar Project. This site was selected due to a variety of factors such as available grid capacity, appropriate land use types, adequate space for a solar project, adequate solar irradiance levels, minimal physical constraints, and minimal potential for environmental impacts.
Please see below for a Map of the Hillsvale Community Solar Project
Benefits & Potential Impacts
The Hillsvale Community Solar Project will provide a number of benefits to the West Hants Regional Municipality, and to the province of Nova Scotia.
Project Benefits
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Subscriptions
Individuals and local businesses can subscribe to the Community Solar Program, and to this project to receive a $0.02 per kilowatt hour solar energy credit on their power bills.
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Local economic benefits
The Hillsvale Community Solar Project will provide tax revenues to the West Hants Regional Municipality in addition to creating opportunities for local businesses to bid for work and or materials directly supporting local businesses and economies.
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Host Community Benefit Program
SWEB intends to form a Host Community Benefit Program with the West Hants Regional Municipality. This program would provide additional financial support to the local communities during the operation of the Hillsvale Community Solar Project.
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Educational Initiatives
Upon operation, SWEB intends to explore the possibility of partnering with Green Schools Nova Scotia or NSCC to host field trips that align with educational curriculum objectives.
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Provincial Goals
The Hillsvale Community Solar Project assists Nova Scotia in achieving its goal to produce 80% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030.
Potential Impacts
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Wildlife
SWEB will collaborate with various governmental entities and other organizations to ensure that potential impacts on wildlife and their habitat(s) are understood, reduced, and mitigated. Fragmentation of forested habitat will be avoided where possible, and if not possible, will be limited to the maximum extent practicable.
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Noise
The proposed Hillsvale Community Solar Project will only produce noise during daylight hours from the electrical equipment on site. The noise levels are negligible and are similar to those of existing transformers and inverters already located on our electrical grid. The project will also maintain a setback buffer from roads and residences to ensure that any noise produced by the project will not be further diminished. Additionally, SWEB will be utilizing various strategies to reduce noise impacts during construction such as only performing construction works during prescribed and approved daytime hours.
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Visual
The proposed Hillsvale Community Solar Project will maintain a setback buffer from roads and residences. Moreover, the Project will use a fixed tilt racking system with the modules facing south, away from any roads, buildings, or homes. The Project will maintain a subtle presence compared to other forms of development due to its low height.
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Wetlands
SWEB has conducted wetland and watercourse surveys to assess the existing site’s hydrology, ecosystems, connectivity, and more. SWEB is committed to ensuring that the Hillsvale Community Solar Project will not harm existing wetlands located on or nearby the site.
About SWEB
SWEB Development (SWEB) is rooted in the idea that community matters and ownership makes a difference in the world of energy transition. SWEB is an independent power producer who is headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia. SWEB has been developing, constructing, and operating renewable energy projects throughout Canada and the USA for over a decade. SWEB is part of the W.E.B international group of companies. W.E.B is a community-owned Austrian company that has turned the knowledge of how to build local projects that respect communities and maximize benefits with local partners into an international model for successful energy transition and renewable energy development.
The group has over 25 years of community-based renewable energy project experience and over 650+ MW of projects in operation worldwide, including approximately 40 MW of renewable energy projects in communities across Nova Scotia.