Rising costs, shrinking options
Every household in town knows the story: energy bills keep climbing. Heating, lighting, powering our homes and public buildings takes a bigger share of the budget every year. Small communities like ours are especially vulnerable — we have fewer choices, and much of our energy spending flows straight out of town to large utilities.
But there is another way. Communities around the world are turning to district energy and community-scale solar projects as a way to lower costs, keep revenues local, and build independence. For us, it’s not just about clean power — it’s about having more control over our future.
What is district energy?
District energy is a shared system where a community produces heat and/or power in one central plant and distributes it through a network to multiple buildings. Instead of every home, school, and shop relying on separate furnaces or boilers, they tap into a more efficient, community-owned system.
District energy plants can use many fuel sources — solar, geothermal, biomass, or combined heat and power — but the principle is the same: shared efficiency, shared savings, and shared benefits.
Why it makes sense here
For a small town, district and community-scale energy offer practical benefits that go beyond the technical.
- Keep energy dollars local: Every month, thousands of dollars leave our community in utility bills. This “retail drift” is money that could instead circulate among our residents, supporting local businesses and services. Community-owned energy systems keep more of that value here.
- Support local jobs and skills: Building, operating, and maintaining these systems creates local employment. A dollar spent on a local solar installer or technician has a multiplier effect in our economy.
- Build resilience: We become less dependent on outside corporations and less exposed to price spikes. That independence makes us stronger.
- Environmental stewardship: District energy and solar projects reduce emissions, cut waste, and fit with our broader sustainability efforts like rain totes, xeriscaping, and Repair Cafés.
Most importantly, these projects can and should remain in municipal hands, not transferred to outside corporations. Ownership matters. When residents and councils control the infrastructure, the benefits stay with the people.
Remembering the 1.2 MW solar project
Some years back, there was serious work underway on a 1.2 MW solar system for our community. From what I understand, it was close to becoming a reality. A project that size could have powered municipal buildings or supplied a portion of community demand.
It’s worth asking: what happened? Why did it stall? Is there a path to revive it?
Where to start looking for records:
- Council minutes and agendas — available on the Town of Diamond Valley website, or request via administration.
- Past RFPs (Requests for Proposals) — sometimes posted online or available by FOIP request.
- Alberta Utilities Commission filings — large projects sometimes require AUC submissions.
- News archives — the Western Wheel or other local papers may have covered early announcements.
Digging into those records could give us the story — and perhaps a starting point for renewed discussions.
We’re not starting from zero
This isn’t a new conversation. Our town already has a history of investing in smaller solar systems, with installations on public buildings over the past 15–20 years. Those projects proved the concept: renewable energy works here, and it works for us.
The step forward is scaling up. A 1.2 MW system, or a district energy plant tying together municipal buildings, would make us a leader in small-town energy resilience.
Funding is available
This isn’t just wishful thinking. Funding exists:
- Green Municipal Fund (GMF): Supports community energy systems, including feasibility studies and capital projects.
- Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program: Recently funded multiple Alberta clean energy projects.
- Community Energy Fund: Our town has already been a recipient of support for grid-tied solar.
The opportunity is there — but we need the will to act.
What we can start doing now
- Commission a feasibility study — to update costs, savings, and technical options.
- Engage the community — forums, open houses, and workshops to build awareness.
- Pilot smaller expansions — like adding a solar + battery system to a municipal building.
- Ask our candidates directly — do they support locally controlled energy, and what is their plan?
Looking ahead
District energy isn’t just about pipes and panels — it’s about vision. It’s about whether we want to continue depending on outside corporations or build something that belongs to us.
We’ve already taken steps with smaller solar systems. We nearly achieved a large 1.2 MW project. The momentum is here, and so is the need.
Closing / Call to Action
Affordable energy will not simply arrive — we have to build it. District energy and community-scale solar give us the tools to do that, while keeping control in municipal hands where it belongs.
As the candidate forum approaches, let’s make this a question on everyone’s lips:
“Will you commit to supporting community-owned energy systems for our town?”
The answer to that question will help shape the kind of future we build together.
🌱 Sustainability grows when we share it. By mentoring, teaching, and supporting one another, we create a stronger, more resilient community for generations to come.
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