River turbines to power up parks
Technology will deliver electricity to campgrounds in Banff, Jasper
CALGARY Several Alberta-B.C. mountain parks will use river turbines to power some of their off-grid campgrounds next year, says the Quebec-based company involved in the project.
The partnership between Idénergie and Parks Canada will see the installation of 10 river turbines in Banff, Yoho, Kootenay, Glacier and Jasper national parks in the spring.
“It’s in order to test the technology,” said Caroline Pesant, who works on international partnerships with Idénergie. “We identified Parks Canada because it was the best government entity to test the product.”
An official with Parks Canada said it’s a good fit for the agency.
“These river turbines are really complementary to our sustainable energy goals,” explained Steve Blake, ski area and special projects co-ordinator for the mountain parks.
The spinning hydrokinetic turbines and a “smart converter” turn a river’s energy into electricity, which is forwarded to constantly recharging batteries and converted into 120 volts. The system can generate up to 12 kWh each day and would replace the need for gas or diesel generators at campgrounds.
Blake said they could also be used at campgrounds that don’t currently have power, such as those along the Icefields Parkway.
All they require is a fast-flowing river, such as the Athabasca River.
“The stronger the flow, the more energy is produced,” explained Emmanuelle Kenol, a marketing and communications co-ordinator for Idénergie.
The turbines, which were tested this fall, would be placed on river beds at least 60 centimetres under water in several locations throughout the mountain parks.
They are part of planned campground upgrades that will take place over the next two to five years.
The company said the turbines, which aren’t harmful to fish, can be installed each spring and removed every fall once the summer camping season ends.
They could provide power for lighting, pay machines and washroom facilities.
“Some campgrounds don’t have any services,” noted Pesant, explaining it could also power smartphone charging stations and even WiFi, a service Parks Canada has started adding to visitor centres and serviced campgrounds.
It’s not yet known which campgrounds will be powered by the river turbines.
The project is part of the Build in Canada Innovation Program, which was established by the federal government in order to allow small- and medium-sized businesses to test innovative goods before taking them to market.