Phase VII
Overview
2011-2012
Recycling Our intent is to highly motivate our student body to increase plastic waste production by 25%. We have enough equipment; we simply need to increase use of our recycling bins. We feel we can do this now that we our recycled waste can be disposed of right at the school using the new waste management system. Outreach Program We will continue conducting tours, attending conferences, video conferences and other community events to promote our project and the concept of sustainability. One of the areas we would like to help promote is sustainable transportation. One of our businesses in town sells e-bikes which we would like to bring to our student populations’ attention. |
Renewable Energy Production
Phase VII involved researching and pursuing the installation of one 5 kW Evance R9000 turbine on a 60’ (18 m) monopole at north end of football field. Phase VII is unique and educational; it empowers our students, it is functional for our school and, being a form of renewable technology, it represents the future. Microgeneration projects like this one could be the solution to domestic energy demands when our province is being asked to become a major global player with its energy resources.
This project is leading edge that is entirely reasonable and wholly in accordance with up-to-date national and international planning policies.
The Evance R9000 SWT will raise CHS’s energy production capacity to 11 kw and would be a valuable addition of renewable energy to the school. Our hybrid system would bring energy to our school on a reliable basis. When it isn’t sunny, the wind generally blows; when the wind isn’t blowing, it is generally sunny.
However, all that we were able to accomplish in the four years since our initial quest for this technology was a policy with the Town of Cochrane that enables various forms of renewable energy technologies to be used by residents helping Cochrane reach its target of 30% of its energy derived from renewables (CSP; page 26).
Throughout this first round in pursuit of a small wind turbine our students have learned valuable lessons. We’ve learned that change can be difficult and that everyone has a voice. We listened to the concerns of our residents, school board, Town of Cochrane and school regarding our initial proposal. In response to the concerns raised, we spent many, many hours further researching our project attempting every step of the way to get answers regarding health, noise, animals, property values, and aesthetics. The facts that we gathered are shared as pdf documents in the left margin.
Phase VII involved researching and pursuing the installation of one 5 kW Evance R9000 turbine on a 60’ (18 m) monopole at north end of football field. Phase VII is unique and educational; it empowers our students, it is functional for our school and, being a form of renewable technology, it represents the future. Microgeneration projects like this one could be the solution to domestic energy demands when our province is being asked to become a major global player with its energy resources.
This project is leading edge that is entirely reasonable and wholly in accordance with up-to-date national and international planning policies.
The Evance R9000 SWT will raise CHS’s energy production capacity to 11 kw and would be a valuable addition of renewable energy to the school. Our hybrid system would bring energy to our school on a reliable basis. When it isn’t sunny, the wind generally blows; when the wind isn’t blowing, it is generally sunny.
However, all that we were able to accomplish in the four years since our initial quest for this technology was a policy with the Town of Cochrane that enables various forms of renewable energy technologies to be used by residents helping Cochrane reach its target of 30% of its energy derived from renewables (CSP; page 26).
Throughout this first round in pursuit of a small wind turbine our students have learned valuable lessons. We’ve learned that change can be difficult and that everyone has a voice. We listened to the concerns of our residents, school board, Town of Cochrane and school regarding our initial proposal. In response to the concerns raised, we spent many, many hours further researching our project attempting every step of the way to get answers regarding health, noise, animals, property values, and aesthetics. The facts that we gathered are shared as pdf documents in the left margin.
Timeline
Timeline
July 2011 to December 2011
Research and development
January 2012
Approval by School Division to pursue steps required to implement the small wind proposal
October 2011 – March 2012
Fundraising
Public Relations
April 24, 2012
Community Presentation #1 April 24, 2012 – met with disapproval by 3 out of 8 neighbours that attended. Noise and visual were top concerns; moved turbine proposed site twice in response to concerns (west side by large gymnasium); engineers present, computer animated design and computer presentation were usedFollowup to first meeting: CHSD Committee members visited two 4th Avenue resident homes to get their view and those residents were invited to tour the school rooftop to get our view
Followup to first meeting: meeting at Cochrane High School with three concerned residents, Cochrane Planning Committee, CHS Principal and CHSD Committee Advisor June 15, 2012; based on the Committee’s research and the resident’s complaints, the CHSD Advisor still felt the SWT proposal complied with existing bylaws within the town and decided to proceed with submitting the proposal for a discretionary use permit with the Town.
Summer 2012
Submit Discretionary Use Application to Town of Cochrane –
Discovered have to submit to AUC because we would produce greater than 10 kW when combine the turbine proposal with our existing 6.1 kW photovoltaic array
September 13, 2012
Community Presentation #2 – Town Hall style and met with greater disapproval; notified residents of third new location (north of fieldhouse) and presented more substantive data that was collected over the summer of 2012; visual impact and property values were top concerns from attendees.
October 25, 2012
Community Presentation #3 – Notified residents of fourth new site (off centre of trischool site); Storyboards, scale replicas, computer animated design, more research, experts present; highly interactive
November 2012
Presentation to School Board
December 2012
NTT Presentation to School Board
January 2013
Decision to send Application to AUC by School Board
March 2013
Town of Cochrane motions for CHS to place AUC Application on hold until Town develops a Renewable Energy Framework –School Board removes CHSD Sustainable Development Small Wind Turbine Application which renders proposal null and void.
April 2014
Town of Cochrane Renewable Energy Framework Community Consultation #1 and #2
December 2014
Town Council Meeting – CHSD Committee presented its report on the Evance R9000 and all its research to Council in conjunction with the REF draft presentation.
April 2015
Town Council approves REF policy
https://www.cochrane.ca/635/Renewable-Energy-Framework
Cost:
$40,000
Team
Sustainable Development Committee Members
2011 – 2012 Phase VII Ms. Stephanie Bennett Ms. Joan Williams- Mann Mr. Earl Binder Taylor Toft Holly Martin Chris Smith Katie Koob |
Brayden Boerchers
Calum Devlin Logan Parker Emma Greendale Adam Dodd Brandon Hiebert Megan Martel Alexander Cobban Emma Kendall Max Parke Kurtis Rabel |
Donations Table
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Platinum $5000+ |
TD Friends of the Environment Lafarge Canada CANA Construction Inc. |
Gold $1000-4999 |
ConocoPhillips Canada Japan Canada Oil Sands Limited Stephanie Bennett The Environmental Artworks Foundation of Alberta |
Silver $500-999 |
Nan Boothby Memorial Library Cochrane High School |
Bronze $1-499 |
Barbara Greendale |